The Bridge in Plain Text
Issue To Be Used Any Time After
June 1, 2009
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The Bridge
A monthly publication of the Southeastern Minnesota Synod, ELCA
Connecting the congregational, synodical, and churchwide expressions of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Federal Chaplaincy
Pastors Serving Service Men & WomenELCA Confession of Faith
Where do Federal Chaplains work, and what do they do?
ELCA chaplains can be found in Federal Prisons, Veterans Administration hospitals, and the Armed Services (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard). The ELCA has many chaplains who have been called by the ELCA Church Council to serve in Federal institutions. You can also find ELCA chaplains serving in state prisons and local hospitals, but these chaplains are called by their own synod’s church council rather than the Church Council of the ELCA.
Federal Chaplains have all of the same responsibilities of any other ELCA pastor: to preach the gospel, lead worship, administer the sacraments, perform weddings, counsel, teach, and bury the dead. Most ELCA Federal Chaplains lead a worship service every Sunday of the year. In addition, Federal Chaplains advise government leaders (wardens, military commanders, doctors and nurses) on how to uphold the spiritual life of prisoners, patients, staff members, and military personnel.
How does the ELCA support the ministry of Federal Chaplains?
The ELCA’s support of chaplains begins by "endorsing" them for government service, that is, certifying them as competent, qualified, and caring members of the clergy who are eligible for government service.
Beyond this, the ELCA supports Federal Chaplains in a variety of ways. Federal Chaplains participate in regular continuing education and consultation sponsored by the ELCA through the ELCA’s Bureau for Federal Chaplaincy Ministries. The bureau works with the various federal agencies that sponsor chaplains, to empower both chaplains and those they serve. They also recruit new chaplains and seek replacements for those chaplains who retire, die, or move to other types of calls each year.
The ELCA supports Federal Chaplains through the prayers of the Lutheran community, and through financial support generously given by ELCA members as part of the ELCA’s worldwide ministry.
Featured Resources
Monthly Bible Verse
This Bible verse was selected by Harold Usgaard, bishop of the
Southeastern Minnesota Synod, for everyone in the synod to study.
"And that all this assembly may know that the Lord does not save by sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord's and he will give you into our hand."
1 Samuel 17:47
About Our Synod
The Southeastern Minnesota Synod is a faith community of 130,000 baptized
people in 184 congregations as well as related institutions of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). Its geographic area includes
15 counties in the southeastern corner of Minnesota.
The Bridge is a monthly
publication of the Southeastern Minnesota Synod, ELCA. For more information,
contact the synod office:
Southeastern Minnesota Synod,
ELCA
1001 14th St. NW, Suite 300
Rochester, MN 55901-2551
(507) 280-9457
www.semnsynod.org
This issue is designed to be
used any time after June 1, 2009.
Graphics from this issue
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