The Sign of the Fish: A Chaplain's Territory in an Ecumenical World

Copyright © 2013 Emmalou Kirchmeier.

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ISBN: 978-1-4497-8380-8 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4497-8379-2 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4497-8381-5 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2013902752

WestBow Press rev. date: 5/24/2013

THE SIGN OF THE FISH

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction

Chapter 1

CHAPLAINS: TRAINED ORDAINED ENDORSED

Chaplain at Concord Bridge 1770 William Emerson

The Pacifist Chaplain of Florida 1800 Rev. Jessie Lee

Boston Led The Way For Cpe Training In 1925

The Military Chaplain: Vietnam Capt. Charles L. Greenwood CHC, USN

The CPE Supervising Chaplain

What Does A Chaplain Do?

Chaplaincy Abroad: India Rev. Roberta Jones

A Chaplain’s World

The Campus Ministry Rev. Dee Graham

Inmate Education

Undiagnosed Perception Difficulties

Dr. Helen Irlen

Irlen Washout and Swirl

Retirement Community Rev. Lea Harding

Senior Living Arrangements

Answering A Call

A Hospice Chaplain Rev. Cinda Foulkrod

Prayers: The Connecting Link

The Soul Of The Family

Using Volunteer Chaplains Rev. Dr. George M. Fisher

The On-Call Chaplain

Only Once but Never Forgotten Rev. Emmalou Kirchmeier

Chapter 2

WORKING WITH THE FAMILY

Faith In Action

The Unsettled Family

What Causes Abuse?

Happiness Is Stressful Too!

Esp Issues

Chapter 3

FROM THE DESERT TO THE PEW

Hinduism: The Oldest Religions

Buddhism: Non theistic morality

*The Old City of Jerusalem’s Four Quarters

Judaism: First strict Monotheism

The Jewish Holidays RN Susan Finkelstein

Armenia: The First Apostolic Kingdom Prof. Richard O’Brien

Uses Old and New Testament Scriptures

*Ancient Art Found in Roman Catacombs

Islam: The youngest religion

Uses Texts from the Koran

CHRISTIANITY: Trinitarian Faith of Love

Protestant and Apostolic use of Old and New Testaments

Roman Catholic, Eastern & Greek Orthodox include the Books of the Apocrypha in their Bibles

Questions Chaplains Should Be Prepared to Answer

1. Do The Ten Commandments Go Far Enough?

2. What’s The Purpose Of Prayer?

3. What Are The Advantages Of Silent Prayer?

4. Do We Forgive Too Soon?

5. Is unresolved grief dangerous to our health?

Chapter 4

HOW WE KNOW GOD

John Wesley’s Rules to Live By

BIBLIOGRAPHY

AUTHOR’S BIOGRAPHY

RELIGIOUS THOUGHTS

and

THE MAKING OF A CHAPLAIN

Edited and Written by

CHC Emmalou Handford Kirchmeier, M.Div.

With contributions by: Rev. Dr. Karl S. Andersen, Rev. Dr. George Fisher, RN Susan Finkelstein MAS, Rev. Cinda Foulkrod, Rev. Dee Graham, Capt. Charles Greenwood, CHC, USN, (Ret.), Rev. Lea Harding, Rev. Roberta Jones, Prof. Richard O’Brien,

Other Books by Emmalou H. Kirchmeier

DESTINATION MIAKKA

A Civil War Novel

MONROETON UNITED METHODIST

CHURCH HISTORY 1839-1989

SARASOTA’S SENIORS’ SHORT STORIES

Edited and compiled by Emmalou Kirchmeier

Written by fifteen of her students

DEDICATION

To God, I can only say, it’s been great. Thanks!

To my teachers who were so patient, thanks.

To my parents who wanted me, thanks.

To my children and their children’s children,

You were the best that ever happened to me.

My life as a Mother, Grandma, and GG have been the best years.

To my writing students, we learned together,

Thank you for sharing your hopes and dreams with me.

I could not have had a better life with Otto or

Ken, who both kept me going and strong.

Love to you all,

Emmalou.

