Northern Chaplain Services

For Immediate Release
For more information, contact Larry Funk at 231.487.4509

Northern Chaplain Services Becomes an Established Christian Corporation

August 4, 2009 – Petoskey, Mich. – The Board of Directors of Northern Chaplain Services (NCS) in Petoskey is pleased to announce the establishment of the organization as a 501(c)3 non-profit, non-denominational Christian corporation, to actively support and advocate for Chaplain Services in northern Michigan.

Directors currently serving on the Board of NCS are Larry Funk, Reverend Jim Pollard, Deacon Paul Fifer, Carolyn Whittle, Jeff Austin, Paula Funk, Linda Oostmeyer, Dan Thompson, and Dan Wandrie, RN.

The mission of Northern Chaplain Services is “providing spiritual and emotional care, within the healthcare setting, as we expect for our own family.” NCS’s primary purposes are to carry out this mission, support and advocate for chaplain services in northern Michigan, and partner with those we serve in their quest for spiritual well-being.

With the primary office located on the main campus of Northern Michigan Regional Hospital, chaplains Larry Funk, Linda Oostmeyer, Dan Thompson, Jim Hempstead, and Paula Funk, partner with multidisciplinary healthcare professionals while striving to achieve “best practice” in spiritual care as they meet with patients, families, loved ones, and staff each day. Providing spiritual and emotional care within the healthcare setting includes 24/7 on-call responsibility in addition to maintaining regular office hours Monday – Friday. In 2008, the chaplains provided more than 6,100 personal patient visits and met 151 after-hours needs via their on-call availability. Their support at Northern Michigan Regional Hospital includes the Emergency Department, Intensive Care Unit, Pediatrics, Acute Rehab, Cardiovascular Unit, Level 2 North (Medical, Surgical), Level 2 South (Orthopaedics, Neurology, Urology), Level 3 (Medical/Oncology), Obstetrics, and Dialysis and Behavioral Health Units (located on the Lockwood-MacDonald campus).

Outstanding credit must be given to the selfless dedication of compassionate volunteers who were lead by God to begin providing spiritual encouragement to patients and their loved ones at what is now Northern Michigan Regional Hospital. In the early 1970s, Pastor Jack Padgett, suffering from diabetes and a double amputation, ministered to fellow patients as he endured his trials. His physician, Dr. John W. Hall, Chief of Staff at that time, who witnessed Jack’s unique spiritual perspective and ability to encourage patients, asked Jack to continue ministering to patients after he was discharged. Later, upon the decline of Padgett’s health, Pastor Jim Larsen developed a large team of volunteers, including many pastors and lay people from the area to continue the important work of spiritual support to patients and their loved ones.

In 1985, Reverend David Behling was called upon to further develop and establish a fulltime Hospital chaplaincy program. For the next 17 years, Reverend Behling served patients, their families, loved ones, and staff at the Hospital with unsurpassed compassion, understanding, and dedication in his role as chaplain. During his years of service to the Hospital, community, and region, Reverend Behling also provided education and training to many who felt called to a ministry of chaplaincy. His humble dedication to a 24/7 availability, the gift of presence, and compassionate service institutionalized a legacy of caring at Northern Michigan Regional Hospital and is the benchmark NCS continues to follow.

In October 2002, Larry and Paula Funk, who received education and training as volunteers under the supervision of Reverend Behling, were called upon to continue the spiritual care of those at the Hospital. In the years since, they have become Commissioned Lay Pastors of the Presbyterian Church USA, members of the Association of Professional Chaplains, and founders of Northern Chaplain Services in their efforts to better serve the patients, patients’ loved ones, and their Colleagues at Northern Michigan Regional Hospital.

The Board of Directors of NCS plans to expand the responsibilities of Assistant Chaplain Dan Thompson later this year following the completion of his seminary degree, as well as guide him in his efforts to become a Board Certified Chaplain.

Chaplains affiliated with NCS are self-employed missionaries who receive support through the tax-deductible donations made to the organization. For more information and how you may contribute, please write Northern Chaplain Services, PO Box 2435, Petoskey, MI 49770, or contact Larry Funk at 231.487.4509 or nmhchaplain@northernhealth.org.

Pictured: front row (L to R) Paula Funk and Linda Oostmeyer and back row (L to R) Jim Hempstead, Larry Funk, and Dan Thompson.

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