As a Chaplain Candidate, the Chaplains' Retreat was significant for my wife and me. I am in the Army National Guard and therefore we have never gotten to meet the Pentecostal Holiness chaplains.
One of the amazing things about the event is that all of the chaplains, retired chaplains, and chaplain candidates meet together in one central location.
The Pentecostal Holiness chaplains represent a diverse stratum of service branches (Army, Navy/Marines/Coast Guard, and Air Force), with each service having a distinctive culture. They also have served or are serving at every level of military chaplain leadership. It was positive for me to be able to interact with chaplains who function on different levels. It is also beneficial because there are no other opportunities to be with the IPHC chaplains. Typically, military chaplains serve about 600 troops and their families, this makes chaplains uncommon. Then considering that the IPHC chaplains are spread out across the entire globe further isolates chaplains from the other IPHC chaplains. The upper room experience found in Acts 2:1, would not have happened unless all of the disciples were in one place, but since they were all together in one place the Spirit did come. We were blessed to be in one location with so many of the IPHC chaplains.
The summation of the years of service performed by the IPHC chaplains and spouses is a testament to the longevity of the IPHC in military chaplaincy.
Dr. Morgan told me to take as much as possible away from the people at the retreat. Therefore, for me it was a time to learn from the chaplains and spouses.
What a blessing it was to have Chaplain, Major General Cecil Richardson, the Air Force Chief of Chaplains, as the keynote speaker. He brought a powerful message about having "moral courage" when confronted with adversity. We found the event both a didactic and a positive spiritual experience. Iron sharpens iron, and to be with so many IPHC chaplains is illuminating and invigorating.
Military chaplaincy is a unique call from God and it is important for the IPHC chaplains to transfer their experience to the forthcoming generation of chaplains. Therefore, I’m thankful and indebted to the Chaplains Ministries, Bishop Thompson and the Chaplains Ministries Board for allowing my wife and me to attend this event as we prepare for future Pentecostal Holiness military chaplaincy ministry
Posted on
Wed, June 29, 2011
by Hugh Morgan