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Thank you for your interest in becoming a Emergency Response Chaplain
We want to thank you for your interest in seeking to respond with God’s love and compassion to the needs of disaster survivors. Being a volunteer chaplain to those who have experienced loss and pain is a rewarding ministry, but it can also be very challenging because of the emotional and spiritual demands involved.
What is a Chaplain?
A chaplain is essentially an individual who provides emotional and spiritual care to individuals outside of their faith community. The word chaplain comes from the Latin word for “cloak” and derived from a story of Saint Martin meeting a man begging in the rain with no cloak. If Saint Martin had met the man's need by giving him his own cloak, he would have shifted the problem to himself, so instead, he tore his own cloak in two and shared it, half for the beggar and half for himself. From this the understanding of a chaplain is someone who shares support with those in the storms of life and offers some spiritual help and direction in those difficult times.
History
The Salvation Army has a long history with chaplaincy. The first officer designated as a chaplain appears to have been appointed to the Men's Social Services in the United Kingdom in the late 1890s. Chaplains were also appointed during the First World War to Canadian and Australian forces. The Salvation Army’s mission to help hurting people in times of crisis follows the actions as portrayed in the parable of the Good Samaritan in whatever location they are found by utilizing whatever resources available and connecting within a larger community of care
Become a Emergency Response Chaplain
The first step is becoming an EDS Volunteer by registering at www.edscentral.org
Have additional questions?