ELCA Congregations Prepare Care for Veterans Returning from War

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Congregations of the Evangelical Lutheran
Church in America (ELCA) are preparing to create caring and
welcoming places for returning veterans and their families.
"Care for Returning Veterans" is a series of workshops being held
through January across the United States.
The workshops are designed to prepare pastors, caregivers
and others interested in providing "care and hospitality for our
brothers and sisters who have been impacted by the trauma and
stress of war," said the Rev. Darrell D. Morton, assistant to the
presiding bishop, ELCA Bureau for Federal Chaplaincy Ministries,
Washington, D.C.
"A great cadre of seemingly familiar strangers has emerged,
'strangers' who may be our neighbors, our loved ones, our
friends, but nevertheless strangers as a result of brokenness
they have experienced through the hell of war," Morton wrote in
an invitation to ELCA congregations.
"Although much of the emphasis on the problems of returning
veterans has focused on PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) and
psychological injuries, there are numerous other issues that
affect their ability to reintegrate back into society," said the
Rev. Edgar W. Hatcher, retired chaplain, U.S. Air Force,
Chesterfield, Mo.
"The truth is that war permanently changes the people who
fight it. It produces tremendous moral and spiritual residue
which impacts the veterans and their families," Hatcher said.
"The church is a powerful force in helping veterans wrestle
with and reconcile the love of God with the horrors they
encounter and protect us from. Most pastors are woefully
unprepared for ministry in these circumstances," he said.
"These conferences are intended to provide the understanding
and resources to fill this gap and to team with others about
welcoming and caring for the veterans when they return from the
front," Hatcher said.
Each workshop will deal 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," Hatcher said.
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."
Fifteen "Care for Returning Veterans" workshops are
scheduled:
Sept. 16, Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg, Pa.
Sept. 17, Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia
Sept. 24, First Lutheran Church, Manhattan, Kan.
Sept. 26, Trinity Lutheran Church, Chesterfield, Mo.
Sept. 30, Luther Seminary, St. Paul, Minn.
Oct. 2, Our Saviour's Lutheran Church, Iron Mountain, Mich.
Oct. 14, Augustana Lutheran Church, Denver
Oct. 16, Lutheran Seminary Program in the Southwest, Austin,
Texas
Oct. 29, Wartburg Theological Seminary, Dubuque, Iowa
Nov. 14, Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary, Columbia, S.C.
Nov. 19, Trinity Lutheran Seminary, Columbus, Ohio
Jan. 13, Faith Lutheran Church, Phoenix
Jan. 20, Phinney Ridge Lutheran Church, Seattle
Jan. 21, Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary, Berkeley, Calif.
Jan. 23, St. Andrew Lutheran Church, San Diego
The workshops are supported through grants from Thrivent
Financial for Lutherans, Minneapolis, a faith-based membership
financial organization. The ELCA Bureau for Federal Chaplaincies
is handling registration.
-- -- --
Information about the Bureau for Federal Chaplaincy
Ministries is at http://www.ELCA.org/federalchaplains/ on the
ELCA Web site.

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org
http://www.elca.org/news
ELCA News Blog: http://www.elca.org/news/blog