Care for Returning Veterans
Download Workshop Materials
“Care for Returning Veterans” was developed initially as a daylong workshop by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America for use in congregations, synods and other ministry sites.
The workshops, led by Chaplain Hatcher and funded by grants from Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, were held in 15 locations across the country from September 2008 through January 2009.
The components of that workshop are now available as a free DVD that includes a PowerPoint multimedia presentation (with videos, script and print materials).
"Care for Returning Veterans" is a first step to assist pastors, caregivers, and any who want to put out the welcome mat for our returning veterans and their families.
The workshop includes a multimedia presentation that deals with "the veteran's experience": psychological impacts, moral impacts, spiritual impacts, family impacts, and referrals and resources.
"We are collecting information on different ministries already taking place within the church to share information on how they can be replicated by others who choose to engage in such ministries," said the Rev. Ed Hatcher, retired chaplain, U.S. Air Force, Chesterfield, Mo.
The workshops were prompted by a resolution of the ELCA Churchwide Assembly in August 2007. It urged Lutheran bishops "to partner with the ELCA Bureau for Federal Chaplaincy Ministries to explore means by which this church might effectively provide healing ministries to military veterans and their families."
The "Care for Returning Veterans" DVD is available for no charge. Call toll-free at 800-638-3522 or e-mail ris@elca.org to request a copy.
Components of this DVD are also available for download below:
Care for Returning Veterans
Download the PowerPoint multimedia presentation [9.2 MB]
- View in Normal mode with Outline tab selected to read narration script.
Watch and download videos to play in PowerPoint:
(To download video for local playback: Right-click, select "Save Target As...")
- Slide 4: Mortar Attack [view] [download] (Mortar Attack-3.avi)
- Slide 8: Veterans Speak [view] [download] (Veterans Speak-large-4.avi)
- Slide 19: 9 IEDs [view] [download] (9 IEDs-3.avi)
- Slide 22: [view] [download] (Shoot Myself-2.avi)
- Slide 50: Soldier & Spouse [view] [download] (soldier_spouse-2.avi)
- Slide 55: Father & Son [view] [download] (father_son-2.avi)
Download and print out PDF documents:
To order the free DVD, call 800/638-3522 or e-mail ris@elca.org.
For more information about "Care for Returning Veterans," contact:
Chaplain Ed Hatcher
e-mail: edhat@earthlink.net