An Interview with Christian Care’s Director of Pastoral Care
 The Reverend Jackie Ward, a native of Richmond, Kentucky, holds a Master of Divinity degree from Southern Seminary in Louisville. He comes to Christian Care from Middletown Regional Hospital, Middletown, Ohio, where he served for the past eight years as Director of Pastoral Care. Prior to this, Rev. Ward served as Chaplain at University of Louisville Hospital, assigned to the Emergency Department, Intensive Care, and the Bone Marrow Units. He is a Board Certified Chaplain, and was named Manager of the Year at Middletown Hospital (1998) and Employee of the Year at University of Louisville Hospital (1991). Ward is a frequent guest speaker, addressing church groups and health-care professionals on such topics as “The Process of Grief,” “Pastoral Care and Human Crisis,” and “Values and Ethics: End of Life Issues.”
Q. What is Pastoral Care?
A. Pastoral care is a unique ministry – put simply, it is the ministry of care. Chaplains are trained to integrate a combination of all disciplines, including theology, psychology, and sociology in order to listen intently to individuals. You might think, “Well, my minister cares about me.…” While that is true, the typical pastor also is very busy administering the business of the church, performing weddings and funerals, and making hospital visits in addition to caring for all the members of the congregation. This is why it is very important to have a chaplain on staff to exclusively focus on the 3,000 residents, clients, and individuals Christian Care serves daily.
Q. What is the chaplain’s role at Christian Care Communities, given the diversity of its programs and the statewide scope in Kentucky?
A. The role of the chaplain is to support our residents, clients, and each individual we serve. Each individual faces many challenges. For some, the transition from a home where they’ve lived for years to an apartment can be difficult. Others are trying to define their place in life, and some want to know why they are different and how they can be accepted for who they are, despite the changes brought on by a significant event like a traumatic brain injury.
Q. Describe the kind of work chaplains are engaged in, and how they make a difference?
A. Chaplains are present to provide a listening ear and
help guide individuals through difficult decisions and situations. In
many respects, chaplains represent God’s presence when
the going gets rough. We also are there to pray with
residents and individuals, and, most of all, to demonstrate
care and fulfill our mission as followers of Jesus Christ.
Many of our residents, clients, and individuals just need
someone to talk to – they are lonely, or feel marginalized
by a society that values youth and the accumulation of material
wealth. Many wonder where God is within their own personal
journey. I want to make sure Christian Care’s
chaplains are there to help sort out the feelings that go
along with these ultimate questions.
Q. Why are chaplains important?
A. A proficient chaplain is able to do his/her work without the individual realizing what is going on. Similar to a physician who asks the right questions in order to determine the proper diagnosis, a good chaplain leads one to explore the right questions and answers. While we are willing to give advice, our job is to help individuals come up with an answer. Often, it takes a caring individual to pose a question that can change one’s perspective. And this can make all the difference in a person’s life!
Q. How were you “called” to this specialized ministry?
A. The church helped me discover my gifts, and encouraged my intuitive ability to listen to people. After I graduated from seminary, I volunteered to work with patients in the burn unit at University Hospital (who had been in the Carrollton bus accident). From that experience, I learned quite a bit about the grief process. Next, I worked with patients in the bone marrow transplant unit for many years, and had the privilege to be present and support these individuals as they dealt with grief and loss. I am very excited and honored to serve as director of pastoral care for Christian Care Communities, and I hope to become reacquainted with many local ministers and leaders.
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