I also want to thank those who helped with the computer work: Dr.M.L. Stratton and Miriam Rowan, as well as all my editors at West Bow Press, Kurt Bredt for Cover Design and faxing by Cindy Thurmond.

INTRODUCTION

Why did I write a book about chaplains? Because most people haven’t the vaguest idea who we are and what we attempt to do. The eight chaplains, who became co authors writing with me, faced different circumstances in each of the venues they served.

Be sure to read Chuck Greenwood’s Vietnam story when as a U.S. Navy chaplain he sought a priest to come aboard ship to minister to his Catholic men. And Roberta Jones account of how many staff members she worked with in India when one the country’s religions was not practiced anywhere else in the world; or Lea Harding’s soul searching when a Jewish patient wandered into a communion service.

George Fisher tells about working with volunteer chaplains, who each come to monthly meetings at the hospital to discuss cases. Dee Graham’s adventures on three college campuses renewed my interest in the multi ethnic families at American universities today; she dealt with five different religious groups.

Cinda Foulkrod explains how a person’s background can prepare them for the Hospice Chaplain’s duties as they work with both patient and family. Karl Andersen wrote a powerful, gripping account of the changes and development of the chaplaincy in our time. Don’t miss Susan Finkelstein’s understanding of the holidays of the Jewish community, and Professor Richard O’Brien’s explanation and history of the ancient Armenian faith, one of the four ancient faiths of Old Jerusalem.

As I grew in my work as a chaplain, my strongest desire was to set priorities in emergencies. I didn’t realize how strong that was in me until a school bus accident involved me in handling several different cases at once.

Children have inalienable rights that include being taken care of not just by parents and teachers, but when injured without anyone to speak for them, they should be cared for according to the severity of their injuries, which is how every hospital should operate in an emergency. But the children are also frightened and in need of sympathetic assistance.

Another thing I found out about working with children is that we are sometimes too hard on them when they make mistakes that can’t be helped. After all they are just students, learning how to get along with the rest of us. Many children suffer from perception difficulties that aren’t diagnosed!

To me, chaplains are like the water in a river, able to bring a relaxing cooling calm to the distressed, or perhaps it is more like new strength to the weak, a sweeping tide to wash away their sinful problems of the past. We concentrate our efforts, with God’s help, on uplifting and reassuring the sick, confused, distressed or lonely using prayer to rebuild self confidence and renewed health. However, we should be ready if a person is facing the end of their time on earth to explain a belief that an after-life awaits the believer.

Though each of the eight of us wrote about our own experiences the similarities in thinking are clear. The personality types we deal with are always of nine different types, however, the patient’s beliefs are what we listen to carefully in order to be of help. One of the reasons I included an explanation of each of the major religions to this book comes from my hope that it will become a reference work.

We don’t pray to Jesus with non-Christians. We have been known to ask a patient how they want their creator addressed. Our families are precious too; therefore I added many things patients discuss with their chaplains as a means of helping families.

Lastly, if you are thinking about becoming a chaplain either a volunteer or a professional, God Bless You. You will need strength, compassion, spiritual understanding of faith, and the ability to listen, learn and love.

A chaplain by definition is emotionally, intellectually and spiritually attached to God and has an affinity for helping people understand how God works in their lives while they are in a hospital, university, prison, military unit, or other institution, while they are away from home, away from home and the spiritual guidance they are used to.

Chaplains are trained through courses known as Clinical Pastoral Education or CPE. That knowledge allows us to comfort patients when the medical team or the patient requests they see a chaplain. Back in the 1930’s it was decided that we needed the same clinical training that doctors receive.

The first two chaplains I worked with, while still a journalist, served the Connecticut Correctional system at the Enfield Maximum Security Prison near my home. They were different from other clergy I knew. No matter what a person had done, they were always finding ways to improve their intellectual and spiritual lives. They were strong believers in education as a means of correcting thinking and behavior and they were a great influence on me. Through them I joined the Connecticut Prison Association and began tutoring men who were seeking parole.

I soon learned that humans removed from society may lose some of their social skills. Under the auspices of Commissioner Ellis MacDougall, prisoners learned they could attain their GED equivalent for high school, start college courses, and learn to use computers. All this training helped to reduce the recidivism rate in Connecticut’s prisons.

