News Chaplains Can Use

In our age of amazing internet and telecommunication technologies, privacy and confidentiality are becoming increasingly challenging for chaplains and other professionals requiring privileged communications. All calls, (landline-based and cellular) can be easily spoofed complete with a fake caller ID and phone number, and even recorded. Private text messages and emails can be readily hacked into from cell phones and tablets. And protection from such, or even detection of such, is increasingly challenging. I think that chaplains and pastoral counselors need to be aware of such and take caution when communicating by cell phones, tablets, and even regular daily email.

Please read “How I Spy On My Kids Online” found HERE.

The Military Chaplains Association is seeking short, personal stories of chaplain ministry from MCA members in the core ministry functions of nurturing the living, caring for the wounded, and honoring the fallen. Help the MCA share and preserve the inspirational stories of chaplains who served or currently serve in the U.S. Armed Forces, Civil Air Patrol and VA Chaplain Service.

Stories will be compiled, edited and published by MCA in several digital eBooks and made available at Amazon, iTunes, Barnes and Noble, etc. All proceeds from book sales will benefit the MCA Chaplain Candidate Scholarship Fund. This new book series will expand the ability of the MCA to mentor and connect chaplains as we tell our story as personal advocates and voices of chaplaincy.

Stories should be limited to 500-700 words (2 double-spaced pages) and specifically focus on one of the three core ministry functions. You may submit more than one story. All authors will need to provide a biographical background form and sign a release form that entitles MCA to publish your story. All submissions are subject to approval by the editorial board.

For more information please send an email to chaplains@mca-usa.org

Helpful Guidelines for Writing Your Story:

1. Keep your story clear and concise. State the facts but avoid revealing any personal or confidential details (names of certain individuals, security sensitive info, etc.) that would detract from your story.


2. Limit your story to 500-700 words or less (about 2 double-spaced pages if using 12 point New Times Roman font).


3. Select a title for your story based on a particular theme or topic (nurturing, caring, honoring) you are presenting.


4. For examples of the types of stories to submit, please refer to “Miracles and Moments of Grace: Inspiring Stories from Military Chaplains” compiled by Nancy Kennedy (Leafwood Publishing, 2011).


5. Ask someone to proofread your story for clarity, spelling, and grammar. Make corrections as needed and put it aside for a few days. Pull it out again for a final proof and make corrections before submitting.


6. Email your story and a scanned copy of the biographical data/release form to chaplains@mca-usa.org


7. Stories will be accepted until September 30, 2013. Please submit your story as early as possible for consideration in this project.

The most recent issue of the Journal of Health Care Chaplaincy contains two very significant, complementary reviews of research on chaplaincy in the U.S. These articles are so important to the field that JHCC’s publisher, Taylor & Francis, has made them available for free at the Journal's website. JHCC invites all members of NACC to go to the website to download these articles for free: Click Here. You are also invited to go to the following website, where you can download a free copy of an important article by George Fitchett about the use of case studies in chaplaincy, which appeared in JHCC earlier this year: Click Here.

Despite the fact that the following policy and practice has been unwaveringly and actively in place for all military chaplains since 1775, a number of chaplains and their endorsers anxiously encouraged Senator Roger Wicker to sponsor his amendment and have it attached to the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012. That amendment passed in December 2011, and it may be viewed here: [PDF Download].