Winter 2005 Rapport: Chaplaincy Spotlight
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from the Winter 2005 Rapport
Beyond the Horizon: Navy Chaplain Olric Wilkins
As a thirteen-year-old boy on his father’s fishing boat,
Olric Wilkins (M.Div. 2004) would often gaze across the water
toward the horizon and wonder what lay beyond. When he had the
opportunity as a young adult, he joined the U.S. Navy.
As an enlisted man, Wilkins witnessed men and women drudging
through a mundane existence—weighed down by tremendous
baggage. “I knew from experience,” said Wilkins, “that
faith in God could serve as a compass guiding them to ultimate
fulfillment—granting them direction in a chaotic world
and credence to that which is beyond human comprehension. I prayed
that God would grant me the opportunity to lead them to a baggage-free
walk of faith.”
In November of 2002, Wilkins was deployed
for seven months to the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf in support
of “Operation Iraqi Freedom.” Many people aboard
his ship developed a strong consciousness of their own sinfulness. “Our
shipboard Bible studies, prayer meetings and services grew
to capacity,” said Wilkins, “often with standing
room only on Sunday morning.” A religious fervor permeated
the ship. People expressed genuine concerns about their eternal
destinies. “Day after day and night after night many
shipmates would earnestly come before God and cry out for redress
of their grievances,” said Wilkins.
Wilkins’ ministry
audience is exceedingly diverse. “Sometimes we get so
caught up in political and philosophical divisions,” said
Wilkins, “that we forget not only the humanity of those
with whom we disagree, but that we might actually learn something
from them if we take the time to listen.”
Wilkins is now the command chaplain at Marine
Corps Base, Quantico, Va., with the rank of captain. His ministry
philosophy is based on the golden rule and his goal as chaplain
is “to courageously model servant leadership, creating
a team atmosphere which infuses hope, empowers people and transforms
lives.” He hopes to model spiritual faithfulness, integrity
and loyalty.
A Shepherd to the Sick and Lost: Hospital Chaplain Larry Cooper
 For
18 years, Larry Cooper (D. Min. 2004) has been a chaplain for
CoxHealth Systems in Springfield, Mo. He is also an adjunct
faculty member at AGTS and serves on the board of the Southwest
Missouri Critical Incident Response Team.
As a chaplain, Larry provides pastoral care to the patients
and staff in the CoxHealth hospitals and trauma centers in Springfield
and the surrounding area. He coordinates pastoral care volunteers
and is a designated requestor for organ and tissue donations.
He also helps to train first responders who deal with victims’ stress.
In describing his ministry to Rapport, Larry
said, “I view myself as a pastor at heart. Learning from
the mistakes of the shepherd described in Ezekiel 34, a pastor
needs to provide an intentional ministry where the weak are
strengthened, sick are healed, injured are bound and strays
are brought back to the fold. The opportunity to minister to
patients, families and staff and celebrate with them God’s
involvement in their lives presents itself at times of greatest
need. Hospital chaplaincy allows me to fulfill the call of
God to reach people.”
Updated:
Tuesday, January 18, 2005 9:13 AM
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