|
The Washington Chaplains Association |
|
Washington Chaplains Association Fall 2006 Meeting; September 12, 2006 Ellensburg, Washington
Interim Chairman Randy Schulz was on assignment in Virginia/Washington DC for the week of September 11. With regrets he could not attend the WCA Fall meeting, and Bob Jordan, Secretary, served in his place. Randy however coordinated the venue as well as the panelist and even phoned in during the meeting (Bob put him on the speaker phone, much to Randy's surprise!)
The main program agenda was a panel discussion on minority faith systems. Often the DOC or County Jail chaplain will be called upon to facilitate the needs of volunteers or inmates of minority faiths, and this WCA meeting is intended to better educate the chaplaincy as to minority faith practices, needs, and viewpoints.
8:30 - 9:30am Meeting began with Registration overseen by Chaplain Imo Smith, WCA Treasurer. Attendance: 27
9:30-9:45am Bob Jordan opened the meeting with a Short Seminar entitled The Balanced Wheel. This is a self-improvement tool useful for identifying areas in one's life that may be out of balance, and what to do about it. The two-page seminar may be copied and distributed as desired.
9:45-10:45am Chaplain Greg Garringer moderated the first half of the program. During this time the panelist provided an overview of thier faith system. It was also during this session that the notes provided by Buddhist Genko Kathy Blackman was read. The panelists were: Gary Friedman (Jewish) Ismail Ahmad (Muslim) Barbara Lauderdale (Wiccan) Bill Russell (Native American) Genko Kathy Blackman (Buddhist) (not present but did provide materials that were shared at the meeting)
11am-noon Bob Jordan moderated the second half of the presentation. The panelist were all provided with some example questions before the meeting. The questions are below. All questions weren't asked, but those that were
All panelists did this, as well as notes from the Buddhist faiths were shared.
This was addressed in the first part of the program where the panelists provided a background on their faith system.
All panelist noted proselytizing of persons of their faith by Christian chaplains or volunteers was a concern Minority faith literature has also been vandalized. For some (Wiccan) thier literature cannot be placed in the general literature areas as it will be vandalized; this is unfair since more inmates do not have access to it under these conditions. Staff has also confiscated religious implements.
Wiccan - "we are not Satanists" * Jewish - "anti-Semitism" * Muslim - "9-11 attacks; we are people of peace"
Jewish - http://www.jewishprisonerservices.org/practices.htm Wicca - http://www.religioustolerance.org/wic_usbk.htm Buddhism - http://www.religioustolerance.org/buddhism.htm Muslim - http://www.religioustolerance.org/islam.htm Native American - http://religiousmovements.lib.virginia.edu/nrms/naspirit.html
Wiccan Books: The Law Enforcement Guide to Wicca by Kerr Cuhulain Why, Why...If - An Ethics Workbook by Robin Wood Pagans & Christians - The Spiritual Experience by Gus DiZerega, Ph.D. Wicca Demystified - A Guide for Practitioners, Family, and Friends by Bryan Lankford The Triumph of the Moon - A History of Modern Pagan Witchcraft by Ronald Hutton List compiled by Barbara K. Lauderdale Director of Institutional Pastoral Care Services Aquarian Tabernacle Church of Wicca Member, RSAC
Jewish - "minority faiths tend to congregate in large, metropolitan areas; prisons are likely to be found in remote areas, therefore the pool of volunteers is very small." Muslim - "two types of people, those with resources and those without. Those without cannot afford to take time out to volunteer, they are doing all they can to just exist. Those with resources are busy traveling and working and thus also don't have time to volunteer."
Wiccan - "not really, there is a location in Index, WA." Native American - "Reservations have sweat lodges." Muslim - "more and more resources are becoming available." Jewish - "lots of resources, handled on an individual basis"
The Jewish, Muslim, and Native American faiths all discussed the difficulties associated with persons not born into their faiths choosing to convert to that faith. This was also discussed in the notes provided by the Buddhist contact. Persons claiming to be "authories" on these faith systems have at times done more harm than good.
Gary Friedman showed a current copy of The Corrections Department's Handbook of Religious Beliefs and Practices. The handbook lists 26 recognized religions, including Bahai, four kinds of paganism (Asatru, Astara, Odinist, and Wicca), Rastafarian, International Society of Krishna Consciousness, three types of Islam (Muslim, Nation of Islam, and Moorish Science Temple of America), Hindu, and Sikh. Major religions include Roman Catholic, Protestant Christian, Christian Sects, and Native American. Persons desiring a copy should contact DOC Chaplain Dan Williams.
The panel discussion ended with a question being posed to the panel. Christian chaplains are being asked to facilitate the needs of other religions. If the roles were reversed, would the panel members all work to facilitate the religious needs of an inmate not of their own faith system. All four panelists, with conviction, said that they would.
It was further discussed that the behavior of persons of any faith system should be changed for the better as a result of participation in that faith system.
1pm to 1:30pm - Business Meeting
Old Business: Randy Schulz voted in to retain the Interim Chairmanship through March, 2007, when the Spring 2007 WCA meeting is convened.
Secretary's Report (Bob Jordan): The Spring 2006 minutes were approved by the WCA.
Treasurers Report (Ch. Imo Smith): Verbal account balance provided. Printed version to follow shortly. Note that a honorarium was offered to the panelists, with all initially declining. We "forced" it on those we could, but most wanted the proceeds to go to the WCA fund. With a shortfall in attendance, the Church charged us a reduced rate for lunch (very kind!).
Chaplain Shannon O'Donnell agreed to prepare a document on "What Every Chaplain Wants From A Volunteer" to complement the document "The Chaplain" which focused on what every volunteer wants from a Correctional Chaplain. Inputs to Ch. O'Donnell are welcome and encouraged.
Bob Jordan agreed to prepare another "Short Seminar" for the Spring 2007 meeting. It will be along the same lines as "The Balanced Wheel" and be centered on self-improvement.
New Business: Next WCA meeting will be at the Grace Lutheran Church, Des Moines, Washington, Tuesday, March 13, 2007. |