12 February 2026- A Pastoral Word from Our Regional Minister and President

Dr. Crowder shared the following in a letter to future Living Waters Region Clergy on Thursday, Feb. 12.

Thankful for the Ministry of Chaplaincy

The ministry of chaplaincy often unfolds quietly, without pulpits, programs, or public recognition. Yet it is among the most sacred expressions of God’s presence in the world. Chaplains enter spaces where life is most vulnerable—hospital rooms, crisis moments, places marked by grief, fear, and unanswered questions—and there they bear witness to God’s abiding love. Early in my ministry, chaplaincy shaped my understanding of what it truly means to serve. I was privileged to care for patients living with HIV and AIDS at a time when fear, stigma, and isolation too often accompanied the diagnosis. Many of those I sat with were not only battling illness, but also loneliness and rejection. In those rooms, I learned that holy work often looks like holding a hand, listening without judgment, and affirming dignity when the world has stripped it away. Chaplaincy taught me that God’s presence is not diminished by suffering, but revealed through compassion and faithful accompaniment.

I also remember walking alongside a family whose three-year-old child wandered into a swimming pool and drowned. There are no words adequate for such loss. In that moment, chaplaincy was not about explanation or theology—it was about standing on holy ground with a family whose world had shattered. It was about silence, tears, prayer offered with trembling faith, and trusting that God was present even when meaning was impossible to find. Chaplaincy continues to remind me that ministry does not happen only in sanctuaries or on Sundays. It happens Monday through Saturday—in hospital corridors, living rooms, emergency departments, and graveside moments. It happens wherever human pain meets divine compassion. Chaplains do not come to fix or resolve, but to remain, to bear witness, and to gently point toward hope when hope feels out of reach.

Today, I am deeply thankful for the ministry of chaplaincy and for all who are called to this sacred work. It is a ministry that teaches us that presence is powerful, that love is patient, and that God is near—especially in the hardest moments of our lives. May all who serve as chaplains be sustained by grace, strengthened by community, and reminded that even unseen acts of care leave an eternal imprint.

Amen. Àse.

Rev. Dr. William E. Crowder, Jr.