How long has Community Chaplains of America been in existence?
When/where did the concept of community chaplains begin?
What is Corporate Chaplains of America?
Are there other organizations offering similar ministry services?
Who are the authors of your literature and teaching materials?
How long has Community Chaplains of America been in existence?
The Community Chaplain program began as a dream in 2005 as a way of igniting church members to serve in their local communities. This dream became a reality with the completion of training materials and launching of a beta test project in cooperation with the North American Missions Board in Atlanta, GA and Crossroads Fellowship in Raleigh, NC. The members of these two organizations have been providing invaluable feedback on the Empowerment Kit materials and other aspects of the program.
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When/where did the concept of community chaplains begin?
Chaplaincy dates back to a man known as St. Martin of Tours, who as a soldier, comforted a cold beggar by cutting his heavy cape in half to share with the man. Later that night, Martin dreamed he saw Jesus wearing the same half cape and it became know as a “cappa”. A cape was kept in a “cappella” and the French equivalent “chappele” became our word “chapel”. The priest in charge was known as the “chappelain” or keeper of the cloak or keeper of the compassion.
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What is Corporate Chaplains of America?
Today, the Community Chaplain program has evolved from Corporate Chaplains of America (CCA) that was initiated in 1996 by founder and President, Mark Cress. While there are some Christian owned companies that have their own chaplains on staff, Cress saw a need for Chaplains to be available as a resource to business owners that wanted to offer their employees the services of a spiritual caregiver who is available 24/7 to care for their needs. In just over a decade, CCA has grown to nearly 100 chaplains serving some 600 company locations throughout the U.S.
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Are there other organizations offering similar ministry services?
Yes, there are many organizations that offer spiritual caregiving in the workplace and communities across America. Marketplace Chaplains USA was the first and longest operational outsourced chaplaincy model in the US and it was started in Dallas, TX in 1984 by founder, Gil Strickland.
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Who are the authors of your literature and teaching materials?
There are many people to acknowledge in the writing and production of our publications and audio and video materials. The three authors, Founder and President Mark Cress, Chris Hobgood, Vice President Chaplain / Project Development and Dwayne Reece, Vice President, Field Development gratefully acknowledge their families, associates and suppliers for the quality and completeness of all materials.
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