When you talk to Rick Pollen, he is not embarrassed to say that the thought of being a chaplain never crossed his mind earlier in life. It was only a funeral of a woman with special needs that changed his mind. As she was dying in hospice, her finger pointed upwards to heaven. It is at this point when Rick realized that he may have a career of a minister outside of the walls of his church. In the last three years, he serves as chaplain in a Lincoln medical center.
Key Takeaways:
- Rick C. Pollen never thought about becoming a chaplain until he officiated at the funeral of a special needs woman in her 50s who died in hospice care.
- Pollen, 34, grew up in the Assemblies of God, making a salvation decision at the age of 4 and attending church at Life Center in Tacoma, Washington.
- Although it’s not leading an in-depth Bible study in church, Pollen adroitly introduces enough spiritual elements to raise the curiosity of patients, especially youth.
““The chaplain’s role is more enhanced due to COVID,” says the 62-year-old Smith, who is endorsed through the independent Churches of Christ. “The chaplain must fill the gap because of visitation restrictions.””
Read more: https://news.ag.org/News/Kindling-Compassion