Blog #30
Pete and I haven’t taken a long ride in a while. We thought we’d ride more once we both retired, but it hasn’t worked out that way….yet. The thing about taking long, multi-day, cross country rides is that the longer you’re away from it, the more hesitant you are about getting back out there. It’s like you lose your nerve and come up with reasons not to plan and execute a big ride.
I know guys who took one long distance ride 15-20 years ago and then stopped. They talk about that ride as though it was just last year, but they’ve secretly convinced themselves that, beyond the ice cream ride on Sunday, they’re done.
Then I see on Facebook some old guy in his 70s that just rode to California and back on an old bike. That old guy encourages me.
Pete and I plan to get back after it in august of this year. There certainly comes a time when one can’t pull it off, but we’re not there yet. With prayer, courage and the good Grace of God, I’ll be writing about a ride in September of this year.
In the mean time, I’m really immersed in the Christian Chaplaincy. I find it to be an amazing, completely separate culture of unsung Christian missionaries.
In previous blogs I wrote about my ordination journey with Christian Chaplains & Coaches. Since then I’ve become employed by two organizations that send chaplains into the workplace.
For over a year I’ve worked for WorkForce Chaplains, making weekly visits to an assisted living place in the west side of Columbus. This particular care facility mostly serves people of limited means. I think it’s a very hard job for the people that work there.
I hang around looking for opportunities to befriend and build relationships with employees. Sometimes they ignore me. Sometimes they ask me to pray with them or for them. It can be brutal and it can be incredibly rewarding. I never know how the visit might go.
Remember, Chaplains don’t proselytize, evangelize, or push our faith on anyone. We are confidential listeners practicing the ministry of presence. If an opportunity presents itself to talk about what Jesus wants to do for all of us, we take it, but until then, we build relationships.
Several months ago I was also hired by MarketPlace Chaplains. They have a very large footprint in Ohio and the entire country. Marketplace is extremely well organized and they contract with a very large number and variety of businesses. They train and send Chaplains into the workplace to serve employees as part of their employee benefit plan.
The places I go and the people I meet is incredible and the number of people quick to talk about their relationship with God is very encouraging.
Currently I make weekly visits to an automotive repair shop in the Polaris area, independent/assisted living facilities in Columbus, Pickerington and Zanesville, two giant warehouses in the Rickenbacker industrial park, a Rural King in Zanesville (a favorite for me), and a construction site smack dab in the middle of downtown Columbus. Fortunately, I visit the construction site at 6am, before traffic is gridlocked.
I make employee hospital visits when asked. I’m also trained and equipped to conduct funeral services, prayer gatherings, wedding services, and even jail visits when asked. Chaplains are field missionaries for Christ who fill the gap and go places on a regular basis that few pastors go. Many Chaplains are retired or active pastors; many are not. I’m not called to be a preacher, but the role of the Chaplain suits me very well.
Interestingly, my church (and maybe denomination) doesn’t exactly embrace this type chaplaincy. I’ve been told that this lack of acknowledgement is due to the fact that I was not ordained through my denomination’s process. It’s a lengthy, expensive process that requires one to become ordained as a pastor. The chaplaincy and the pastorate are cousins in the clergy, but they are not identical. Again, I’m not called to be a pastor. Apparently it’s an exclusive club and I’m not in it, but all in all I’m doing pretty darn good. I’ll just keep working to be in my Lords club. That’s the one club that really counts.
About two years ago I told an executive pastor (and good friend) at my church that I had become an ordained chaplain and would be glad to assist in hospital and shut-in visits to our congregation. I’ve been attending this church for over 25 years and I know the people. My friend actually smirked at me and said something paramount to “yeah, right.” Oh well, I still love him and my church. It’s their loss. My chaplaincy is guided by Christ through prayer. The Lord is in control of my church’s attitude towards people ordained by other means. It’s not something I control.
I recommend that anyone with a heart for Jesus and a need for a little additional meaningful employment or volunteering consider pursuing ordination through Christian Chaplains & Coaches. Miss Phyllis and I will attend their chaplains conference at The Billy Graham Training Center at The Cove in Asheville, North Carolina in November. This organization is the real deal and I appreciate my affiliation with them.
I also recommend checking out MarketPlace Chaplains. They are hiring. Unfortunately Workforce Chaplains is not yet big in Ohio. If you work in a challenging field, you might ask your employer to contact MarketPlace about having a chaplain come by once in a while. We specialize in directing you to the one true source of strength in a storm, and the storms do come.