Offering greetings, thanks
Greetings in the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ! Thank you to those of you who attended the Biennial Mission Summit! It was a privilege for me and my team--the Rev. Dr. Patricia Murphy and Ms. Alice Mitchell-Cross--to meet you! Gathering together as a denominational family is, indeed, a gift! My prayer is that Mission Summit offered a time of connection, renewal and worship! We also offer thanks to our endorsees who offered pre-event learning opportunities: the Rev. Dr. Delois Brown-Daniels, Chaplain (Col.) William Sean Lee and Chaplain Shelley Varner. Also, thank you to our endorsement committee: Brown-Daniels (chair), the Rev. Carlos Sanchez, the Rev. Julia Bebeau, the Rev. Don Verner, the Rev. Jeff Garland, the Rev. Diana Meehan and the Rev. Patricia Ray. In addition to holding a meeting at Mission Summit, this group consistently offers support to our applicants seeking endorsement.

-- The Rev. Kristy Moeller, (Col. retired), Director of Chaplaincy 
and Specialized Ministries/Ecclesiastical Endorser
Plan Now to Attend Upcoming Events
Aug. 2  "Working Together, We're Not That Different," Association of Professional Chaplains webinar, [email protected]
 
Aug. 18-22  147th Congress of Correction, American Correctional Chaplain's Association, St. Louis, Mo., aca.org
 
Sept. 22 & 23  Annual session, American Baptist Churches of New Jersey, Long Branch
 
Sept. 29 & 30  50th Annual Convention, American Baptist Churches of the Great Rivers Region, Chesterfield, Mo.
 
Oct. 20 & 21  Annual session, American Baptist Churches of Maine, United Baptist Church, Topsham
 
Oct. 27 & 28  Annual meeting, American Baptist Churches of the Northwest, Montana
 
Oct. 28  Annual session, American Baptist Churches of Michigan, Covenant Baptist Church, West Bloomfield
Celebrations
At this year's Biennial Mission Summit in Portland, Ore., we had the pleasure of presenting the following awards to the following individuals:

  • the Carolyn M. Piper Pastoral Counseling Merit Award for faithful and effective pastoral counseling to the Rev. Elizabeth Ritzman;  
  • the Lorraine K. Potter Military Chaplaincy Merit Award for faithful and effective pastoral and spiritual care in the U.S. military to Chaplain (Col.) William Sean Lee; and
  • the Paul W. Strickland Institutional Chaplaincy Merit Award for faithful and effective pastoral and spiritual care in an institutional setting, such as a hospital or college, to the Rev. Dr. Delois Brown-Daniels.

Other celebrations are as follows:
 
  • Navy Chaplain Lee Axtell completed his D.Min. at Andover Newton Theological School, Newton Centre, Mass. His studies focused on "Chaplains Resiliency for the Emerging Demands of Operations (CREDO): A New Paradigm for the Navy's CREDO Marriage Enrichment Retreat, Increasing Readiness and Providing Pastoral Care Resources." Additionally, Axtell was selected for promotion to captain.
  • Chaplain Shelly Varner, veterans affairs chaplain, has been accepted to the Oregon Health & Science University-Portland (Ore.) State University School of Public Health as a masters of Public Health student in the epidemiology track and awarded a Transforming Chaplaincy Fellowship funded by the Templeton Foundation.
  • Chaplain Thuam Khai was promoted to captain in the U.S. Army Reserve.
  • Chaplain Patty Jenkins was promoted to major in the U.S. Army Reserve.
  • Terri Sykes was selected to be commissioned as an Army Chaplain Candidate.
Please share your celebratory news with us at [email protected]. 

American Baptist Chaplaincy and Specialized Ministries

Rev. Dr. Jeffrey Haggray
Executive Director/CEO
American Baptist Home Mission Societies (ABHMS)
 
Rev. Kristy Moeller
Denominational Ecclesiastical Endorser
Director, Chaplaincy and Specialized Ministries, ABHMS

Rev. Dr. Patricia Murphy
Associate Director, Chaplaincy and Specialized Ministries, ABHMS 
 
Alice Mitchell-Cross
Coordinator  of Ministry and Endorsement
 
Rev. Dr. Delois Brown-Daniels, BCC
Chairperson, Endorsement Committee
 
Rev. Elizabeth Ritzman, LCPC
President, Ministers Council, Chaplains and Pastoral Counselors Chapter



American Baptist Chaplaincy and Pastoral Counseling Ministries
800.222.3872, x2482 
  
American Baptist Home Mission Societies