Community Chaplaincy
Course Summary
This course is about specialized chaplaincy ministry in the community or public sector. The three specific parts to this course are (1) concepts relating to community chaplaincy; (2) understanding ministry within secular organizations, ecclesiastical endorsement, and special requirements, training and skills; and (3) pastoral ministry related to chaplaincy.
The Adventist Chaplaincy Ministries (ACM) Department serves as the ecclesiastical endorsing agency and administers the ecclesiastical endorsement process for the Seventh-day Adventist Church. As the denomination’s liaison with ecclesiastical, government, and professional organizations, ACM assists qualified Adventist clergy to transition from pastoral ministry into the chaplaincy ministries of campus, community, corrections, health care, military, and the work place. The requirements to become a chaplain endorsed by the Seventh-day Adventist Church are church membership in regular standing, holding a current denominational commissioned or ministerial license, meeting all requirements of the agency in which appointment as a chaplain is sought, and obtaining ecclesiastical endorsement from the ACM Committee.
What Do I Need To Know ?
There are three modules in this course. Each module covers important information for Community Chaplains. To complete course requirements you will need to proceed through all modules, take the quizzes, and then download and fill in your completion certificate. This course is worth 0.3 CEU.
What Will I Learn ?
You will learn the foundational principles for serving as a chaplain in public organizations of your community.
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Instructor Bio:
Chaplain Gary R. Councell M.Div., M.S.
Chaplain Councell is a graduate of the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary (M.Div.), American Technological University (M.S. in Counseling) and U.S. Army War College (Strategic Studies). He has completed a year of Clinical Pastoral Education (parish model) along with numerous military and community service training courses. Upon retiring from the U.S. Army (1969–2006), he became the Associate Director, then Director of the General Conference and North American Division Adventist Chaplaincy Ministries Departments (2005–2015). Gary has served as secretary for the executive boards of the Association of Religious Endorsing Bodies and the National Conference on Ministry to the Armed Forces. Also, he has been a member of the National Executive Committee for the Congressional-chartered Military Chaplains Association.
Since retiring, he currently provides pastoral assistance and care for three Adventist churches, and actively serves as a volunteer chaplain for the Dulles International Airport, the Prince William County Police Department and the United States Secret Service. In addition, he and his wife volunteer at area USO centers. They also work as election officers for their county. Chaplain Councell views chaplains as trusted, trained and accountable pastors who share God’s love in circles of influence with limited access to others. Chaplains are worthy of enabling support from their endorsing faiths.
Contact information for Chaplain Gary Councell: garycouncell@nadadventist.org
Suggested Resources:
- Civil Air Patrol – National Headquarters, 105 South Hansell Street, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama 36112; Telephone (877) 227-9142
- Federation of Fire Chaplains, P. O. Box 437, Meridian, Texas 76665; Telephone (254) 435-2256
- Fellowship of Christian Airline Personnel – 136 Providence Road, Fayetteville, Georgia 30215 USA; telephone (770) 461-9320
- International Association of Civil Aviation Chaplains (no other contact information, except emails of board officers)
- International Conference of Police Chaplains – P.O. Box 5590, Destin, Florida 32540; Telephone (850) 654-9736
- International Critical Incident Stress Foundation – Suite 106, 3290 Pine Orchard Lane, Ellicott City, Maryland 21042; Telephone (410) 750-9600
- Military Chaplains Association – P. O. Box 7056, Arlington, Virginia 22207-7056; Telephone (703) 533-5890
- National Association of Veterans Affairs Chaplains – P. O. Box 1631, Newport News, Virginia 23601; Telephone (None provided – email via website)
- National Institute of Business and Industrial Chaplains, Suite 880, 1900 St. James Place, Houston, Texas 77056; Telephone (713) 266-2456
- National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster, P. O. Box 26125, Alexandria, Virginia 22313; Telephone (703) 778-5088
- Selective Service System, Volunteer Board Members; National Headquarters, Arlington, Virginia 22209-2425; Telephone (703) 605-4083
- United Services Organization – P. O. Box 96860, Washington, D.C. 20077-7677; Telephone (888) 484-3876
When you have completed this module, please click ">Next" or navigate to Module 1 to continue.
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