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1. Executive Director's Reflection
2. Hurricane Ike appeal to cognate group membership for chaplains to support disaster clients and responders in Texas
3. Proposal from Earl E. Johnson, Volunteer Partner, Spiritual Care Response Team (SRT)
4. Ethics Accountability Statement
5. Last week for your Board Election ballot!
6. How do you handle sacramental coverage?
7. Give us your best shot!
8. Is your chaplaincy in a nursing home?
9. Planned Illinois NACC gathering, December 6, 2008
10. Special October 30, 2008 Louisiana NACC chaplain gathering planned
11. Does your ministry serve those returning from war zones?
12. Healing Tree: a request for prayers
13. Recent job postings
14. Please go to the NACC website for these local gatherings

This past week I was invited again to participate in the Catholic Health Association’s (CHA) orientation for new Mission leaders entitled Prophetic Voice. Each year they offer presentations on several areas including: issues in Catholic healthcare, the role of mission leaders in pastoral care, the Ethical and Religious Directives (ERD’s), community benefits, the business of healthcare, and other topics.

Paul Marceau of Trinity Health, who is also a member of the NACC board, presented on the role of mission leaders in pastoral care. He provided the participants with an overview of the role and importance of the chaplain, the profession’s standards for certification and ethics, the NACC, and the challenges and efforts in measuring the chaplain’s ministry. Last year Mary Lou O’Gorman gave a similar type of presentation. In many diverse ways CHA promotes and positions the ministry of chaplaincy and spiritual care. Over the past year I have come to value the leadership of and partnership with Brian Yanofchick, Senior Director, Mission/Leadership Development, not only with the Pastoral Care Summit in Omaha, but throughout the year as NACC and CHA seek to collaborate on projects.

Earl E. Johnson, Volunteer Partner, Spiritual Care Response Team (SRT), American Red Cross NHQ, seeks the support of the American Red Cross cognate group members in the disaster response operations in Texas for those communities devastated by hurricane Ike. This appeal comes only ten days after fifteen ARC SRTs were deployed to Baton Rouge and other critical areas to support the victims and responders of hurricane Gustav. Hurricane Ike response will be a hardship deployment. That means bringing a sleeping bag, ear plugs, insect repellent, sun screen and staying in staff shelters. Electrical power may not be guaranteed. High heat and humidity are constants. SRTs will be collaborating with Disaster Mental Health and Health Services to support not only those impacted by this catastrophic storm, but also to support Red Cross staff. The deployment will be for two weeks.

There are five forms that need to be filled out and four need to be emailed back to Earl Johnson at JohnsonEa@usa.redcross.org at ARC national headquarters. All concerns and questions should be done by email to Earl at the same address above. To read the appeal and access the forms, click here.

During this past week we received from Earl Johnson, on behalf of the Spiritual Care Response Team (SRT) a proposal to the Spiritual Care Collaborative members. We share it with all NACC members and seek your responses and advice. Please click here to read the proposal.

With the NACC Revised Standards and Procedures, the NACC is requiring the submission of an Ethics Accountability Statement for those certified members of the NACC and for those seeking initial certification with the NACC. Those members applying for certification by September 15, 2008 for a spring 2009 certification interview must complete the Ethics Accountability Statement for Initial Certification. All other certified members are also asked to complete an Ethics Accountability Statement and this statement will be required at each renewal of certification. Both forms can be found at the NACC website at www.nacc.org/certification/standards-and-procedures.asp along with the Ethics Procedures Manual, Part One – Ethics Accountability Statement Procedures. Please review these procedures carefully. Should you have any questions, please contact Susanne at schaw@nacc.org.

Your NACC board election ballot must be postmarked this coming Friday, September 19, 2008 to count for this election. Please be part of building our NACC board. To view candidates James Castello, Blair Holtey, Rev. Baaju Izuchi, CSSp, Rev. Dean Marek, and Marie Polhamus go to the Board Election page.

