Volunteer Chaplain Training

A Chaplain’s Journey

Kim Lessner, Parish Operations Manager at St. Michael's Episcopal Church, Barrington, graduated from Volunteer Chaplain Training in the Spring of 2013. When applying for the Bishop Anderson House Volunteer Lay Chaplain Training, I felt a strong call to the hospital environment and paying it forward after recent personal experiences. BAH was currently in the process of developing a relationship with The Rev. Neris Diaz, the Chaplain at Sherman Hospital, Elgin, and it was agreed that I spend two hours weekly with patients with a one hour supervisory visit to follow. The first week I shadowed Neris to a few patient rooms and [...]

By ANN RYBA|2014-01-23T15:40:45-06:00January 16th, 2014|Chaplain, Volunteer Chaplain Training|0 Comments

A Chaplain’s Journey

Randy Wakitsch has been a full-time chaplain at Centegra Hospital, Woodstock, since 1996 and serves as an Assistant Priest at St. Ann's Episcopal Church. I wasn’t new to chaplaincy when I went through the Lay Parish Chaplain Program, but I was still getting to know the Episcopal Church after growing up Roman Catholic. So what I valued most about the training was meeting people in the Episcopal Diocese of Chicago who were doing significant ministry with an Episcopalian mind and heart. I learned a lot from the courageous willingness of my classmates and instructors to sit with those they served and [...]

By ANN RYBA|2013-12-10T15:21:54-06:00January 5th, 2014|Chaplain, Education, Volunteer Chaplain Training|0 Comments

32 New Volunteer Chaplain Graduates

Over 100 friends and family members recently celebrated with the newest (and largest) graduating class of Bishop Anderson House's Volunteer Chaplain Training course. ELCA Bishop Wayne Miller presided over an inspirational worship service of Holy Eucharist and Certification of Pastoral Care Visitors at Faith Lutheran Church, Glen Ellyn. A festive luncheon (thanks to a "Faith-ful" volunteer corps) provided the backdrop for congratulatory hugs and poignant goodbyes, as the newly commissioned students reflected upon the pastoral care skills they refined and sharpened during the 12-week program. Coming from varied faith traditions and 14 congregations, the group bonded over the goal of fostering the [...]

By ANN RYBA|2013-12-05T15:01:40-06:00December 5th, 2013|Chaplain, Education, Volunteer Chaplain Training|0 Comments

A Chaplain’s Journey

Travis McClendon has been involved with Bishop Anderson House since 2000 and completed Bishop Anderson House’s Volunteer Lay Chaplaincy Training Course in 2004. He has been a volunteer at Northwestern Hospital since 1990, serving in various capacities before he began his ministry there in 2000. Can you tell me what a volunteer chaplain does? They visit patients and make themselves present. Pure and simple. And just by being present, you go from there, with whatever needs they have. Sometimes, it’s merely conversation. Sometimes it’s prayer. Sometimes its the sacraments. A chaplain is a person who is a conduit for whatever the patient [...]

By ANN RYBA|2013-11-12T21:37:19-06:00November 12th, 2013|Chaplain, Volunteer Chaplain Training|0 Comments

A Chaplain’s Journey

A Chaplain’s Journey

32 New Volunteer Chaplain Graduates

A Chaplain’s Journey

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