NEWS RELEASE
NEWTON, Kansas (Mennonite Mission Network) — Imagine yourself as a short-term volunteer chaplain, praying in the middle of the night with a patient at Nazareth (Israel) Hospital. As you relate with Christians, Muslims and Jews, no cultural barrier can dampen the caring shared amid the universal language of suffering. "Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep," Romans 12:15 (NRSV).
This is the scenario that John Lapp, Mennonite Mission Network’s senior executive for the agency’s International Ministries division, wants to share Saturday, Feb. 27. That’s when he will host an informational and training Zoom call, regarding chaplaincy at the hospital. The call will be sponsored by Nazareth Project Inc. and Mennonite Healthcare Fellowship (MHF), in collaboration with Mission Network.
Mission Network has wanted to become more intentional about placing chaplains at Nazareth Hospital, so the opportunity to invite people to do so is a blessing for us, Lapp said during a recent interview. The opportunity — open to people without formal chaplaincy training — provides hands-on experience and cross-cultural relationship building with others, many who do not speak English.
"This chaplaincy will also demonstrate to the patients that people from around the world are standing in solidarity with them, as they are touched by this broader circle of prayer," Lapp said.
The hospital provides whole-person care, including excellent medical treatment, coupled with offers of spiritual care for those who choose it, Lapp said. Nazareth Project Inc. provides fundraising and support for Nazareth Hospital and School of Nursing. For many years, Mennonite Mission Network has provided personnel and other resources to its partners, Nazareth Hospital, Nazareth Village and Serve Nazareth.
A Schowalter Grant is making the informational sessions possible, and you may register here. Nazareth Hospital chaplains and staff will share about the hospital and their work with patients and families during the 10 a.m. EST session. A session will be available from 1-3 p.m. EST for those interested in knowing more about serving as a volunteer chaplain and will contain more information and a training on working across religious and cultural lines.
Note: For more information on the chaplaincy opportunity, please contact Howard Good at Nazareth Project at howardgood@nazarethproject.org or 717-475-8737; or Cate Desjardins at Mennonite Healthcare Fellowship at catemennohealth.org.
