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1. Executive Director’s Reflection
2. USCCB approved revision of ERD’s #58
3. Did you see the CBS 60 Minutes segment on the high cost of dying?
4. Thanks to new Vision Research Panel and Vision survey participants!
5. What are you doing with CPE distance learning?
6. Have you sent in your registration yet? - NACC Conference 2010
7. Scholarships – NACC 2010 Conference
8. Seeking Items for the Silent Auction – NACC 2010 Conference
9. American Red Cross SRT Training – NACC 2010 Conference
10. Avoid the rush! Order your World Day of the Sick Prayer Cards today
11. Have you ordered your video promoting the chaplaincy profession?
12. A request to participate in a survey
13. Survey about chaplains' use of online communication tools with patients
14. Local/regional event dates
15. Healing Tree: a request for prayers
16. Recent job postings
17. Positions Wanted

Yesterday’s first reading for the second Sunday of Advent offered the first four verses of the last (3rd) chapter of the last book of the Hebrew scriptures, Malachi, that announced “I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me.” In Hebrew, Malachi means messenger. When listening to this reading, I am usually caught by the words, “who will endure,” “who will stand,” “refining,” and “purifying.” Frankly, I get anxious, and sometimes miss the other phrases like “whom you seek” and “whom you desire.” I can get caught in the want for security and safety over my true desire for the Savior and what God truly wants for me, for us, for our ministry, for those we serve. I can miss what Paul notes in yesterday’s second reading from Philippians 1:6, “I am confident in this, that the one who began a good work in you will continue to complete it until the day of Christ Jesus.” Do I believe this? Do I believe that God is about a “good work” in our ministry and our association, and will continue to complete it…?”

What provides me great passion and comfort is the next verse of Paul (verse 7), “It is right that I should think this way about all of you, because I hold you in my heart, you who are partners with me in grace…” This was in the midst of his “purifying” time of imprisonment. Do you think as partners we are also Malachis for one another -- messengers “whom we seek” and “whom we desire?” In the midst of the types of “purifying” moments our ministry and our current times require of us, do we experience from one another the next words of Paul, “how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus”? Is our prayer for one another that of Paul in the next verse, “that your love may increase ever more and more in knowledge and every kind of perception, to discern what is of value, so that you may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ?”

What a gift this Advent season is! While I always feel I am a month behind in every aspect of life and ministry, I am still caught by the wonder of our ministry, and the invitation to trust that “the one who began a good work…will continue to complete it.”

What is catching you this Advent season? A blessed Advent to you!

Appreciatively,
David A. Lichter
Executive Director

In case you are not aware, the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops (USCCB) approved revision to the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services, Directive 58, dealing with medically assisted nutrition and hydration. For sources go to:
www.usccb.org/comm/archives/2009/09-242.shtml
www.chausa.org/Pub/MainNav/Newsroom/NewsReleases/2009/r091118a.htm
www.chausa.org/NR/rdonlyres/D875E2BE-6DB8-4C2C-A868-63B06EA815F0/0/FINAL_QA_D58.pdf

In case you missed the “Cost of Dying” aired on CBS Sunday, November 22 here is a link to it. Dr. Ira Byock, who will be one of our 2010 Conference plenary speakers, figures prominently in the segment. Also, NACC’s Linda Piotrowski, BCC, is standing at the foot of the patient’s bed in the last scene. www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=5737138n It’s well worth the 15 minutes.

Thank you to the 11 research-savvy individuals who volunteered to share their expertise as members of the new Vision Research Panel. Their role will be to write up brief reflections on how research published in Vision can be applied to their own ministry, or to pastoral care in general. Watch for the first such reflection in the January-February issue of Vision! We are also grateful to the more than 130 members who participated in the recent Vision online survey. Your insightful comments will provide valuable direction to us as we continue our task to make Vision ever more responsive to members’ professional interests and needs.
Members of the Editorial Advisory Panel
Laurie Hansen Cardona, Vision editor

Some programs offer it; some want to explore it. How does one develop and offer distance learning opportunities for CPE? CHA and NACC want to learn what programs are offered, as well as pull together resources and advance this possibility. We are seeking both to learn what you are doing, if you are offering some type of distance learning, as well as assemble a task force to assist with reviewing what exists and help provide a resource for others. Please e-mail David Lichter (dlichter@nacc.org) if you are currently offering some sort of distance learning and/or are willing to be part of a task force. Thank you in advance!

You should have received your NACC Conference 2010 brochure by now. Hope you can join us! Many members are already calling the NACC office about the Conference. Bring a friend or colleague!

A limited number of scholarships will be available for the NACC 2010 Conference. You must submit a scholarship application (click here) in writing to David A. Lichter, c/o NACC national office, no later than Friday, December 11, 2009. In order to assist as many applicants as possible, the amount of any single scholarship shall not exceed the total cost of the Early Bird registration. Recipients of scholarships are asked to give some volunteer time at the conference. The scholarship awardees will be notified the week beginning Monday, December 21, 2009.

We had wonderful success with a silent auction at our NACC 2008 National Conference thanks to the initiation and leadership of Linda Piotrowski. Thank you again, Linda! We invite members to bring to the 2010 Conference handmade or other types of items, including items from your institution, for our silent auction to be held at the conference. Share your talents and gifts to benefit other members! Proceeds will go towards conference scholarships. If you are interested in contributing an item, please contact Susanne at schaw@nacc.org.

