What Dioceses and Congregations
and
Others Are Doing
The Diocese of Washington
St. Francis in the Fields Episcopal Church
Harrods Creek, Kentucky
The Episcopal Diocese of Hawaii
Chaplain (LTC) Michael McEwen
Mrs. Didi Smith, St. Alban's Episcopal Church
Washington, DC.
The Rev. Debra Metzgar Shew
Canon for Community Ministries and Director
The Episcopal Charities Foundation in the Diocese of Atlanta
Suzanna Raker from The Diocese of Northern Michigan
Here is a question and answer from Chaplain Bob Certain a retired chaplain and former prisoner of war
The Diocese of Washington hosted a meal for those with family members in Iraq and Afghanistan
The Invitation To Rectors and Wardens,
Responding to a request to provide support for family members of those serving in Iraq and Afghanistan we contacted the Suffragan for Chaplaincies, The Rt. Rev. George Packard. He and the Presiding Bishop in turn requested that we in the Diocese of Washington establish a pilot project of ministry to the families of military and civilian personnel serving in those countries or recently returned.
We undertake this project with no preconceptions about what shape this ministry will take, or whether it is best done on the diocesan, regional or parish level. Our immediate goal is a simple one: to identify the families who might benefit from this ministry and invite them for dinner and a conversation about what they would find most helpful. The time and location are not yet determined, but we will promptly notify the families as soon as we know who they are.
Please help us to initiate this ministry by collecting and sending us names and contact information for families in your parish who have members in the armed, diplomatic, or other services stationed in Iraq or Afghanistan. Please send as well information on families with members working as civilians in those two countries. We would appreciate a response within ten days so we can get underway.
We know that having a family member in these theaters of conflict is very stressful and worrying. Many of us are already aware of the emotional and spiritual cost of not knowing what might befall those whom we love. These family members are acutely tuned to what the Prayer Book calls “the shortness and uncertainty of human life.” It is our privilege to minister to them as best we can and to provide them a place to support each other.
Your prompt assistance in this important ministry will be greatly appreciated.
Update on the dinner from The Reverend Phillip C. Cato, Ph.D.:
“An update. We have been soliciting from the clergy and wardens the names of those who have family members in Iraq or Afghanistan for several weeks now, more like a month or two. Only about 20 were sent in and we sent them a letter of invitation for a gathering to be held this Sunday at 5PM at the Collington Assisted Living Facility...a very pleasant diocesan institution that is well located given the distribution. When we got only 4-5 responses I called each family and now we have 14, possibly 16, coming. Many of those coming said they just forgot to respond. Though I left welcoming telephone messages on several phones, there has been no response from some, one of these a priest in Washington. Though the response is modest we will go forward on Sunday. Several have expressed a lot of gratitude already. We are gathering around a meal which we are hosting. Diocesan staff support has been excellent.
I will let you folks know how it goes.”
Phillip
St. Francis in the Fields Episcopal Church, Harrods Creek, Kentucky, has not only prayed by name for about 30 service personnel who have ties to the parish, they have shipped over 500 care packages along with letters of support just this year alone to those deployed. The Rev. J.D. Brown, an associate priest who also is a retired US Marine officer, helped with the shopping list for the care packages. According to Ralinda Gregor, who wrote a brief article about the effort for The Living Church magazine, Nov. 19, 2006, page 9, the care pkg contents include snack foods, playing cards, cough drops, batteries, toiletry items, and a disposable camera. They have received some interesting letters of thanks from recipients.
St Francis in the Fields is continuing its outreach to our troops serving overseas click here to learn more.
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The Episcopal Diocese of Hawaii provided a well attended Camp for Children and Families of Deployed Military Personnel in May of 2005. The Rev. David K. Kennedy, a retired Air Force Chaplain, led the very successful effort. He has since retired. Here is Fr. Kennedy's report. And to learn how the weekend was organized click here for the Diocese of Hawaii news story.
Military Families Weekend at Mokuleia
The May 13-15, 2005, family camp for the families of military personnel who have been deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan was a wonderful success. Seventy-five people were in attendance, including staff. Some were spouses and children of deployed military personnel and some were families who had a family member who had recently returned from Iraq. Two families came from the Island of Kauai and one from the Big Island. The rest were from Oahu. The campers came from the Hawaii Army and Air National Guards,the Army Reserve, and active duty Air Force, Navy and Marine families. Most of the folks recently returned were Marines who had fought in the battle of Fallujah just weeks earlier.
Friday evening of the weekend was a time for unwinding and building community with group icebreaker activities and sharing and for explanation of the activities that would be available on Saturday and Sunday.
Families were up early on Saturday, ready to go. For the hardy there was a hike to Kaena Point that included an historical narrative. In addition, the morning and afternoon had ongoing opportunities for archery, a climbing wall, a low ropes course for team building, kayaking, canoeing, crafts/games/singing for the young ones, walking the labyrinth (and pinning a yellow prayer ribbon in the center for their loved ones who are in harms way), and, of course, lots of pool and beach swimming and free time. In the late afternoon, while the children had sand castle building, the mothers took advantage of spa activities (e.g. foot massage). After dinner there was a roaring camp fire with singing and making of s'mores. Those who were weary went to bed while others stayed up and chatted - sharing thoughts, experiences and anxieties.
Sunday morning was a repeat of Saturday's opportunites with the addition of an outdoor chapel service where each deployed member was remembered by name in prayer. The camp ended with lunch and camp clean-up.
As the famiies departed their expressions of appreciation wre heartwarming. Many asked if their would be another such camp and could they bring their spouse when he returned home.
