Master of Chaplaincy Studies Lesson 7

Lesson 7 credit,

I have a place to use for chaplaincy. In our church we have sanctuary and a gym both are set up for church or meetings i just need to pick a time and day. now on with lesson 7 a wedding ceremony this is for semi-formal weddings before god we have come together today for marriage is one of the most sacred of his wishes, and now through me he joins you together in one of the holiest bonds. let us bow our heads in prayer. o lord hear our prayer for his name and her name who today are united in marriage before you give them your blessing and always strengthen their love for each other amen. 

May the bride and groom face each other hand in hand i ask you his name do you take her name for your lawfully wedded wife to love and cherish from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health,  then bride repeats same at this point the couple will exchange rings. to each one as you place the ring on their finger with this ring I thee wed, repeate after me, with this ring I thee wed. may you always share with each other the gifts of love and be one in heart and always  beautiful of mind. and may you always create a home together that puts in your hearts, love, generosity, and kindness. They turn around and face the guest what therefore god has joined together let not man put asunder. and by the power vested in me by all mighty god and our lord and savior jesus christ, i now pronounce you as husband wife. You may now kiss the bride.    

Good morning all bless you who comes in the name of the lord. let us pray,dear lord we come come to your throne of grace, that you touch our lives and our hearts so that your words will penetrate into today's message. this morning please anoint with the power of your word so that we can share for your glory and honor amen.    candle lighting,  we have candle lighting on two occasions, on Christmas eve and during the week of Christmas. 3 purple 1 white 1 pink the white to be lit last.    Speaking of lite the ushers will pass out these keychain lights so you may give them to somebody and tell them you are the lite of the world.     

Now a service,what are you doing? What are you about?  Good morning, I ask you one question-do you love god-know him as your friend-do you talk to him praise him, thank him everyday of your life,in the book of Ephesians are you a faithful chiles of god sealed with the holy spirit of promise. guaranteeing your inheritance, I want you to look on both side of you and tell them i love you. do you mean it. the bible says to greet one another with a holy kiss, well not do that. earlier i ask what are you doing, what are you about. 

Let me tell you a story of a young boy 12 years of age the young was boy boy was traveling to jerusalem for the passover spending the day ,his parents headed back to nazareth not knowing the bow was left behind. his parents could not find him, they ask all around but he was not to be found, so his parents headed back to jerusalem and found him on the steps,teaching the elders, when his parents ask him why have you worried us so he answered , didn't you know I would be about my fathers business. again i ask you, what are you doing about your fathers business. are you enduring the trials or pain and persecutions of this world. to accomplish his will in your life. Jesus was at the time dividing the word of truth teaching the scriptures, he did what he saw his father doing all good things turning lives around he gave his life so others could live. it was always about others and not himself people it doesn't matter where you have been, what you have done or what you have been through, remember i can do all things through christ who strenghs me. what is Jesus will for your life?  To present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to god. be not conformed to this world, be  transformed by the renewing of your mind, we are to hold back nothing giving ourselves completely, we live our life daily for him, ask daily what we can do for him, and pray without ceaseing. 5 years ago i was in a near death car wreck broke my hip my left shoulder gave me a drop foot messed up a stem in my head, amd my sciotic nerve, thanks be to god they told me it would take me uo to 8 years to fully recover I am in my 5th year and taking seminary going on to be a chaplain. greater is he that is in the world. i am walking talking and doing just fine. for several days while i in a hospital I was full of hate untill i read 90 minutes in heaven-it changed my life i went back to all the doctors and staff to tell them i was sorry for the way i treated them. after our closing song if you wish to come to the alter please feel free to do so.     Let us pray, thank you father for your presence at this service, thank you for your word guide us and direct us in all we do thank you lord for your many blessings and keeping us safe so we can once again come and worship you. in Christ name we pray - amen.       

now a benediction, now the god of hope fill you with all joy peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope through the power of the holy spirit. amen offeratory may the ushers please come foward,  let us pray, remembering the lords words blessed to give than to receive,dear lord the ushers may not have danced up the aisles like david danced up the steps of the temple long ago but we pray that real joy may accompany our giving may we give back a portion of you have giving us, amen             another prayer     

dear lord the time has come, o-lord for us to leave this place, guide us and protect us and lead  in thy way wherver life may take us as we go our separate ways may the peace of god the father and the love of jesus christ his son guide us in the days ahead and strengthen us each one,may the blessing of the holy spirit fill us from within, may god bless you and return us once to the fellowship of our lord.  a-men     end of lesson 7 

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Final essay Master of Chaplaincy by Rev. Hackler

Final Essay Master of Chaplaincy:

The questions I was asked: What did I learn? A chaplain's most important service is to listen, to provide spiritual guidance, comfort, and counseling. And this course has reinforced my belief that no one should be judged or turned away because of their beliefs, sex, race, sexual orientation, and anything else that makes them stand out as an individual. I knew from a very early age I was set apart, I have spent my life spiritually searching, this course has given me direction, not a new path, but a piece of the road map that I was missing. These lessons reinforced the need to live the life I represent, through my life, the life I live daily, through my faithfulness, trustworthiness, reliability, as a chaplain my job is not 9 to 5, it is a life, 24/7. A chaplain is Faithful in their belief, but accepting of all. I learned a chaplain needs to have good communication skills. A chaplain needs to be able to separate themselves from a situation. My connection with my higher power must be strong, I must set aside time for that connection. My unwillingness to not accept failure isn't part of my position as a chaplain, there will be times I cannot help.

