Prior to Chaplain Alice’s installation, guests were treated to beautiful background music provided by her son, Joshua.  Following welcoming remarks by The Rev. Dan Wenger, Director of Pastoral Care at Fairview and Lakewood Hospitals, and Joyce Arand, Director of Nursing, Women’s and Children’s Services at Fairview Hospital, The Rev. Tricia Gilbert, Staff Chaplain at Fairview Hospital, offered the Call to Worship and the Invocation, and later the Affirmation and Blessing of Pastoral Care Ministries.  Others who served in the proceedings included The Rev. Ed Schwet, Catholic Chaplain at Fairview Hospital; Mark Laskey, Executive Director of Lutheran Chaplaincy Service; and The Rev. Orlando Chaffee, District Superintendent, North Coast District, United Methodist Church.

On October 28, 2011, The V. Rev. Dennis Kristof was installed as chaplain at Lakewood Hospital, a Cleveland Clinic hospital, during a moving installation ceremony presided over by His Grace Bishop Daniel of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA.  Other participants in the installation service included Jacqueline Nowlin, Director of Patient Care Services, Acute Care and Surgical Service at Lakewood Hospital; Deacon Ihor Mahlay of St. Vladimir Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral in Parma; Reader Gerald Largent of St. Nicholas Ukrainian Pro-Cathedral in Lakewood; and The Rev. Dan Wenger, Director of Pastoral Care at Fairview and Lakewood Hospitals.

In keeping with the traditions of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, the participants chanted the installation’s prayers and responses.  His Grace Bishop Daniel, himself a former military chaplain, offered a wonderful perspective on the role of chaplains and their ministries during his homily.

Congratulations on your installations, Chaplain Alice and Chaplain Dennis, and best wishes for every success in your ministries!

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When asked about his long-time service with LCS, Howard said, “It did take me awhile to really understand the scope of LCS.  I learned how to be a board member, and with time, how to be a leader on a board and encourage other members to get involved.  My time as board president allowed me to sharpen my meeting and leadership skills.  I like serving on the board of an organization that helps people and I enjoy being on the governing end of that helpful service.”

Howard’s passions are volunteering and family.  He enjoys working with churches to instill proper stewardship practices, which he feels “goes beyond just money”.  He and his wife Dawn have been married 37½ years and live in Elyria.  They have two grown sons who live in the Cleveland area.  This summer you will be able to find Howard at the baseball field coaching his seven-year-old grandson’s baseball team.  “My sons asked me to come out of retirement to coach his team and I just couldn’t say no,” he said.

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At this very special time of year let us pause from the holiday bustle and reflect on the true meaning of the Christmas Season: our Savior came to us as a newborn child with the simple message of our Father’s unconditional and redeeming love.  If we can hold on to that image and promise, 2012 will be a blessed year.

LCS’s chaplains minister to those in need on a daily basis.  It is their calling.  It is a simple calling, but it bears a tremendous amount of responsibility with it.  As we pause to reflect during this holy time of year, if you have a quiet moment, please offer a prayer for our chaplains, their ministries and to those they care for.

That will certainly help keep the real meaning of Christmas alive.

May God bless you and your loved ones this Christmas Season.

Peace,

Mark D. Laskey
Executive Director

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Everyone had the opportunity to visit with old friends and to meet and mingle with new friends.  It was a wonderful evening enjoyed by all because of the pleasure of one another’s company.

Special thanks, again to the Great Lakes Brewing Company, for their kindness and generosity in support our mission; to LCS board member, Gloria Pickett, for greeting everyone at the registration table, and to LCS Development Director Beth Vanadia, and Administrative Assistant, Gina Svat, for their efforts in coordinating the evening’s activities.

We hope to see you next year!

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There are many stories of hope and healing that we encounter everyday as hospital Chaplains. One in particular happened just recently.  It may not be your usual story of hope, but is one that shows another, perhaps unfamiliar, side of chaplaincy.

I was called to the ICU and told that the condition of Ruth (74 years old) was declining quickly.  Ruth had been on life support for two weeks and she had not made any progress toward healing. In fact many of Ruth’s organs were beginning to fail her.  After doctors from multiple disciplines examined her, they conferred and agreed that everything that could be done for Ruth had been tried. In situations like this the family is told of the patient’s condition.  But what made this case different was the fact there were no family or friends that could be found for Ruth.  Even after weeks of due diligence, the Care Management Team was unable to find them.  From all that we could ascertain, Ruth was alone in this world.

As I approached Ruth’s bedside, I gently took hold of her hand and began talking to her. I let her know who I was and reassured her that she was not alone.  I shared a short prayer with her and I continued to talk with her.  Ruth was unconscious and had been from many days.  Yet we are often told that hearing is the last one of our senses to leave us, so I wanted Ruth to hear that someone was with her.  I held her hand, as her life support was removed, the monitors were turned off and the lights were dimmed. Ruth’s nurse stood on the other side of the bed and for the next 15 minutes we both reassured Ruth that it was ok, she was not alone. We would stay with her as long as she needed.  As Ruth finally drew in her last breath, I noticed a small tear form in the corner of her eye and then make its way down her cheek. In that sacred moment I recognized that we were standing on holy ground, and we knew that Ruth would be alright.

Mother Theresa once said, “It is not the magnitude of our actions but the amount of love that is put into them that matters.” For many professional chaplains, our actions may not seem big to the outside world. But I have learned not to overlook those ordinary everyday small acts.  Because it is in those acts of compassion we share God’s love in a very real way with patients and in the end we are blessed as we become witnesses of how Hope is renewed through God’s love.

Fairview Hospital
Rev. Tricia L. Gilbert
Staff Chaplain

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Over the course of the coming months I will continue to visit our chaplains and our partner institutions.  My goal is to shake hands with as many of our friends and supporters that I can and to look for opportunities to extend our services to patients, their families and institutional staffs in need.

I’d also like to take this opportunity to welcome Chaplains Tricia Gilbert (Fairview Hospital), Dennis Kristof (Lakewood Hospital), Melanie Sunderland (Ahuja Medical Center) and Alice Walsh (Fairview Hospital) to the LCS family.  I wish you every success.  Also, a collective thanks is in order to University Hospitals for the opportunity to partner with them.  We look forward to the pleasure of our partnership for many, many years to come.

It’s also fitting to thank Stephanie Lankhorst, Esq., of Wegman, Hessler & Vanderburg, for her years of service to LCS as an integral member of our Board of Directors, and to welcome Scott Robinson, also of Wegman, Hessler & Vanderburg, to our Board of Directors.  Many thanks to both of you!

I would welcome your suggestions and comments and the chance to speak with you regarding your experience with LCS.  Please feel free to reach me in care of 216/737-0833 ext. 206 or via email at mlaskey@spiritualcare.org.

Thanks again, and may God continue to bless you and your families with His boundless love.

Mark D. Laskey
Executive Director

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