The camp was sponsored by St. Andrew's Cathedral. Camp Mokuleia donated its facilities. The Honolulu Advertiser, and the churches of Holy Nativity, St. Andrew's Cathedral, St. Peter's and St. Christopher's were financial contributors. The Diocese provided neighbor island transportation. Calvary Church sent four families who took over the entire task of baby sitting and running the tiny tots activities. The nurse was a volunteer (military) who, with his family, were being packed and moving from Hawaii the day after the camp ended. The Army provided a videographer who videotaped the entire weekend. He edited the tape to 5 or 6 minutes and copies will be sent to each family who can share it with their deployed family member.
Many thanks to the camp's Planning Committee for their conscientious efforts in making this opportunity available and for assuring its success.
Chaplain (LTC) Michael McEwen, is an Episcopal priest and professor, and also a US Army Reserve chaplain who is mobilized at Ft. Carson, Colorado, where he ministers to a regular stream of Army personnel heading "downrange" to Iraq and Afghanistan and to those returning from those volatile countries. He has developed a "self-teaching" PowerPoint Presentation on "Combat Stress'. It is a simplified description that is suitable for military and civilian audiences. Recently he met with the leadership of several Episcopal dioceses and presented an abbreviated version to them as a suggested tool for use in ministering to families of those who have served in combat. It stirred considerable interest. We encourage you to consider using it for as many groups as possible since awareness and intervention are the best ways to minimize the long term effects of combat stress. To view or download the presentation, Click here
Mrs. Didi Smith, an energetic parishioner at St. Alban's Episcopal Church, Washington, DC. has gathered together a team of people from her church and another congregation or two nearby, and made hundreds of beautiful Anglican Prayer Beads, neatly packaged along with easy to follow instructions, which they continue to send to some of our Episcopal Church chaplains in Iraq and Kuwait for distribution. One of the chaplains, Air Force Lt. Col. Jeff Neuberger, who served at a large Air Force field hospital in Iraq, gave out many sets to coalition forces, patients and staff. He asked Didi to consider sending him Bennie Babies to hand out to the Iraqi children who are treated at the hospital. St. Alban's Outreach includes prayers for those serving our country in the U.S. Military or in govenment service abroad.
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| The Rev. Debra Metzgar Shew, Canon for Community Ministries and Director, The Episcopal Charities Foundation in the Diocese of Atlanta wrote to tell us of their 2006 Ministry Fair Workshop. "Among other things, we hope that the workshop will help us discern how to deepen and expand efforts in the diocese to provide care to all those affected by military deployments. Please do share this news as widely as you can."
Wartime Caring: How People and Parishes Can Offer Support
Reaching out to military personnel and their loved ones is especially important in times of war. But we don't always know the best way to help. And varying opinions — both within ourselves and among others — about the policies behind our country's current deployments, can sometimes add to our confusion about how best to respond, whether as fellow parishioners, friends, neighbors or priests. Come join a conversation about how our church can provide effective and meaningful support to all those in our nation's military, both within our parishes and without. Participants will include current service members and loved ones. Come learn, but also come share what you or your parish is already doing that others might learn from. We hope the conversation will lead to a more comprehensive and coordinated response within our diocese, so bring your creative ideas! Led by The Rev. Chris Pierce, Chief of Pastoral Care, Ft. Benning, GA; Julie Pierce, Coordinator of the Family Readiness Group and co-founder, Operation Remembrance, Co-author and illustrator of An Army ABC ; The Rev. Eric Thompson, Chaplain, Ft. Benning, GA
Suzanna Raker from The Diocese of Northern Michigan
"Our diocese is in the process of putting into place a means of staying connected with our soldiers, marines and others who are on active duty or deployed for active duty service. As a part of this program, we wish to present to each service member the Episcopal service cross and Armed Forces Prayer Book. However, our care and concern go far beyond this action. We will also be maintaining parish and diocesan level contact with our active duty members through postal and electronic communication. Currently, we also provide counselling referral, and assistance with paperwork for those returning who wish to access Veterans Administration and State levels of services, including assistance with compensation cases.
I am the person who actively does this work and will be reporting to our bishop (James Kelsey++) about implementing the program, as quickly as possible. Although assistance to returning vets and those already in the states who are seeking help with 'the paperwork trail' has been actively provided for the past three years, the service cross and PB portion of the diocesan program needs your advice and logistical help."
Click here for information on how to order the Episcopal service cross and
the Prayer Book for the Armed Services
Here is a question and answer from Chaplain Bob Certain a retired chaplain and former prisoner of war
Q: Bob, you mentioned that we, individually should do something for these returning vets. What, specifically, do you have in mind?
A: “Well, several things. One is if you know that there is anybody coming into the airport, go down there and applaud them and show them your appreciation. That’s what they do in Dallas. There’s a guy there that’s organized a whole community of people. They go into the baggage claim area, so when these guys come off the plane and go into the baggage claim area, they are out there thanking them.
The other is pick up the tab. Go over to them and say “Thank you.” A little thanks goes a lot further than most other things. These guys are carrying heavy burdens in their souls. These guys have seen a lot. Because of what they have been in, they are in some ways wiser than their years would ever suggest. So, treat them as men and women of the world. Ask them about their experiences. Engage them in conversation and invite them into your community. So, be active like that. You know, a base or port isn't that far from you. I am sure you could organize a response to care for those spouses, go up to the base and have some kind of event just to let them know that they are cared for and loved them. It doesn’t take much. I was talking to somebody not long ago who makes one of those big six figure salaries. He told me that he was leaving the position because nobody ever thanked him for the work that he did. What does it cost to say “Thank you very much”?”
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