The American Red Cross Spiritual Care Response Team (SRT) is an integral part of the ARC Critical Response Team and is deployed following aviation and other transportation disasters, mass casualties, WMD/Terrorism events, and by government request. The NACC in conjunction with the American Red Cross is happy once again to offer training at the 2010 NACC Conference. The training begins at 8:00 am on Friday, March 19, 2010, and 7:00 am on Saturday, March 20, 2010. Participants are required to attend both days. This training is offered free of charge, although all accepted participants are responsible for their own training and maintenance. Given the limited class size and necessity for a formal application process we cannot guarantee that every request to attend will be able to be honored. Members in good standing may apply. Therefore, it is imperative that you submit your application prior to February 1, 2010. For an application and specific requirements, please contact Jeanine Annunziato at jannunziato@nacc.org.

Our World Day of the Sick Prayer Cards are in. The NACC publishes, both in English and Spanish, two prayer cards, one for the care giver and one for the person sick. Order today and avoid the January rush! You can order them now by going to www.nacc.org/resources/wds to download the order form.

Our video on Chaplaincy, both a recruitment version (that begins and ends with “Is God Calling You?”) and a version without this question, are available in DVD format. The charge is just $6.00, the cost of production and shipping. You may preview the video at this link. To order copies please email Cindy Bridges for instructions.

Rev. Martin Montonye, DMin, ACPE Supervisor, APC Board Certified Chaplain, requests our members to participate in a 10-15 minute survey designed to gather important information about leadership and our profession. This survey is designed to help professionals answer the question, "Am I keeping up to date in my practice?" The data will be used to inform us how we are doing in practice, and to identify ongoing professional development needs.

Rev. Martin writes:
Recent survey data by the Carnegie Foundation indicates 80% of former seminary students report significant practice gaps in their preparation for ministry. Seminary alumni/ae report not feeling adequately prepared to address some of the pastoral concerns they faced, including the leadership and management roles they assumed after graduation.

Because many of us who are trained as clinicians and chaplains are now being called upon to demonstrate competency (knowledge and skills) in management and organizational leadership, I am seeking to find out where you received training (if you did), and if you did not receive explicit training, what leadership knowledge and skills you need in your current practice.

The results of this national survey will be presented at the 2010 APC and ACPE national conferences. The results will also be distributed to the participating organizations and made available upon request. Your contribution will add an important voice to the future of our professional learning community.

This survey is administered through a web-based survey. It is completely confidential and your email address will not be required. It will take approximately 10-15 minutes of your time to complete.

The survey is located at this link.

At the end of the survey you will have the opportunity to enter a drawing for a $50 gift card to Amazon.com. For those wishing to enter the drawing, you will need to include your email address. After the drawing your email address will be deleted. If you have any questions or concerns regarding this survey, please contact me at mmontonye@healthcarechaplaincy.org

Thank you in advance for your participation.
Rev. Martin Montonye, DMin, ACPE Supervisor, APC Board Certified Chaplain, Director of Clinical Pastoral Education, T 212-644-1111 x232 | F 212-486-1440, mmontonye@healthcarechaplaincy.org 307 East 60th Street | New York, NY 10022

You can still participate. Take a few moments to respond to an anonymous survey about use of the Internet in chaplain-patient communications. Go to: tinyurl.com/ygt7xo7. Questions/concerns? Chaplain Mary E. Johnson can help at Johnson.mary3@mayo.edu.

More local gatherings are being set. Please review the list below, and mark your calendars. More details of events will be in future NACC Now's.

• Friday, January 22, 2009, Miami, FL. See details.
• Saturday, January 30, 2010, Austin, TX. See details.
• Monday, February 8, 2010, St. Louis, MO, Details to follow.
• Thursday, March 18, 2010, Orange, CA. See details.

Please let us know if you would like our membership to pray for your health and healing. We continue to pray for Fr. Kevin Ikpah (eye troubles), Sr. Micheletta McGee, RSM (pancreatic cancer), Lourdes B. Ruta (wife of Peter Ruta, in recovery), Fr. Bob Nee BCC, LICSW, CT (intractable epilepsy), Kelly Elizabeth Sexton (cancer: daughter of NACC member Melyssa Sexton), Joyce Fink (heart attack/recovery from open heart surgery), Mike J. Murphy (cancer treatment), Fr. Bill Spacek (detached retina and other eye issues); Sr. Nancy Crane, OP (cancer treatment); Sr. Hilda Mallet, MHS (cancer treatment); Sr. Rita Rzeppa, IBVM (recovering/rehab from knee surgery), and Dennis Eldridge (Kathy's husband, for cancer treatment).

The following positions have been posted in the last two weeks. Please go to our online job board for more information.

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF MISSION SERVICES
     Sioux Falls, SD - Avera Health

CPE RESIDENT, SUMMER INTERN, FALL INTERN
     La Crosse, WI - Gundersen Lutheran Health System

CHAPLAIN - Full-Time Monday-Friday
     Waterbury, CT - Saint Mary's Hospital

CHAPLAIN RESIDENT
     Wausau, WI - Aspirus Wausau Hospital

CHAPLAIN - CATHOLIC PRIEST
     Santa Rosa, CA - St. Joseph Health System

PRIEST CHAPLAIN
     Denville, NJ - Saint Clare's Health System

PART-TIME PRIEST
     Chicago, IL - MacNeal Hospital

PRINCIPAL EXEC/MANAGER F - RELIGIOUS SERVICES ADMINISTRATOR
     Salem, OR - Oregon Department of Corrections

PRIEST CHAPLAIN
     Elk Grove Village, IL - Alexian Brothers Medical Center

In this time of change and uncertainty it is more important than ever to use every resource available. If you have lost your job recently, if you’re just seeking a new or better position, or if you are an employer seeking a chaplain for your organization, be sure to visit our Positions Wanted webpage. NACC members can take advantage of this free service by placing a job-seeking ad, for free, which will run for 60 days. To see the ads, visit www.nacc.org/positions/wanted.asp.

To place your own ad, send an email to Phil Paradowski: pparadowski@nacc.org.