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A UMNS Commentary
By the Rev. Randolph Cross*
7:00 A.M. EST Nov. 8, 2010
A camouflage cap topped with a cross rests on a classroom table at the
U.S. Army Chaplain Center and School in Ft. Jackson, S.C. A UMNS photo
by Mike DuBose.
View in Photo Gallery
His most recent deployment as a United Methodist military chaplain
was officer in charge and chaplain of the mortuary for the theater of
operations in the Middle East, located in Kuwait.
In short, his task was to oversee the care of the military war dead.
He also gave his full attention to the spiritual and emotional needs
of the staff responsible for the bodies of the heroes who would not be
alive to see their families and loved ones.
Surrounded by death on an hourly basis, one of his prayers was for
someone – anyone – back home in his annual conference, or anywhere in
his beloved United Methodist Church to recognize and support him in
that hard work.
He dutifully sent in his annual report for persons on extension
ministry. His chair of the board of ordained ministry, his bishop, his
district superintendent and his local church all received that
information – but no one responded. He fulfilled his mission, did his
work, and served as the hands and voice of Christ in a place of death
and pain, but his church never said a word.
‘Why doesn’t my church seem to care?’
This scenario plays out daily in hundreds of locations around the world.
Women and men have answered the call to ordained ministry in The
United Methodist Church, and have further answered the call to serve as
military chaplains, to care as shepherds for military personnel in
sometimes very difficult places. Remember that they are sent by United
Methodists to represent you, and to offer Christ in powerful and holy
ways.
I recently was privileged to travel and meet with our United
Methodist chaplains who are assigned to locations in the Pacific. I was
overwhelmed by their dedication and their willingness to serve, as well
as by their ability to work in a truly ecumenical setting to care for
those who stand in defense of our country. And yet they ask, “Why
doesn’t my church seem to care?”
Numbers of our chaplains recited similar stories of going home for
annual conference, and having people remark that it was probably time
for them to come home and do “real” ministry, or of finding either no
place to sit, or a place in the back – out of the way, no registration
packet, no nametag. Their required annual meeting with the bishop often
occurred as a lunch in a room with other extension ministers, or those
serving beyond the local church, at which there were times when the
bishop was “too busy” with annual conference process to even
attend.
United Methodist Bishop Woodie White (front row, center) and the Rev.
Randy Cross (second row, right) visit with the chaplaincy team stationed
at Osan Air Force Base in South Korea. A UMNS web-only photo courtesy
of the United Methodist Endorsing Agency.
They spoke of including in their annual reports items about family
illnesses, or struggles or even divorces and no response ever came –
except perhaps to remind the divorcing chaplain to follow the procedures
laid out by the annual conference for separation or divorce of
clergy.
They spoke with pride about representing The United Methodist Church
in the military chaplaincy, and they pleaded for the church to send
more pastors to take on the mantle of military chaplain.
Yet, the lament was nearly universal – they wished they felt as
though their church, in whose name they served, would appear to care at
least a small amount about the ministry they were doing, truly
extending the ministry of our church and our churches in powerful and
excellent ways.
Time for appreciation
Members of The United Methodist Church – it’s time. For our military
chaplains, but also for thousands of United Methodist elders and
deacons in extension ministries and ministries beyond the local church,
it is time for us to show our care in a consistent, supportive and
present manner.
Bishops and superintendents: Find out the names, ministries and
settings where members of your conference are appointed and serving, and
be in contact with them at least a couple of times per year. Let them
know you hold them in prayer, and that you are interested in their
lives and ministry. When they come home on leave or for other reasons,
find ways to introduce them to your districts, or gather clergy to meet
with them.
Annual conferences: Make room, and even find a place of honor for
these important partners in our ministry. They feel like fish out of
water already, so help them feel more at home, recognize them on the
floor of conference and make sure they have access to the journals and
other items of news and information from your conference.
Local churches: Adopt a chaplain from your conference, in a similar
way to adopting a missionary. Get to know them and their families, and
where they are deployed, and pray for them regularly, and most
importantly – communicate with them through letters, e-mails, cards and
any other way you can connect, and keep that “connection” solid and
functional.
The clergy who serve in extension ministry and ministry beyond the
local church are gifts of God to us and to our church as a whole. Take
the time to appreciate their worth and their work, and let’s keep the
connectional church of United Methodists strong. They deserve it, and
need it – and so do you.
*Cross is assistant general secretary for supervision and
accountability, division of ordained ministry, United Methodist Board of
Higher Education and Ministry.
News media contact: Kathy L. Gilbert, Nashville, Tenn., (615) 742-5470 or newsdesk@umcom.org.
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