A Word of Gratitude

By: The Rev. Frederick Rajan, Vice President, Mission and Spiritual Care
ADVOCATE GOOD SHEPHERD HOSPITAL, ADVOCATE CONDELL MEDICALL CENTER, ADVOCATE SHERMAN HOSPITAL

As we look to the future, first we look back with...

Gratitude that we were able to launch Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) at Advocate Sherman Hospital making Advocate Sherman the first hospital in Kane County to offer such a program.

Gratitude that we were able to provide 24/7 pastoral care to patients at our hospitals with very diverse, multilingual, and skilled chaplains.

Gratitude that we were able to provide clothes and toiletries for patients in needs from our Compassion Closet at each of our hospitals.

Gratitude that we were able to offer Spanish language health and wellness programs for the growing and energetic Latino congregations and building life long relationships with them.  

Gratitude that we were able to publish the quarterly e-magazine Connections Quarterly throughout the year.  

Gratitude that we were able to touch 1800 lives through various congregational outreach programs which included education, training, health fairs, health screenings, vaccines, hands-only CPR training and Wellness from Within a three month long program which addresses body-mind-spirit. 

Gratitude that we were able to offer educational programs extending knowledge and awareness on the impact of addiction, particularly opioid and heroine which is devastating young lives in our community.

Gratitude that we were able to join with the Federal VA hospital and community based veteran’s organizations in offering three programs to support ministry to our veterans.

Gratitude that we were able to address behavioral health by offering educational programs and to be among the only hospitals which offered Mental Health First Aid and Youth Mental Health First Aid for Kane, Lake, and McHenry county congregations.

Gratitude that we were able to offer a robust Advance Care Planning promotion in our communities via, lectures, presentations, newspaper articles, and radio programs.  

A Word of Anticipation

We look to the New Year with anticipation and hope. With God’s help….

We are confident, that we will offer CPE internship (three months of intense supervised training) and residency (year-long stipended full-time supervised training) in pastoral care ministry from Advocate Condell Medical Center, Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital, and Advocate Sherman Hospital. 

We are confident, that through education, screening, equipping, and journeying together we will continue to touch more lives through our congregational outreach efforts.

We are confident, this year we will strengthen our partnership with the faith community by adding more programs including organizing a day-long seminar on Addiction. 

We are confident, this year we will expand our ministry with veterans, including organizing a day-long seminar on Invisible Wounds (PTSD, Moral Injury) for ministers and congregations.

We are confident, this year we will launch the first ever Music Practitioner program bringing one more layer of comfort for our patients at our hospitals with the generous contribution of our donors.   

We are confident, this year we will make an intentional effort to promote organ and tissue donation through and with the faith community. 

We are confident, this year we will offer a Lay School of Pastoral Care to train and equip lay leaders in visitation ministry

We are confident, this year we will again offer Mental Health First Aid and Youth Mental Health First from our three hospitals. 

We are confident, we will continue to focus on reaching out to all faith traditions in our community and partner with them in offering health and wellness programs.

We are confident, we will extend skilled pastoral care to all our patients with care and compassion.