In this decade, in our home communities, changes have taken place too. We now have Chaplains who are the Behavior Specialists, opening dormitories for those who were ruining their lives addicted to drugs, alcohol, and prescription drugs. These Chaplains are the new Saints who preach, who listen, and who bring these ‘users’ together to believe in the power of God and the Word. Many of those who went through a program of recovery are now Chaplains themselves. These new theologians, many from the Apostolic faiths apparently have one thing in common, they’ve learned to ask God for the thing, the person, or the words, they need.

From The Prayer of Jabez, made famous in this decade by Dr. Bruce H. Wilkinson, in a tiny book we can slip into pocket or pocket book for support, they have become stronger. Jabez prayed and was answered:

Read Chronicles 4:10

Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory, and that your hand might be with me, and that you would keep me from harm!

We may think that enlarge my territory refers to space, land, Charge, or Parish. My interpretation of the phrase deals with vision, focus, imagery, range and perception, without a definite boundary, without a fence. The rural and urban Pastors, the hospital and military Chaplains once were appointed to use boundaries. Once we Clergy, Pastors and Chaplains, are retired, we have no boundaries. When we are asked for our opinions on local, national or international issues we can accomplish what Christ expected of us still, by going forth to make disciples, simply by informing others of our opinions.

My territory as a writer is any area from which I can learn. Or it may include those topics which I have felt I had to write a letter-to-the-editor about or perhaps speak out at a public meeting about, but if I suddenly get cold feet, I remember Acts 18:9;

Do not be afraid, but speak and do not be silent; for I am with you..

As God’s blessed sons and daughters I knew we were expected to attempt the largest problems collaboratively, if they couldn’t be handled alone. Today, when women and children are being abused by the man in the family instead of protected by them we are afraid and sometimes have to collaboratively, with the court’s assistance, take action to separate the wife and children from the husband.

We therefore redesign our territory sometimes with government help. Yet, I still think positively and make up my territory accordingly. When elected officials, for instance, are taking away voting rights, medical treatment for female cancer patients, and education from young students, I express my opposition. Do you see how ‘territory’ gets enlarged?

The second title of this book ‘From the Desert to the Pew’ takes religion from its beginning era in the desert cultures to the modern worship centers. When I think of Third World Countries, where my children were in service or served as missionaries, and I as a journalist functioned, I remember the worship centers without roofs or pews. Frequently they just consisted of wooded knolls covered by vines, I remember the people. The people were genuine. They helped fish for, and feed, one another; cleaned and applied tinctures that healed one another, always comforting those in need, using the tools they had at hand.

Ecumenical beliefs have changed the world. We recognize different languages and cultures but, there is less difference in how we think about life after death. Our worship centers and our leaders are respected for leading believers to believe in a better life.

As we learn to respect the message of each holy book, we find a common thread, a search for goodness. The message of love from the Christian church isn’t understood or believed frequently because we are constantly fighting wars. But that message can also be the reason we are taken advantage of as easy marks; we need to learn to live with each other. Remember the words?

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is freedom. And all of us with unveiled faces, seeing the glory of the Lord as though reflected in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord, the Spirit. 11 Cor. 3:17

I was fortunate when I was a kid. My Mom was the only nurse in the area; she was called to a child’s bedside often taking me with her. We prayed to the Lord with each family, reminding them to pray each day and to call a doctor too. Over seven years only one of those children died. I think the impetus for me to become a chaplain starts there.

Mom said, You can be anything you chose to be.

I leave you with that message….So can you! Just be sure to pray about it. elk

CHAPLAINS:

TRAINED

ORDAINED

ENDORSED

WILLIAM EMERSON

The Patriot Chaplain of Concord

W illiam Emerson, the patriot Chaplain of Concord, Massachusetts had built his manse alongside the town bridge in 1770 and raised his family there while he acted as chaplain to the local militia. Five years later the British Army garrison in Boston brought its might against the colonies. Emerson, no pacifist, preached against the inequities of British rule and inspired patriotism but was branded by a Tory as