Chatham Hospital Recognizes Area Ministers for their Service to the Community
• Honors volunteer chaplains and pastoral care program participants
For Immediate Release: Monday, June 5, 2006
SILER CITY, N.C. — Chatham Hospital and its Caring for our Neighbors Program recently hosted an appreciation dinner to honor the local ministers who serve as volunteer hospital chaplains and participate in a hospital-sponsored Pastoral Care in the Community Program.
The event was held May 22 at Hayley Bales Restaurant in Siler City and drew approximately 30 ministers and their spouses.
“Through the generosity and selfless devotion of local ministers in our community from a variety of faiths, Chatham Hospital is able to prove around-the-clock support to patients and their families during times when they need it the most,” said Woodrow Hathaway, Jr., CEO of Chatham Hospital. “We are very grateful to those who support us and provide the spiritual care that is such an important part of the healing process.”
Hathaway recognized the following volunteer chaplains for their support: Greg Burris, Rocky River Baptist; Jason Doom, First United Methodist of Siler City; Sue Flippin, Siler City Presbyterian; Barry Gray, First Missionary Baptist; Roy Helms, Love’s Creek Baptist; Theresa Isley, Emmanuel Fellowship; Neal Kight, Siler City Church of God; Ron Lander, Siler City Church of God; Herbert Lowry, Piney Grove United Methodist; Darius Martin, Emmanuel Fellowship; Manuel Matamoros, Galilea; David Mateo, Centro Latino de Adoración; Daniel Pantoja, El Camino Hispanic United Methodist; Larry Soblotne, Rives Chapel; Mike Sykes, First United Methodist of Siler City; and Gene Williams, Edwards Grove.
One of the newest members of the Chatham Hospital chaplaincy program is Darius Martin, pastor of Emmanuel Fellowship Church.
“I have really benefited from the training we’ve received in how to meet the needs of patients and their families,” Martin said. “It is so fulfilling to see the difference I’m able to make by spending time with patients and praying with them. In addition, since I was recently installed as a pastor, the chaplaincy program has had the added benefit of helping me get to know other pastors in the community.”
In addition to Martin, local pastors who joined the chaplaincy program during 2006 include: Tina Gaines, director of the Salvation Army; Barry Gray of First Missionary Baptist; Theresa Isley of Emmanuel Fellowship; and Daniel Pantoja of El Camino Hispanic United Methodist.
Special recognition was given to Roy Helms, former pastor of Love’s Creek Baptist Church, who helped to reestablish Chatham Hospital’s volunteer chaplaincy program in 2004. Hathaway also honored Neal Kight for his current leadership of both the hospital chaplaincy program and the Chatham Hospital Pastoral Care in the Community program – an initiative designed to build the skills ministers need to lead an effective congregational ministry. The program has doubled its participation from 10 ministers to nearly 20 within the past two years.
Beginning in September, the Chatham Hospital will begin a new series of training sessions focused on disaster planning and emergency management for chaplains. Area ministers interested in attending are invited to contact Neal Kight at 919-220-3035.
