Chaplaincy Program

Rev. Travis Richardson

• What did you learn?

This course has provided to me valuable insight in to the history of a Chaplain and the role that Chaplains have provided. Although I was aware there are Chaplains in the Military, Police Forces, Fire Departments, Hospitals, Prisons and so on, I was unaware of the roles that the Chaplain actually provided. Not only is the Chaplain there for the members of the particular service but the service they provide to the general masses was enlightening moment of understanding for me. An example of this is in a hospital where an individual is awaiting a major surgery and has some reservations and calls upon the services that a Chaplain is able to offer. Back in lesson one, the term and concept of “keeper of the sacred” struck a deep sense of understanding within me, furthering my understanding of what it is that a Chaplain actually does. To borrow a term used in lesson two, “mark of the divine” combined with “keeper of the sacred” provided to me the universal level of understanding that my mind frequently searches for when taking a class. A Chaplain is one who serves all people spiritually regardless of who they are.

• What helped you?

What helped me the most out of this course was the actual encouragement from Rev. Daniel Moore promoting the Humanist style of being a Chaplain, where it is encouraged that a minister  who so chooses lean more towards promoting and encouraging individual beliefs rather than simply following the same old same old. The promotion of the person over the belief structure rings true to me and my own beliefs.

In lesson two the paragraph titled The Call By God where it speaks of the three points of how God calls to someone; Personally, Dreams and Visions and Miracles are elements that resonate within my life and my perceptions. There are over 6 billion people on this planet, not everyone is going to believe the same thing. 

Another aspect I found that this course highlighted for me was my own tendency of responding in kind to individuals who have a harsh tongue when they speak in a degrading manner towards another based upon racial commentary of age, race, gender, personal choices. It reminded me that even though individuals have the “right” to freedom of expression, that it does not mean one should. 

This course has also led me towards the Clinical Chaplain Education for service in my local Hospitals. I have found the local CPE board and will soon be contacting them as well as the local hospitals to further my own goals. There are internships available however having a family and financial concerns to consider may just result in an opportunity to resolve a difficulty.  

• What could improve this course?

The only suggestion that I would like to offer is more internet links for other countries alongside those provided for the USA.

• What you hope you will accomplish as a result of taking this course.

This course is part of the Chaplaincy Program offered by the ULC Seminary, it is a required course, but I feel the need to say that if all courses where as informative with a good balance of information and personal experiences, that they would be just as enjoyable to take as this one has been.

Thank you Rev. Daniel Moore for taking the time to share your wisdom, constructing this course and offering thought a church that is more in line with my own philosophies.

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The  ULC, run by Rev. Long, has created a chaplaincy program to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of Universal Life Church materials.  I've been ordained with Seminary since the beginning and have loved watching the continual growth of the seminary.

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Chaplain lesson 10

I believe using touch is one of the most effective ways to help a person feel comforted. I know personally that if I am blue or if I feel bad, nothing makes me feel better than a hug. I am a hugged, I will hug anyone. This is one of the things my friends like about me. When I know someone feels bad, even if it is a stranger, I give them a hug. Whether it's a aura around me, or my fatherly looks I have never experienced a problem.
Imam also a handshaker. I think shaking lands is a way to confirm to someone that you are actually glad to meet them. I believe that the act of touching a person let's them know that you consider them equal to you, that you respect them.
So I consider touching someone

Rick Robbins
Sent from my iPad

Chaplain lesson 9

Active listening

Active listening has been a skill that I have used for many years. In my present occupation, Paramedic and a Supervisor, I have used active listening to both treat patients and helping my charges. I am also retired military and was a NCO for most of the time so you have to use active listening to understand your Soldiers and their needs.
I currently deal with a wide range of problems daily from dealing with employees to personal problems, patients with psychological problems, or telling patients love ones there is nothing I can do. When I was new I would be in the habit of trying to oldest advice in many cases, and of course a lot of times this had disastrous results.
I later learned that a lot of of the situations just required me to listen. This seems in a lot of cases to be the only thing needed to help the person to feel better. I am a firm believer now that active listening is a very important skill to have when you deal with people in a time of need.

Rick Robbins
Sent from my iPad

Chaplaincy Studies

Chaplaincy Course #19

I liked this lesson. Simple specific ideas most of which I already do and some newer ideas all helpful in "being prepared".

