2012 Annual Conference
Preparing to Honor, Celebrate and Remember STARTS AT THE TOP Support your Association Support the NFFF’s 9-11 Memorial Fund Honor the memory of the Firefighters lost to 9-11
FEDERATION OF FIRE CHAPLAINS ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2012 FFC CONFERENCE, ST. LOUIS/EUREKA, MISSOURI
By Chaplain Doug Kizer, Carmel, Indiana Jacob McConahay is a charming and thoughtful seven year old boy. He has blonde hair and blue eyes and loves dragons, dinosaurs, and dolphins. He loves to swim, play video games, and be with his parents and two siblings. Jake is easy to talk …
When I receive my final call That great summons from on high The alarm that comes to one and all From the Lord of earth and sky. Would you respond as I have done To neighbors along the way? Comfort my firefighters as I have done Please find some kind …
I must have lucked out the other day because I showed up at one of the Firehalls right around the time that the guys were cooking up breakfast. The entire kitchen was filled with tantalizing aromas, bacon and sausages, scrambled eggs and toast. The youngest firefighters, usually the rookies, were showing off their culinary skills for the older guys and I was fortunate enough to walk right in just when they were getting ready to serve up this incredible feast. I was greeted by the friendly voice of the Battalion Chief who called out my name and then came the sound I was hoping for ‘Hey, Chaplain, care to join us for breakfast?’
There is something very special about breakfast at the Firehall with all the crew sitting around the long table passing around the various plates of food; the clink of forks and knives upon dinner plates, the clunk of coffee cups back on the table. I think it’s the best part of the day for our guys, other than putting out fires! The conversation usually covers just about everything from the last fire to the latest movie. When the Chaplain is there, however, things can take on a bit of a ‘spiritual tone’ I usually have my Chaplains antennae listening for any hint of interest on the part of the crew.
This particular morning was no exception and we started talking about the wedding that I had done for one of the firefighters the summer before. I think that was the starting point and before long we had an abbreviated discussion that led to deeper things. For that moment in time I had the attention of the entire crew and they listened as I explained why I believed that marriage was so important. I reminded them, in fact, that I believed it was so important that I did not charge any of my guys to perform their weddings and committed myself to help them preserve their relationships.
I think it was about that time that the tones went off and literally within just over a minute they were driving out the door of the Firehall, lights and sirens, as they headed out on another rescue mission. One minute it was a hub of activity and the next it was strangely quiet and I was alone and thinking I would probably have to do the dishes!
I thought of how often Jesus used mealtimes to do some of His teaching. Maybe He chose those times because people were relaxed and somewhat open to what He would teach them. If you look at the Scriptures you see many times when He performed a miracle: Feeding the Five Thousand Matthew 14: 17, Feeding the disciples after His resurrection John 21: 9 – 12 and there are many others. His very birthplace, Bethlehem, is translated as the ‘house of bread’. Small wonder then that He would tell His followers that He was the ‘Bread of Life’ John 6: 32 – 35
I wondered to myself, as the sounds of the rescue vehicle faded in the distance, if the Firefighters would remember the short ‘message’ I had shared with them. I was thankful, however, that I had been given the opportunity to speak to them at a time and in a place when they were comfortable and ready to listen. This is not a regular occurrence but a sacred moment for a Fire Department to savor that he was invited into this rare moment with his guys to speak into their lives with wisdom from Above. I reminded myself, as I loaded the dishes in the dishwasher, that I am truly privileged to be trusted with the role of Fire Department Chaplain.
Written by Chaplain Ray Parker
Essentials of Fire Chaplaincy
March 2-3
Sevierville, TN
Contact Paul Trumpore PNTrumpore@aol.com (865) 805-2890
www.TFFC.org
Advanced Chaplain Field Operations
(Disaster-Extended Local Events – Field Communications – Etc.)
March 2-3
Sevierville, TN
Contact Paul Trumpore PNTrumpore@aol.com (865) 805-2890
www.TFFC.org
Individual & Group Crisis Intervention
Combination ICISF Course
March 15-17
Tennessee Fire Service & Codes Enforcement Academy
Contact Paul Trumpore PNTrumpore@aol.com (865) 805-2890
www.TFFC.org
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