Be in good health
By the Rev. Dr. Patricia Murphy, BCC

Beloved, I pray that all may go well with 
you and that you may be in good health, 
just as it is well with your soul.
3 JOHN 2
 
Beloved Colleagues in Ministry,

I greet you with joy that comes from the Holy One, as I share with you this quarter, during Lent, a time of reflection upon the redemptive works of Jesus Christ. From your various places across America, we have been honoring this time with God and, suddenly, we awaken one day to find ourselves dealing with a COVID-19 pandemic!

Let us pause now and pray for all those who have lost their lives, their families, friends and colleagues. Let us pray for all the first responders, doctors, nurses and environmental workers who are doing everything they can to keep us safe and well.

As your ecclesiastical endorser, first, I would like to affirm your various ministries. I recognize that you are providing spiritual care, counseling and direction for those who are on the front lines in the most vulnerable places of our nation. Some of you are serving in the military, correctional institutions, hospitals, hospice agencies, airports, the community, police and fire units, college campuses and undisclosed locations.

Second, as you continue to live out your calls as chaplains, pastoral counselors, spiritual directors and specialized ministers, I ask that you remain compassionate and empathic. Continue to advocate for the voiceless and the marginalized. Utilize your assessment tools for crisis and intervention, anticipatory grief, trauma and suicidal ideation.  

Third, God wants you to be well in mind, body, spirit and soul; therefore, be intentional about wearing your physical protective equipment (PPE). If no PPEs are available to you in your ministry locations, please do not feel that you must risk your own health by attending to others.

Fourth, do not allow the anxiety of this new virus' unknown path to affect the wisdom of this present day. Don't let others pressure you into thinking that you must take unnecessary risks or have some great words to make this difficult time go away. Remember, prayer is the best universal ministry tool of comfort and healing that we are privileged to access while practicing social distancing.

Finally, let the theology of the beloved disciple John empower us through his writings about the light, life and love of Christ Jesus! God still loves the world! Jesus is still the light of the world! Christians continue to have the gift of eternal life in Christ Jesus!

Therefore, continue to let your light shine during fear and darkness. Let your life continue to exemplify the life of Christ in how you care for others, and let the spirit of love that flows from God's heart to yours give you strength!

If, in your travels, someone asks you about Easter 2020, tell them that Easter is not cancelled! It is for certain that 2,000 years ago on a hill called Calvary evil tried to cancel Jesus, and prevent the resurrection from occurring, but it didn't happen! This was not the end of Jesus' story, and I am convinced that this is not the end of our story! Beloveds, don't lose hope! The resurrection brought forth new life in Christ Jesus!

In so many ways, we are living a deadly national state of emergency with no end in sight, except for the assurance that Emmanuel--"God is with us"--applies not only for today but also for tomorrow and forevermore.



Rev. Dr. Patricia Murphy
The Rev. Dr. Patricia Murphy, BCC, is ecclesiastical endorser and national coordinator of American Baptist Home Mission Societies' (ABHMS) Chaplaincy and Specialized Ministries.





URGENT
If you have not submitted your annual report for calendar year 2019, 
you are late! Your endorsement is in jeopardy of being out of good standing!  Your 2019 annual report was due on Jan. 1, 2020, for calendar year 2019. Please submit as soon as you can!     

To submit your annual report, visit the website at abhms.org/Chaplaincy and Specialized Ministries/ Submit Annual Report.

If you are retired, update your contact information (address, telephone and email) by sending your information to [email protected].

All Veterans Administration (VA) Chaplains: Please make sure to update your form if you are planning to apply for a transfer or a new position within the VA in 2020.

If you need a letter of endorsement for your employer, send an email message to [email protected].  Be sure to specify the
name and full address of your employer .

Again, if your annual report for 2019 has not been submitted to date and you haven't attended a denominational event in three years, your endorsement is in jeopardy. You may want to contact me today at 610.768.2050 or [email protected].



Connect with American Baptist National Network  of Chaplains, Pastoral Counselors, Spiritual Directors, Specialized Ministers

Our last e-newsletter announced the launch of our new American Baptist National Network of Chaplains, Pastoral Counselors, Spiritual Directors and Specialized Ministers. To date, we are just about 100 strong and growing! The network liaisons have begun reaching out and connecting with our new members. Membership kits are being developed, and the excitement about the future is amazing! 

If you haven't joined us yet, there is still time. For information, go to 
our website at abhms.org/Ministries/Chaplaincy and Specialized Ministries. You may also call me at 610.768.2050 or email me at [email protected].

Stay tuned for exciting chaplaincy, pastoral counseling and other specialized ministries news on ministrElife in 2020! We look forward to seeing you soon on ministrElife!





Spotlight: Resources regarding COVID-19

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Judson Press has released a new ministry resource tool titled 
" Making Space at the Well: Mental Health and the Church."

"[Author] Dr. [Jessica Young] Brown calls the church to reduce stigma around mental health and to create a safe space for those on the margins because of mental illness to be drawn into the lifegiving relationship with Jesus and the community."

--The Rev. Alan Johnson, mental health advocate,
retired chaplain and chair of the United Church of 
Christ Mental Health Network board of directors
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Ecclesiastical Endorsers 
Spiritual Caregivers Connect

This is the official meeting that is called for chaplains, pastoral counselors, spiritual directors and specialized ministers. This national denominational resource center keeps you updated on national news from your respective agencies where you are employed. 
 
Join us at 7 p.m. Eastern Standard Time Saturdays for 30 minutes in April and May 2020 for a time of prayer, reflection and best practices via Zoom at https://ministrelife.zoom.us/j/2401734843.  Dial-in information is 1.669.900.6833. Use meeting ID 2401734843.



Events
2020 7th Annual Caring for the 
Human Spirit Conference
Now a Virtual Conference slated for April 20-22, 2020
 
20/20 Vision: 
The Future of Spiritual Care
May 11-14, 2020, in Cleveland is CANCELLED
 
For more information on regional events and to be in support of your regional executive ministers during COVID-19 , I do encourage you to please give them a call.



American Baptist Chaplaincy and Specialized Ministries

Rev. Dr. Jeffrey Haggray
Executive Director/CEO, American Baptist Home Mission Societies (ABHMS)

Rev. Dr. Patricia Murphy, BCC
American Baptist National Network of Chaplains, Pastoral Counselors & Specialized Ministers 

Ecclesiastical Endorser and ABHMS National Coordinator 
of Chaplaincy and Specialized Ministries
 
Rev. Dr. Janet R. McCormack, APC/BCC, AAPC/PCE, ACPE/Certified Educator  
Chairperson, Endorsement Committee
 
Rev. Elizabeth Ritzman, LCPC
President, Ministers Council, Chaplains and Pastoral Counselors Chapter



American Baptist Chaplaincy and Pastoral Counseling Ministries
610.768.2482 
  
American Baptist Home Mission Societies