I use business cards and a manual PDA, which has a calendar and place for notes and a small clock.

i am always mindful of my mouth and breath hygiene as a regular life practice. the change/cash was a good reminder as I minister more and more to a wider group of people in need.

tissues are always with me and handkerchiefs are a good idea. I have a cell phone with me at all times and put it on mute to not disturb certain situations. i used to be obsessive with time and get to places too early. Now I am more relaxed and find I am always on time appropriately in a more relaxed manner. 

In terms of myself more personally, I love people and find it natural to smile and generally ease people into a place of trust. Eye contact is vital and again natural for me and I have seen time and again how important it is in helping people to relax especially in instinctively knowing when to be easy and not stare at the person. In the Navajo tradition you do not look directly at a person you look to teh side especially if you are addressing an elder it is a sign of disrespect to look them right in the eyes. Sometimes this make sit easier to listen even deeper to the person you are ministering to. 

I usually carry portable ceremonial items always in my car.

As I begin to do this work more full time in a hospice setting I will add more to my tool box such as scriptures and cards and music.

As always I am thnkful for the suggestions in this lesson and look forward to carrying them out into my Ministry.

       Reverand Pamela Bagot-beasley

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Ordination with the Universal Life Church, is free, legal and lasts for life, so please take advantage of our Free Online Ordination.

The  ULC, run by Rev. Long, has created a chaplaincy program to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of minister supplies.  I've been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and am proud to have started the Seminary.

Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar

 

Chaplaincy

Master of Chaplaincy Studies

By Michael Barth

   This course in Chaplaincy Studies was very good and well written.  This course helped me learn that being a chaplain is not easy.  A chaplain has to know a lot and also be available even if he or she is not at the chapel or office.

          I realize now that chaplains need to be versed in other faiths besides there own.  I know that I will have to learn more about other faiths to be a good chaplain.  I do know some things about other faiths because of taking other classes through the ULC Seminary but I will expand my knowledge so I can be better versed in other faiths.  So, I will have to keep studying other faiths as part of my program in becoming an ULC chaplain.

          Another thing I did not realize prior to taking this course was some skill level of the person who would like to be a chaplain.  Such skills include listening, eye contact, body posture, gestures, voice, and observation.  A good chaplain will also respond by being objective and avoid judgment and expressions of disgust or disapproval.  Also, the chaplain should be faithful, of good character, of good testimony, sound in doctrine, and able to teach.  I think I had some notion of this about a chaplain but did not realize this until I took this course.

          One thing I did not consider until I took this course is to know my limitations on what I can do.  I need to know the areas where I can help people the most.  I am really good with people with addictions because I have overcome my own addictions.  Also, I have helped people make it through life's general problems but I have no experience in grief counseling.  So I will have to keep my limitations in mind in order to help the right people.  If someone comes to me and I cannot help them, I must be able to tell them that and refer them to someone who can help them.  Also, another thing I need to be careful of is not to burn out.  I need to make sure that I take time for myself in order to eat, sleep, and relax.  The course does point out that burn out was big after Hurricane Rita.

          Ceremonies was another great lesson in this course.  I had always thought that a local clergy person did the ceremonies such as the Fourth of July, Veterans' Day, Memorial Day, and so on.  I did not realize that chaplains could also serve this function too.  In the military, it could be a change of command or a wedding between military personnel.  Other type of ceremonies could be retirement parties or anniversaries too.  So the numbers of ceremonies could go on and on.

          Also, this course was very good at pointing at some basic things.  Some of the basic things this course pointed out was having a cell phone or pager so people can be in contact with you if an emergency should arise.  Another thing is having a kit that would include such things as a Bible, some scratch paper, business cards, a calendar, and other such things.  I did not consider these things before taking this course.  Also, having the right clothes as a chaplain is important to look professional.  This is something that I will have to obtain along with business cards.

          I did not realize that there were so many places that a chaplain could work at.  I did know hospitals, jails, prisons, and the military had chaplains but did not know that there were chaplains at truck stops, airports, apartment complexes, shopping malls, school campuses, nursing homes, and at some businesses.  I did not know chaplains worked at all these places.  Learning this was really helpful since it gives me a great deal of places to chaplain at.

          I also learned that chaplains go back to the Romans.  The Romans would have priests who would carry out religious functions for the military.  This was new to me.  I had thought previously to taking this course that chaplains were of a more recent development.  The Druids had chaplains too for their military.  The oldest form of chaplains goes back with the military.  I found this history fascinating too and was well worth reading and learning.  In American history, chaplains go back to the Revolutionary War when the Continental Congress authorized chaplains.

