MEMORIAL SERVICES SCHEDULED FOR SENIOR CHAPLAIN LES PALMER

A Great leader and servant has left us a legacy.

Chaplain Les, one of our lead Master trainers, served on the IFOC Board of Directors  as well as on his church staff as a pastor and was the Corps Commander in Albuquerque. He was instrumental in training and directing a large number of Chaplains to operate and serve in the community reaching out to many, and eventually stretched out to serve several other parts of the state, nation and world.

After working as a disaster Chaplain world wide, and serving with the Billy Graham Rapid Response Teams, He was instrumental in establishing an IFOC disaster on-call corps nationwide.

Chaplain Les has left us a great legacy, and we will tremendously miss him.

Please pray for his family and those who served with him.

A Memorial Service for Pastor Chaplain Les Palmer will be conducted in the Sanctuary of:

Calvary of Albuquerque
4001 Osuna Rd. NE
Albuquerque, NM 87109
505.344.0880

Thursday April 26th 2012, 10:00am

Following the Memorial Service, we will continue to celebrate Les’ life in the HUB with a reception.

His family has requested that in lieu of flowers that donations be made in the name of International Fellowship of Chaplains, (IFOC), or Albuquerque Regional Community Chaplains Corps, (ARCCC).

CHAPLAINS CALLING Newsletter

The IFOC has been talking about a way of letting all of our members know what we have been doing, and what IFOC Chaplains are doing out in the field.

The IFOC “Chaplains Calling” is that avenue of sharing all of the information that is pertinent to assisting you with your ministry, as well as letting you know what is going on with Chaplains in other areas. This Newsletter is not only our way of letting you know what is going on with in the IFOC, but it is also your Newsletter. We would like to know what is going on with you.

Any new ministry ideas that you are trying? Have you written a book lately? Have you received any accolades recently? New baby or grandbaby in the family? Or maybe you have a car,boat, motorcycle or Camper you want to sell.

This Newsletter is for the benefit of all. So please if you have something you would like to share with your IFOC brothers and sisters, feel free to send it.

Read it here!

IFOC Chaplains Respond to Central Texas Wild Fires

Chaplain coordinators from IFOC and Victim Relief Ministries (VRM)arrived in Bastrop county Monday evening, September 5, 2011 just one day after a massive wildfire started which would eventually destroy about 1,700 homes and burn about 34,000 acres, or about 25 percent of Bastrop County. VRM chaplains also began arriving on Tuesday, September 6, 2011. On Wednesday, September 7, 2011, five (5) IFOC chaplains from Albuquerque, New Mexico traveled to Bastrop, Texas in response to one of the most costly disasters in Texas history.

The eleven (11) chaplains were all based at Camp Swift, a National Guard camp located north of Bastrop. Also based at the camp were almost eight hundred (800) firefighters and emergency operations support staff from every state. Overtwo-hundred (200) fire engines were also based at the camp.

Beginning before dawn each morning the chaplains ministered to firefighters before and during breakfast. This was followed up by encouraging and praying for them as they prepared their equipment and fire engines for early morning departure. Chaplains returned each evening to share supper with the returning firefighters and emergency operations support staff. Again this was a great time of bonding between the chaplains and the firefighters. The sleeping quarters and hygiene facilities were also shared by the firefighters and chaplains. The chaplains were never separated from the firefighters accept when the firefighters went out to the fire lines.

Displaced homeowners who did not have any place to go, were housed in temporary shelters throughout the county. These shelters provided sleeping accommodations, food, personal hygiene facilities, clothes and medical assistance. Chaplains spent many hours at the shelters praying with, encouraging, giving directions and just listening. All of the citizens the chaplains encountered were in some way affected by the fires.

The Bastrop Convention Center was the location of the Emergency Operations Command Center (EOCC) and it was where hundreds of citizens came each day to find out the latest facts concerning the fires, where to obtain supplies and when they could return to their neighborhoods. Chaplains visited the EOCC numerous times to encourage the staff and visit with the citizens. With the high level of anxiety and frustration experienced by the citizens, the chaplain's presence, listening ear and caring heart were a soothing comfort.

Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) troopers were stationed throughout Bastrop county blocking entry to dangerous areas. Chaplains visited, prayed with and encouraged these troopers.

Chaplains were welcomed wherever they went and words of gratitude always followed. The chaplains prayed with hundreds of citizens, EOCC staff, firefighters and support staff throughout their stay in Bastrop county. Chaplains also gave Bibles to citizens, firefighters and support staff. These Bibles were provided by the Gideons.

When chaplains thanked everyone for their work, the response was almost always, "No, Thank You for what you are doing!"

IFOC and VRM chaplains ceased operations and returned to their home bases on Monday, September 12, 2011.


Regards,

Harvey J. Pendleton
Texas Chaplain Coordinator
IFOC