We invite you again in this NACC Now to share your practices regarding sacramental coverage from priests in your facilities: what practices are employed; are there on-call opportunities; is there compensation; what kind of education has been developed. We are looking to put together a list of best practices surrounding this issue and would appreciate your input. Specifically, we are looking for:
    – Best Practices for Sacramental Coverage
    – Models of Educating, both in house and within a diocese
Please send responses to Susanne at schaw@nacc.org.

We are still in need of chaplain ministry photos that we can use for marketing materials. We are planning to complete more marketing materials. If you, or your place of ministry, have access to photos please assist us by e-mailing them in digital form to cbridges@nacc.org in the next week. We so appreciate it!

Our NACC member, Jeanne Childs, is beginning her fourth unit of CPE and nearing the completion of her Master’s degree. She plans to explore entering chaplaincy in nursing home settings among other options. She desires to connect with other NACC members working in nursing homes to learn how they have articulated/promoted chaplaincy in these settings to those who might not understand chaplaincy and see its value. Please email me at dlichter@nacc.org or Jeanne directly at jeannechilds@verizon.net, if you are willing to contribute to this conversation.

NACC is again pleased to be partnering with the Loyola University Chicago Institute of Pastoral Studies to plan a gathering for NACC members tied to the “Remembering Thomas Merton: Contemplative Practice for Today” by James Finley, Ph.D., program on Saturday, December 6, 2008, 9:00 am – 4:30 pm, at Loyola University Chicago, Mundelein Center Auditorium, Lake Shore Campus. Click here for the event brochure (pdf file). NACC will again meet for lunch on that day. David Lichter, NACC Executive Director, will be participating.

On October 30, 2008, Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center will be hosting a day of reflection given by the David Lichter, NACC Executive Director, from 9:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. The theme of the day is “A Contemplative Approach to Pastoral Care” and the program will be held at Our Lady of the Lake Tau Center C- Wing conference Room, 8080 Margaret Ann Avenue, Baton Rouge, LA . Please contact the Pastoral Care Office at 225 765-8896 for registration. This event and more are listed at our online calendar.

If your spiritual care ministry includes treating returning military from war zones and their families, you might want to take advantage of “Embracing Spirituality in the Face of Trauma: A Soldier’s Journey from Harms Way to Home” offered at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Lisle, IL, Dates: October 22nd & 23rd, 2008. Click here for the brochure.

Please continue to keep in prayer Teddi Tomsic (major surgery), Rev. Mike Burns, SDS (eye surgery), Sr. Hilda Mallet, MHS (undergoing cancer radiation treatments which followed chemo), Sr. Joyce Troyer, CSC (recovering from surgery), Sr. Albertine Kramer, CSC (recovering from extensive surgery, is in rehabilitation, and is in transition after serving for 18 years at St. Joseph Medical Center in South Bend, IN), Sr. Paula Jacobs, SSM (terminal cancer), Dennis Eldridge (Kathy’s husband, for cancer treatment), and Sr. Mary Anna Euring, OP (bout with Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma). Sr. Maria Rios, SMR also requests prayers for the nephew (25 yrs. old, in Mexico hospital) of a sister in her community.

The following positions have been posted in the last two weeks. Please go to www.nacc.org/positions/available.asp for more information about them.

MANAGER, PASTORAL CARE
     Omaha, NE – Alegent Health

CPE SUPERVISOR or ASSOCIATE SUPERVISOR
     Tacoma, WA - Franciscan Health System, South Puget Sound area

CHAPLAIN
     St. Petersburg, FL – Bon Secours Maria Manor

CHAPLAIN – PRIEST, RELIGIOUS, or LAY
     Lafayette, LA – Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center

PRIEST/CERTIFIED CHAPLAIN
     Oxnard, CA – St. John’s Regional Medical Center/St. John’s Pleasant Valley Hospital

Portland, OR, September 19-20, 2008
Alexandria, MN, September 25-26, 2008
Green Lake, WI, October 26-28, 2008
Baton Rouge, LA, October 30, 2008
Colorado Springs, CO, October 31, 2008
St. Louis, MO, November 4, 2008
Baltimore, MD, November 12, 2008
Chicago, IL, December 6, 2008