Clergy Day events planned

The North Dakota National Guard Office of the Chaplain will host two Clergy Day 2012 events for area clergy and church staff members.

The training workshops will connect military chaplains with their civilian counterparts while providing information on resources available to help meet the needs of military families in area congregations.

The first event will be from 9:30 a.m. to noon April 19 at First Lutheran Church, 619 Broadway N, Fargo. The second Clergy Day will be 9:30 a.m. to noon May 3, at Camp Grafton Training Center, Devils Lake, N.D.

For more information about the Fargo event, which does not require registration, contact Tech. Sgt. Chad Hanson at 701-451-2676 or chadwick.han

son@ang.af.mil.

To learn more about the Devils Lake event, which requires registration, contact Chaplain (Capt.) Brock Sailer at 701-662-0618 or brock.sailer@us.army.mil.

The events also will address the need for military chaplains and opportunities for ministers who feel called to serve this population. A continental breakfast will be served.

National Guard chaplains provide spiritual care and guidance to military members and their families as a way to strengthen the force.

This is accomplished through religious observances that allow personnel to implement their right to the free exercise of religion, as well as by providing pastoral care and advising military leadership on spiritual, ethical, moral, morale, core values and religious accommodation issues.

In North Dakota, Army and Air National Guard chaplains have served on multiple missions.

In recent years, they’ve mobilized overseas to provide on-site ministry and support during deployments. They’ve worked alongside Guardsmen on flood duty for the past three years, supporting not only the military members who sometimes were losing their own homes while fighting for others’ houses, but through interacting with community members in impacted communities.

They also provide religious services during weekend drill periods or wherever else it’s needed — on a dirt dike holding back floodwaters, briefly before combat patrols overseas, or in celebration of a Guardsman’s retirement.

Military chaplains also offer confidential one-on-one time with military families seeking assistance.

Tags: life, religion