2010 will mark my 25th year of ordained ministry. Nearly 15 years have been at Crittenton Children’s Center, where I serve as chaplain to youth whose tumultuous lives have left them traumatized and in profound grief. They often are driven by aggression, experiencing acute depression, and reeling from being continuously uprooted to go to yet another foster home or relative. The religious/faith experiences that could bring feelings of stability and acceptance have been hit-and-miss, if at all. What I strive to offer them – in an interfaith context – is a ministry of radical acceptance, grace, and safety, as modeled by the lives of Jesus, Buddha, and St. Francis, the embodiments of grace for all creation.

The upcoming milestone also marks a beginning. As I begin the final 13 years in this ministry, I want to reach out with heightened knowledge, deeper understanding, and an energized spirit of enthusiasm and acceptance. Vital to realizing this passion is a time of rest and contemplation for myself that would include guided retreats in the peace and beauty of the American Southwest; reading about the life and teachings of Jesus, as well writings of such spiritual guides as St. Francis, Thomas Merton, and Thich Nhat Hanh; and savoring uninterrupted time with my family in the amazing setting of the Southwest.