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Stepping forward with Salvation Army chaplaincy
Chaplaincy is a unique and privileged position that is part of the DNA of The Salvation Army, Territorial Secretary for Chaplaincy Services Major Glenton Waugh says. It is also a tough job that requires a lot of skill, supporting vulnerable people in tough situations. The territory’s first head of all Salvation Army chaplaincy services, Glenton says the territory is working towards a more professional, connected service.
Chaplains in The Salvation Army work in different fields: providing support, journeying with clients, and acting as a link between them and different services. At times, the work of a chaplain is similar to the role of a church pastor or officer, but without a building or a set congregation, Glenton explains. At other times, it can be more like being a counsellor.
In New Zealand, Salvation Army chaplains visit prisoners, hospitals, courts, hospices, rest homes and people in rural regions. They work with the homeless, people with addictions, struggling students, people in the horse racing industry, in the military and with people after emergencies like the Canterbury earthquakes.
Chaplaincy involves listening to a person’s stories and helping them get from a place of brokenness where they may be unable to do many things for themselves, to being able to stand on their own feet. To be effective in this ministry chaplains have to be impartial, accepting people for who they are and where they are at without discrimination or judgement.
Chaplains are much like church ministers without a church, says Glenton. However, it can be a tricky role as chaplains don’t set out to preach to people; instead, they simply want to meet people where they are at, help them realise their innate spirituality and point them towards God through actions and support. This is a ministry that requires a strong faith, grounded in prayer, with chaplains aiming to live out the famous quote attributed to Francis of Assisi: to ‘preach the gospel always and if necessary use words’.
Much of a chaplain’s role is listening and then helping people find their own solutions or offering guidance, as well as acting as a link to Salvation Army and other support services, and offering spiritual guidance when appropriate. People may have been let down many times in the past and so chaplains must first build trust through building relationships and actions, as well as by being a listening ear, Glenton says.
Working with people who are going through tough times and who may have complex issues to address requires a lot of skill and support,’ Glenton says. In the past The Salvation Army provided both trained and untrained people for its chaplaincy roles, but with such sensitive work the Army is now moving to ensure all chaplains are trained. This will keep both chaplains and clients safe, ensuring people receive the best service possible through ministry that is provided in a professional manner.
In the future, aspiring chaplains will be required to complete a Foundations for Chaplaincy course before they can be registered as chaplains with The Salvation Army. Trainees will have a card showing their role as associate chaplains, and anyone who is accepted for registration will be issued with an accreditation card, marking them as trained Salvation Army chaplains, Glenton says. Staff will continue training and updating skills once they are registered. Some chaplains will go on to train to specialise in trauma work, preparing them to work in disaster situations like the Canterbury earthquakes and other major events.
The service is also planning on having training and other gatherings for chaplains during the year. A Chaplains Mission Advisory Council has been created to support the chaplains and help shape the future of chaplaincy in the Army, and the first national workshop for New Zealand Salvation Army chaplains was also held in Wellington last year. A group of 34 chaplains working in nine different areas—including addiction services, hospices and horse racing—attended the two-day workshop.
Glenton ran similar national workshops for Education and Employment chaplains for five years. These had proved a valuable time for chaplains to network, support each other and upskill. Chaplains from other services began asking to join, so when he took up his new role of Territorial Secretary for Chaplaincy last year, Glenton decided it was a good opportunity to put together a national workshop.
The workshop was a time for chaplains to get to know each other and discuss their vision for the future of chaplaincy in The Salvation Army, Glenton says. Its theme was the ‘ministry of presence’. Topics covered included understanding different cultures, integrating pastoral and spiritual care into the work place and recognising signs of crisis. Colonel Willis Howell was the keynote speaker and there was time for chaplains from each discipline to discuss their specific work and needs, and build stronger relationships.
Glenton says the intention is to hold a national chaplaincy workshop every two years, and for chaplains from each discipline to hold workshops focused on their areas of expertise on intervening years.
by Robin Raymond(c) 'War Cry' magazine, 9 January 2016, pp 19.
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