          Another thing that I learned was that a lot of these places have requirements for being a chaplain.  I did not realize this.  I just thought that being a chaplain from a place of worship was good enough.  Some places of educational requirements like education through Clinical Pastoral Education and a Master of Divinity along with age requirements.  Also, some places require that you belong to the professional organization for chaplains.

          I also learned that when you do have a chaplaincy program going, you also need to learn about where you are doing it.  For example, if you are a chaplain at a hospital or prison, you need to know the rules of where you are doing it at.  Also you may need to study its' history, formal organization, and the tradition and unspoken customs.  Also, when you start a chaplaincy program, you need to develop relationships, follow the rules, be consistent, and be available to people.

          This course was well written.  It covered a lot of the basics for being a chaplain.  It also had a lot of resources that I went and looked up on the internet just for further research for my only knowledge.  I think this course could go into more detail about some of the topics that it covered, but I would otherwise not change anything to the course.  The author did know his subject material and seems to have been a chaplain for a long time which showed throughout this course.

          As a result of this course, I will study other religions further by taking other courses through the ULC Seminary and by reading other books that deal with other faiths.  Also, once I feel comfortable with my knowledge, I will start being a chaplain somewhere like the local hospital here.  Also, I need to learn how to do different types of ceremonies too.  One of the biggest things I learned in this course was the chaplains have to be well versed in other faiths and also have to be well versed in doing different types of ceremonies for people.

          I would definitely recommend this to other ULC ministers.  This course will definitely broaden your scope, especially if you are considering becoming a chaplain.  I would also recommend to other ULC ministers to do the Chaplaincy Program through the ULC Seminary.

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The Universal Life Church, is free place to become ordained,  and lasts for life, so use the Free Online Ordination, button to get started today.

The ULC Seminary was created to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of Universal Life Church materials. The  Universal Life Church has grown over the years and its Seminary has added the continual growth of the church.

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Chaplaincy Program

Chaplaincy Course Homework Lesson #14
I work with couples 5 times.
#1  Is the get acquainted/get their information/any questions they might have
#2-5  Since many of my services are for the Native American culture. I have broken the last 4 meetings into the " Meetings of the Four Directions"

 #2 East or mental/air....what are their concerns and desires regarding this big step they are about to take, what are their thoughts on how to handle upsets, how to keep the love alive, how about children etc

 #3 South or emotional/water....how do they "feel" about this person they are going to marry, how do they feel about themselves taking on this new role, how do they deal with 'feelings"?
 #3 West or physical/earth...how will they provide, what is their work, how do they see the physical aspects of the marriage working, where to live, how to live, who works and brings in money, how takes care of the children etc
 #4North or spiritual/air...What are their beliefs? are they religious or spiritual, are they compatible with each other, how to raise their children, how to practice their beliefs, church, ceremony etc.

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The  ULC, run by Rev. Long, has created a chaplaincy program to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of minister supplies.  I've been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and am proud to have started the Seminary.

Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar

 

Chaplaincy

I am currently in the role of Chaplain of the EMS service I work for. I have been there for over twenty years and have experienced a lot of situations that helps me to understand the problems that arise fro the same. I am older than most of the people there so it give me the father factor also. I have always availed my self to listen, give advice, or a shoulder to cry on. I am someone they have learned they can trust.
Rick Robbins
Universal Life Church

Chaplaincy Program

Chaplaincy Course #18

Reverand Pamela bagot-Beasley

My ministry is not solidly defined. I am not yet associated with an official organization. My direction is with Hospice. 

I know already that the stressor points that "might" arise are also the process of balancing time. Giving to those that need ministering to and giving to my family and my mother and myself in a way that serves everyone in a good and gracious way. 

At the moment my week is Monday-Friday I work with clients, spiritually counseling from 2-4 hours per day. Then another 1-2 hours per day answering the needs of people via email.

I am already fairly solid in Spiritual Care. i have a spiritual practice of meditation morning and evening, with devotional reading and music. I swim 3x week and hike on the weekend, spending as much time outside as possible, it is nature that deeply renews and inspires me to uplift others.

Thank everyone for their words of wisdom and inspiration in these posts, blessings, Pamela

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The  ULC, run by Rev. Long, has created a chaplaincy program to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of minister supplies.  I've been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and am proud to have started the Seminary.

Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar