let me start this one with a short story.  i have the great privilege to be a person who is, generally, in very good health.  i have nothing against modern medical care--i simply (and thankfully) don't find myself in need of it very often.  many years ago though, i had to undergo an intensive surgery requiring a hospital stay.  the whole experience was pretty foreign and disorienting, and as part of that stay, i remember someone popping into my room and asking, apropos of nothing, "do you need a chaplain?".  i thought to myself, "a chaplain?? i'm not dying and i don't go to church, so no?  i don't think?".  looking back, i wonder how that day might have been different if someone had taken the time to say "hey, this is a big thing that you're doing, and we have people here who do nothing but listen if that's something that would be helpful to you right now.  they can even just sit with you quietly or pray or meditate with you if that would bring you ease.  would you like to have a visit with one of our chaplains?".  game changer.  yes.  i want to see that person.

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historically, chaplaincy has been the purview of old white men academically learned in the theologies, laws, and ways of the abrahamic religions.  they're priests or rabbis or imams.  they're people with access to higher education who have masters of divinity degrees from prestigious universities.  they're high-ups in specific faith denominations.  they lead flocks.  more and more though, as populations leave churches, there is a growing group of people who, despite their lack of religious affiliation, still desire active values enquiry, deep dives into meaning-making, and companioning through processes of soul-level discernment.  the "spiritual but not religious" are one of the fastest growing belief demographics in the united states, and although they (we) may lack church homes, the need and desire for spiritual care still exists.

 

this need is one of the many reasons that i'm becoming an interfaith chaplain.  unlike those ordained within a specific faith tradition and in possession of traditional graduate-level theological training, interfaith chaplains are trained to be compassionate presences for people of any religious background, including the variety present within the category of "none".  we're trained to hold space for secular humanists, the devoutly religious, the solitarily spiritual, and everything in between. interfaith chaplaincy recognizes that spiritual care is a crucial aspect of holistic wellness for all people, regardless of what systems of thought they use to make meaning of their lives and of the world around them. 

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in my other vocations as an educator and birth worker, i was introduced to the profound power of presence as well as to the idea that everyone holds within them their best right answers (though they can be quite elusive at times!).  interfaith chaplaincy is very much a kind of life midwifery, and rather than effusive advice-giving, the chaplain knows how to use honest, open questions in combination with active listening to help you figure yourself out (or at least start in that direction).  chaplains aren't therapists or counselors.  we aren't medical providers or influencers.  we're the friend who's heard you've had a wild day, who invites you in to sit by the hearth fire with a hot cup of tea, and who wants to hear all about your troubles and triumphs.  

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quite simply, we want to bear witness to you as you make sense of yourself.

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book a visit, or read on!