Military Chaplain Association » Ministry

Register for MCA 2012 National Meeting

admin — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 19:16:38 +0000

Military Chaplains Association Annual National Meeting

17-19 April 2012 at the La Quinta Inns & suites

San Antonio Convention Center

Thank you for joining our 2012 National Meeting. We are looking forward to strategically crucial and timely presentations. Chaplain (Colonel) Herman Keizer, USA (Ret.) is briefing on the subject of moral injuries that occur during war. Chaplain (Brigadier General) Douglas E. Lee, USA (Ret.) is briefing on current religious liberty issues and role of the new Chaplains Alliance for Religious Liberty. During the annual business meeting for MCA members, we will elect six new leaders for our National Executive Committee.

The Military Chaplains Association National Office is handling all registrations and payments. We recommend that you link on the registration and travel information sheet below and review this thoroughly before you complete the registration process.

Important Registration & Travel Information (pdf)

Spouse and Guest Expenses. Spouses are invited to attend all events without additional charge other than meals. Other personal or professional guests are welcome to attend our special meal events even if unable to attend other sessions.

Partial Attendance. For participants who are only able to attend less than half of the total plenary sessions because of official duty requirements, a pro-rated registration fee is available. Please contact the MCA Executive Director at (904) 422-1789 with that request.

Hotel Reservations. Separate from MCA meeting registration, please reserve your room at the La Quinta. The event room block is available through Monday, 2 April 2012. Call 1-866- 527-1498, Option 1. The group booking name is “Military Chaplains Association. The group booking code for our room block is “0501GRAXUM.” As available, the hotel will book extra nights before and after at the special conference rate of $99 plus taxes for single or double occupancy. The famous San Antonio Fiesta begins on Thursday, 19 April and continues for ten days.

Registration Form (pdf)

Registration by Surface Mail. If you prefer to register by surface mail, please download the form from the link above, complete all information blanks, and send to the MCA National Office with payment.

Registration and Payment Online. We recommend that you print out the full registration form above for reference. To register online and make payment via PayPal, continue with the form below. You will receive a copy of your entries via email. So will the MCA. However, your registration process is not finished until the MCA receives a copy of your PayPal payment notification. This means that there will be two separate emails for your online registration. Both are necessary in order to complete the process.

On-line Registration Form

Name *
FirstLast
Title
Address*
Street AddressAddress Line 2CityState / Province / RegionZip / Postal CodeCountry
Phone (Work)*
(Emergency) Phone*
Preferred Email*
Command or Facility*
Religious Denomination*
Spouse or Other Guest Name
Registration Status - Please mark only one of the following. This is very important for our admin.*
I am registering as
NameTag Preference*
Please indicate your first name preference:
Captcha

MCA Newsgram 12.30.11

Gary — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 04:38:31 +0000

Our second newsgram was sent on 30 December to all members and friends who have provided us with current emails. If you did not receive the newsgram, please check to see if your computer blocks emails sent via Constant Contact. Or please send a confirmation of your preferred email to chaplains@mca-usa.org.

Following are key announcements from the 12.30.11 edition:

We are grateful to those who have been able to send special year end donations totaling nearly $15,000. The Military Chaplain Winter 2011 issue lists the names of donors for gifts received through 12 December. More names will appear in the first 2012 issue.

For those who maintain annual membership status, the 2012 renewal form is now posted on our web page. For the fifth year in a row, the MCA National Executive Committee (NEC) has maintained dues at $50 per year. You can print the form and send with your check via surface mail. You are also able to renew via PayPal.

The MCA is seeking nominations for election of six new national leaders during our 2012 Annual Meeting. One election is for a vacated term in the NEC Class of 2013. We require four members to form a new NEC Class of 2015. We must also elect a new Trustee, Class of 2015. Please send nominations along with current contact information to our MCA email address C/O Chair, Nominating Committee.

Mark your calendar and plan to attend our 2012 Annual Meeting on Wednesday, 18 April. We are meeting in San Antonio, Texas at the Holiday Inn Riverwalk. Watch for more info on this meeting and other activities during that week.

As you pray for all of those wounded in war, please remember those who suffer moral injuries – which can be as profound in consequence as physical and mental injuries.

High Holy Days Reflection

Gary — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 17:48:08 +0000

A Spiritual Journey

Rabbi Paul Swerdlow, active Veterans Affairs chaplain, retired Army chaplain, and current MCA national officer provided the following spiritual reflection for the Jewish High Holy Days.

Rabbi Swerdlow has valuable insight for people of other religious traditions as well.

A Spiritual Journey, Rabbi Paul Swerdlow

DoD Policy Change for Chaplains

Gary — Sat, 01 Oct 2011 18:18:46 +0000

On 30 September 2011, Under Secretary of Defense Clifford L Stanley released a memo about chaplain participation in “private” ceremonies. This short memo did not mention same-sex rites. But he prefaced the guidance with reference to Section 654, Title 10 U. S. C. — which is the law concerning homosexual identity in the military that was repealed. So, there should be no surprise with various news headlines that say words to the effect that “chaplains can perform gay military weddings.”

Representative Todd Akin of Missouri immediately challenged the Pentagon guidance memo as a violation of federal law. He is referring to the Defense of Marriage Act of 21 September 1996. The MCA National Office can’t speculate about what might come next in this substantial struggle over conflicting interests.

As an Association, our position continues to emphasize rigorous accuracy of salient fact, fairness, and justice for all concerned as this policy change unfolds. We might not be able to eliminate or convincingly dispute distortions of fact [and even context] that are often present in controversial issues. But we certainly can pursue calm, patience, and graciousness in our own responses. Chaplain Gary Pollitt, Executive Director.

“Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” season premiere on 25 September features former Navy chaplain

admin — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 06:03:25 +0000

Former Navy chaplain Barbara Marshall will appear during the season premier of “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” on 25 September at 7:00 -9:00 pm EDT on the ABC Television Network. Barbara is committed to assistance for homeless Veterans. Using her own funds, she established The Steps-N-Stages Jubilee House in Fayetteville, NC.

Jubilee House offers shelter, support and services such as mentoring and life coaching to homeless female veterans. Jubilee House needed additional space and resources to continue its work with the women. With the help of First Lady Michelle Obama, a paratrooper team from the U.S. Army, other service members, and Ty Pennington from “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,” a new Jubilee House will be unveiled on 25 September.

Mrs. Obama, Ty Pennington and the “EM: HE” team of designers Paul DiMeo, Tracy Hutson, John Littlefield, Sabrina Soto, local builder Blue Ridge Log Cabins and community volunteers helped build the new Jubilee House.

For more information on “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,” visit http://abc.go.com/shows/extreme-makeover-home-edition

See the special Season Nine premiere of “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” from 7-9 pm EDT on Sunday, 25 September.