ATLANTA – The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship endorsed 15 chaplains and pastoral counselors at the Oct. 15-16 Council on Endorsement meeting in Atlanta. The Fellowship now has a total of 442 endorsed chaplains and pastoral counselors.

The following individuals were endorsed at the October meeting:

• Miriam Dakin, volunteer chaplain, Middle Tennessee Medical Center Hospice of Murfreesboro, Murfreesboro, Tenn.
• Hank Demous, chaplain, Hospice of EAMC, board certified chaplain, Association of Professional Chaplains, Auburn, Ala.
• Pam Foster, chaplain, Vitas Innovative Healthcare, Fort Worth, Texas
• Debbie Kubo, chaplain, VistaCare Healthcare, board certified chaplain, Association of Professional Chaplains, Dallas, Texas

• Doug Cobb, chaplain, Scott and White Memorial Hospital, board certified chaplain, Association of Professional Chaplains, Temple, Texas
• Shay Crenshaw, chaplain, UNC Hospitals, board certified chaplain, Association of Professional Chaplains, Chapel Hill, N.C.
• Kerri Kroeker, clinical pastoral education (CPE) resident, Care and Counseling Center of Georgia, Decatur, Ga.
• Ken Lake Jr., CPE resident, UNC Hospitals, provisional certified, Association of Professional Chaplains, Chapel Hill, N.C.
• Kenn Lowther, chaplain, The Ohio State University Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio
• James Rennell, chaplain, Cookeville Regional Medical Center, Cookeville, Tenn.
• W. Eric Smith, CPE resident, UCSF Medical Center, San Francisco, Calif.
• M. Lee Weems, CPE intern, Veterans Administration Medical Center, Alexandria, La.
• Sarah Wofford, chaplain, Pitt County Memorial Hospital, board certified chaplain, Association of Professional Chaplains, Greenville, N.C.

• Cynthia Brasington, member (pastoral counselor in training), Tidewater Pastoral Counseling Center, Norfolk, Va.

Endorsement by a faith group of the chaplain’s or pastoral counselor’s choosing is necessary for certification or, in many situations, employment. For example, endorsement is required to work with such federal institutions as the U.S. Armed Forces, Federal Bureau of Prisons or the Department of Veterans Affairs. Endorsement is also required by state governments, many health care organizations and other agencies where individuals serve as chaplains and pastoral counselors. A chaplain or pastoral counselor can be endorsed by only one endorsing body.

"Endorsement is an official declaration by the Fellowship through the Council on

Endorsement that a person has met the qualifications of CBF," said George Pickle, the Fellowship’s associate coordinator for chaplaincy and pastoral counseling. "Endorsed chaplains and pastoral counselors are an extension of the ministry of churches in the Fellowship. These ministers in specialized settings represent the presence of Christ throughout the world."

The Fellowship maintains an endorsement process that includes a detailed application, faith statement, verification of education, references, biographical information, a letter of support from a local church, understanding of CBF and interview.

The next Council of Endorsement meeting is scheduled for Feb. 18-19 in Atlanta.

For more information about CBF chaplaincy and pastoral counseling, contact Pickle at (770) 220-1617 or gpickle@thefellowship.info. Information is also available under Community/Chaplaincy at www.thefellowship.info.

CBF is a fellowship of Baptist Christians and churches who share a passion for the Great Commission and a commitment to Baptist principles of faith and practice. The Fellowship’s mission is to serve Christians and churches as they discover and fulfill their God-given mission.