As chaplain I would have to be well acquainted in the nature of the business or agency in which I would be working. Understanding the business or agency helps a chaplain in counseling individual employees that are facing career crises and job pressures. Chaplains are often required to meet one-on-one with employees and managers, as well as in small groups or in conferences, seminars and meetings. The main areas that need a Chaplain in my areas are related to health care and we went over that last week. If I worked for a company I would follow what my research has shown me. Privacy, trustworthiness, reliably, and respect are my greatest assets, and I would use them as much at work as I do in my personal life. To gain trust I would know the rules of the organization I work for, be honest, trustworthy (no gossiping), consistent, reliable, available. I would work on healthy relationships with the other employees and my superiors. Knowing who to refer people to if I'm not the one they need would also build an area of trust. As one can see there are many steps to building trust, another

BIG TRUST BUILDER is to live the life you are projecting during work hours, goodness, honesty, and trustworthiness doesn't have a time clock. Oregon law requires clergy to report abuse. I can have a strong  my ministry by: Not compromising myself in any situation, my own or others. Always walking in my faith while accepting others' rights to their beliefs. Praying before making any decisions and have those seeking my help pray. Surrounding myself with smart, moral people. Loving my family and not putting them aside while I reach out to help others. Taking care of myself, mentally and physically. Learning from stumbles, and using them to grow closer to my higher power. Always living what I talk. Pray for those that upset me. Let go of anger quickly as I learn to stop it before it enters me. Live an open and honest life. Always doing what I know is right.

SELF AWARENESS: Know my limits: When ask to help in areas I haven't got experience in I will refer them to someone who can. Be aware of manipulation.  Contra-transference: I avoid it by setting appointments, not meeting away from scheduled places, keeping myself physically and mentally healthy. Respect sex: To avoid the trap I keep all my inner actions with the person on a professional level. I keep myself emotionally and physically healthy, (a good diet and plenty of sleep keeps the brain working as we want it to). And I keep all my personal relationships strong, mate and friends. All gifts I receive are handed over to my ministry to decide their destiny, that includes cookies, etc. Money: One set fee, donations may be made to our ministry through a check made out to it, not me. Pride: I have no problem saying I don't know something, but I will help that person find the answer, either through listening to them, research, or a referral to a person with knowledge of what they seek. I know I'm replaceable, I take my vacations and leave my work to rest or to someone else. I always listen when my friends counsel me.  In our ministry we celebrate every holiday one of our members brings to us. Everyone is welcome to join in or leave the room. We have a loving group that has, so far, joined into every celebration. We encourage the younger ones to bring in wacky, fun holidays. We've celebrated "take your pants on a walk day (while we are wearing them)", "Teddy Bear Picnic Day", and many more. And by doing these activity I've found the young ones more interested in our celebrations, the meanings behind them and the desire to participate.  Making a sacred place: Any corner or empty space that you deem "sacred"  is perfect. Place a room divider, beads, or a curtain to section off your place. Add a comfortable chair or a pillow on the floor. Create an altar with objects that will bring the energy of spirituality. An altar can be as simple as  a small table with special to you fabric or paper on it. You can have candles, oil, crystal, etc on it. Place a symbol from your own religious belief on it, a cross, a rose, etc.  Add plants and colors, depends how much room you have. Photographs of gardens and or flowers may be uplifting. Add soft music, a book, a pen and paper. Weddings: never assume anything, get it in writing. A chaplain needs a soul friend: I have a few  very close friends, now I have a special name for these very close friends:

SOUL FRIENDS. benefit. How we became so close is an item that took thought because we have shared this for many years, but thinking it over I can say we became close in our spiritual quest, our mutual respect, and have grown closer as we seek further enlightenment. My Mentor: A mentor In the lessons we were told we need a mentor. My mentor is a very wise and knowledgeable, retired clergy person. She listens, advises, laughs and tells me not to take myself so seriously, that God is in control. And we're taught we need a self-care plan: My spiritual self-care plan is: First know when to say no. Overloading myself is a sure way to burn out. Give myself plenty of sleep, proper diet, time to enrich my mind, time to grow spiritually, time to pray, time to meditate, time to spend grounded. Spend time with family and friends, and never skip vacations. Be prepared: I have a bag packed with everything I might need, other items in my car, like food and water. Along with the physical, material things that I take with me, I take a lot of smiles, positive attitude, confidence in myself, good posture, a strong connection to my higher power, prayers, and most importantly good listening skills.

What helped me? the clear way the lessons were written and Amy's fast response to all my questions. What could improve this course? I believe it's right on, see no improvements needed.

What you hope you will accomplish as a result of taking this course. Of course there is always the search for knowledge and enlightenment, but I am working on becoming a chaplain and this is the first course I took to show me what it completely entailed and I believe it accomplished exactly what I expected from it and more. from

Rev. Mary Jane Hackler