A chaplaincy program has been established in each district of the Iowa Conference as a way clergy can care for one another during these unprecedented times. Rev. Terra Amundson, Dean of the Appointive Cabinet and Southwest District Superintended, hopes this can be a new way of being moving forward.
“We are in a very strange time and we have pastors that all of a sudden have to figure out how to do ministry in a different way than our normal day by day,” Amundson said. “When we're suddenly having to work from home or have very limited contact with parishioners, that can feel even more isolating. This is a way that we can care for one another in this time and I'm hoping that this has a new way of being, that our clergy will see the great value of regularly connecting with one another.”
Listen to a conversation with Rev. Terra Amundson about the new Chaplaincy program.
All superintendents have already resourced clergy to serve as chaplains within each district.
“We have given the chaplains some basic questions to ask and resources which we continue to give them,” Amundson said. “I will be contacting my chaplains each week, as well as other clergy in the district to care for them, to hear what concerns they may be having and helping them in the midst of this change.”
Several of Amundson’s chaplains have told her how much they valued this program already.
“I see this program maybe going forward in more than one way,” Amundson said. “I also see some friendships developing through this and I can see some groups saying ‘we need to keep going with this’ after the crisis.”
