​

 

Please Note: At this time I do not have a fundraising site because the one I used went out of business.  To support my journey, please contact me to setup a method for a onetime or recurring donation.  jmalcomson (at) yahoo.com

​

Why Support?

​

I ask for your support as I am committing my life to serving the community as an Interfaith Hospice Chaplain. This journey brings together my work life and spiritual practice. My focus is hospice chaplaincy and compassionate End of Life Care. I am enrolled in the Upaya Zen Center's chaplaincy two-year distance learning program which started in January 2017. "The Upaya Buddhist Chaplaincy Training program focuses on altruistic and compassionate service, and on social transformation from a systems perspective. The training is intended to prepare people to have the skillful means to transform all forms of suffering, including suffering induced by structural violence. The Chaplaincy Training is part of the Zen Peacemaker Order, a leader in integrating spiritual practice with social action."

​

This work appeals to me for three reasons: 

1. I accompanied my mother while she was in transition in hospice for two years, visiting every other week, often with my partner Heidi. We met with a hospice chaplain who gave us resources to make our visits sustainable for us and supportive for Mom. Through these visits I realized that being present and supportive was a great service to a person who is suffering. I would like my work to primarily consist of providing a nurturing presence. 

2. I can use my experience as a Christian and a Buddhist, and my study of both religions to serve a variety of people from an interfaith perspective. I can bring my whole self into a relationship drawing on a variety of practices and ways of connecting learned over my life and study. 

3. I believe I can help caregivers as well as patients to have a good quality of life by practicing deep listening and loving speech. I can share practices for self-care when appropriate. I also see this as an exciting time to be involved in hospice as more people see the value of this option.

My life and work experience support this training in three ways. The first is that I have a strong grounding in practice with my local Buddhist sangha/congregation learning and being supported to sit silently with the skills of deep listening, and loving speech. The second is my aspiration to follow Thich Nhat Hanh's Mindfulness Trainings and the Bodhisattva Vows. My life has been and will continue to be one of service to all beings, much like my father as a minister and academic, and my mother as a social worker. Third, my experience traveling and living in Asia, and working alongside, and serving people from, a variety of backgrounds gives me skills in cultural competency, openness, and sensitivity that will be great assets in this work. I am grateful to be supported by members of my spiritual communities (some of whom volunteer in hospice) and friends who are current or former chaplains.

​

My Planned Journey of Study: I am engaging in similar work as a volunteer (currently with the No One Dies Alone program), and will continue to do so during my chaplaincy training as an intern in a Clinical Pastoral Education program at a local hospital.  Currently I am in between assignments a as a stipended volunteer at a Seattle nonprofit through Companis Workers Association.

2017-2018: Upaya’s Chaplaincy program.

Jan. – June 2019: First unit of CPE (Clinical Pastoral Education). In this way I would have my first unit accomplished within six months of finishing the training at Upaya, and apply for the Associate level credential, so I can look for part-time work as a chaplain. 

Fall 2019: Soon after the two years with Upaya are complete I intend to enter a two-year program with Seattle University’s School of Theology and Ministry to earn a Masters in Pastoral Studies to complete my Christian training and the required credits for becoming a board certified chaplain. Sept. 2021: A year with Harborview as a resident to earn the additional three units of CPE, finishing my initial study and credentialing process in 2022.

​

I am humbly reaching out to my communities, family, and friends for support.  In light of the fact that I am taking this path to have a more comprehensive toolkit and skill set to serve.

​

Thank you!

John

​