Dear Friends across the Globe
Greetings from Australia to you all.
Pierre asked if I would write the opening letter for this month’s Newsletter and I thought it would be a good practice for what lies ahead. I am taking the time to listen, reflect and meditate on how the Association can be of value to you each and support Airport Chaplaincy in your space especially as our industry starts the long and bumpy road to recovery from the devastating impact of this Pandemic.
My prayer is that you will be sustained and encouraged in your place as you minister to staff and passengers and bring emotional and spiritual care.
Recently as part of the induction process for the new organisation I work for I had to attend a training session on Grief and Loss. I was asked to lead the opening devotions and as I prepared I came across this heading on my daily devotions, “It Can’t Be Carried Alone”.
One of my favourite devotion writers is Father Richard Rohr. He always seems to speak into where I am and reminds me regularly of the need to slow down, to even stop and spend time alone with God. In this devotion he spoke about the fact that suffering and loss cannot be carried alone. I am thankful that in the heat of this pandemic the private Facebook page was created where we could come and share some of our concerns, struggles and pain and found support from chaplains in all sorts of circumstances. It was a reminder that we are not alone and can reach out to each other.
News from our chaplaincies
We really want to hear the news from each of our chaplaincies. Perhaps you have a story to tell of something happening, an incident you attended, or of new members to your team. This is our Newsletter. Please send an email to Mary Holloway and share the stories and reflections of your chaplaincy.
Throughout the COVID pandemic airport chaplains around the world have been called on to support staff and passengers as anxiety issues have increased for those using and working in our airports. At Atlanta’s Hartsfield Jackson International Airport Blair Walker, the Executive Director of the Chaplaincy, introduced meditation sessions for employees and passengers to help with pandemic related anxiety. This article was published by Kaiser Health News and also “USA Today”.
Continue reading “News from our chaplaincies”Annual Membership Fees
The payment of the annual membership for the IACAC is now due. Each year members are encouraged to pay their annual dues and keep their membership up to date.The membership financial year is from the 1st January to the 31st December. Payments made at the annual conference are usually for the next year and should be made in American Dollars. Please follow this link to make your payment.
Members are asked to make every effort to pay their annual subscriptions by the 31st March 2022. Thank you to those members who did pay their membership through the 2020 and 2021. Individual messages will sent to members very soon to let you know your particular situation. After the 31st March any unfinancial member may not be able to access the Members Section of the website.
Our Association has now been registered as a Community Interest Company and is registered in England and Wales. Any member that does not want to remain a member as part of IACAC CIC must inform the Secretary in writing of their wish to not continue membership.
Keep the date
Looking forward our annual IACAC conference, this year, will be in London hosted by the London Heathrow team.
Tentative Date – Week beginning 18th September 2022- To Be Confirmed early 2022
Proposed Theme – “Equipped For the Journey Ahead”.
Post Conference Tour – Still to be Confirmed
President’s Letter | December 2021
Dear Friends and Colleagues,
As I write these lines, the months long of celebrations have begun with Thanksgiving in the United States, Advent and Hannukah everywhere else. Soon will come the time of the Mahayana Bodhi Day (enlightenment of the Buddha) as well as Christmas. Our cities and airports are getting decorated by thousands of lights and the special mood of the season is growing on us. Lights in dark ages can have a very specific meaning. A sign of hope we desperately need as the COVID pandemic continues to threaten humanity with new waves and variants, more borders closing, more flights being canceled. Light might very well be the universal symbol of hope. But what kind of light represents better true hope? We sometimes think that light chases away the darkness which is true to some extent. Our modern lights do that. A simple lamp lightens a whole room or an entire block in our streets. But these lights, if you look at them directly, also dazzle you. It can also disorient animals who confuse them for the sun or stars. Those light can be misleading if we take them for the symbol of hope.
Continue reading “President’s Letter | December 2021”