A Message from APC President… January 2020
APC President Joseph Perez MDiv BCC
Happy New Year APC Colleagues!
As we look forward to 2020 and beginning a new decade, let’s take some time to reflect on what is important in life. Where do our values of importance begin? People develop values in countless ways, and many of the values we hold dear are inherited from family and communities (social, cultural and religious). The maturation of these values can develop deep and strong roots as we choose to own them. Life continuously creates opportunities for adjustments that deepen professional and personal value systems. Some life experiences that come upon us are sought after, while others are random. Through intentional education and disciplined spiritual development (like our BCC criteria and process), we can use these experiences to increase our awareness, which helps to evaluate the purpose of our values. Random difficult experiences (like illnesses, accidents, and brokenness) are the hard knocks of life that we have no choice over; these are the experiences that can truly test our values. What are the experiences, both sought after and random, that have helped you create your professional and personal value system?
2020 looks to be a very exciting year for APC and our strategic partners. ACPE, CASC/ACSS, NACC, NAJC and APC are all meeting this May in Cleveland for our joint conference. The conference theme is 2020 Vision: The Future of Spiritual Care. This will be a time for us to celebrate the diversity of disciplines within our organizations (i.e. professional chaplaincy/spiritual care, spiritual care education, and pastoral/spiritual psychotherapists and practitioners). We will also seek to vision a future integration of our practices that will lead to the good of all we serve—individuals, organizations and communities. We all will be blessed if you are able to be a part of this event!
Our strategic partners continue to be diligent in seeking greater integration with each other towards enhancing the profession of chaplaincy/spiritual care. We are meeting regularly with the assistance of La Piana, a consulting firm whose professional counsel will be invaluable to reaching the best decisions for the good of our APC members and our wonderful profession. Please take a few minutes to read the Progress Report #2: Strategic Partners for Spiritual Care Continue to Explore Further Collaboration.
In closing, here is an inspiration that sits on my desk:
I have only just a minute,
only sixty seconds in it.
Forced upon me, can’t refuse it.
Didn’t seek it, didn’t choose it.
But it’s up to me
to use it.
I must suffer if I lose it.
Give account if I abuse it.
Just a tiny little minute,
but eternity is in it.
May we use our minutes to be a blessing to all those around us!
Joseph Perez MDiv BCC is the Vice President for Mission & Ministry at Valley Baptist Health System in Harlingen & Brownsville, TX. He serves as President of the APC Board and may be contacted at president@professionalchaplains.org.
