Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he

who has promised is faithful. And let us consider how to

provoke one another to love and good

deeds, not neglect-ing to meet togeth-

er, as is the habit of some, but encourag-

ing one another, and all the more as

you see the Day approaching.

(Hebrews 10:23-24)

S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 4 +

GOOD SHEPHERD LUTHERAN CHURCH & SCHOOL

CELEBRATING 62 YEARS IN GOD’S SERVICE

toms of depression encourage them to seek help, or better yet offer to accompany them to their doctor so they can be evaluated. Feel free to contact me in the case of an emergency or if you wish to talk about a problem in confidence. I also frequently refer members and friends to The Lutheran Coun-seling Center and other Christian therapists. Grief, illness, job loss, or childbirth can also cause sudden and severe depression so if you or someone you know has experienced sudden and traumatic change, stay connected to them and take time to be with them and ask them how they feel. Here at Good Shepherd we are intentional about spending time with each other. We gather for worship, adult education, bible study, bereave-ment, prayer, meditation, and lunch weekly. We call each other when we don’t see each other and we work together on ministry teams and through many different outreach programs. We faithfully seek to encourage and build up each other in faith and hope. While church is not a cure for depres-sion, Jesus intended it to be an environment where loving support is abundant and where relation-ships based on love and forgiveness flourish. With God’s help and your renewed commit-ment to Good Shepherd, we can continue to offer an alternate reality to the world. This reality takes the brokenness of creation seriously, including the illness of depression, and offers not a cure, but loving companionship. Together, when two or three of us are gathered we know that our Lord is also present. So for your own well being and for the well being of your brother and sisters in Christ here at Good Shepherd let us all renew our com-mitment to this special place God has entrusted to us for the sake of His children. Robin Williams, beloved child of God died as a victim of depression. While no other person was with him, the creator of his brilliance and source of his solace, our Lord Jesus was there to embrace him and take him home to the truest reality, one of love and peace.

Together with Christ,

Pastor Eric Olaf Olsen

Dear Faithful People of Good Shepherd:

When I was just eleven years old I scampered back from The Record Baron, our neighborhood record store, with a new treasure. No it wasn’t a new 45, or a Blondie or Clash album, this was a com-edy album entitled- Reality: What a Concept! by Robin Williams. Like so many, I remember Robin’s TV debut on Happy Days as Mork and the follow up series Mork & Mindy, but the word in the school lunchroom was that Robin’s album was for “adults only.” That was the only marketing angle a record company needed to attract a young adolescent male audience! Leon at the Record Barron was happy to take my well-earned paper route money, and soon I found myself running up the attic stairs to my room. I no sooner put the album on the hi-fi turntable that I heard Robin’s voice say, “Do you want to hear a New York Echo?” “Hellooooooo”…. Well, I can’t tell you what came next, but I can say I dove across the room to suppress the volume, causing the album to skip like crazy and my mother yelled up the stairs asking what in the world I was listening to! His album was not cohesive and his thoughts were scattered, but under his hysterical humor lay a social commentary and a lampooning of prejudice and privilege. Robin Williams, through humor con-tinued to point out the fact that something wasn’t quite right about the reality we accept to live in. I have always agreed with him on that point. As Billy Crystal said at the Emmy’s, “It is hard to speak of him in the past tense, because he was so present.” Unfortunately, no one was present with Mr. Wil-liams when he lost his battle with severe depression otherwise he would not have been able to end his own life. If someone, a family member or a friend was there, maybe reality would be different. Robin’s tragic suicide compels me to speak a word about depression. Depression affects about 16 million people in the U.S. according to the National Institute of Mental Health and over 350 million peo-ple worldwide according to the world Health Organ-ization. There are different levels of severity of de-pression and different treatment options which usu-ally include the use of medication and cognitive ther-apy. Depression can kill, destroy families and friend-ships, and can escalate if left untreated. Social, bio-logical, and environmental factors influence depres-sion. My own grandfather suffered from manic de-pression and nearly successfully ended his own life through suicide. Only after his attempt did I under-stand how his reclusive lifestyle intensified his ill-ness. If you or a loved one is exhibiting signs or symp-

Our Congregation Council members listed below with their Ministry Team Liaison/Co-Chairperson assignments were installed on August 24, 2014 at the 10 am service. , Dell-Ann Benson – Finance, Barry Broggy – Youth, Lori DeFilippis – Parish Life, Pat Fiedler – Parish Life & Youth, Patty Larson – Social Ministry, John McGowan – Property, Bob Rickmeyer – Stewardship & Communications/Technology, Loretta Ruff – School Board, John Schwaninger – Property, Roy Steinhilber – Evangelism, and Marge Wenger – Worship and Music. Council business recently included the election of Executive Committee officers as follows: President – Kevin Ocker, Vice – President Lori DeFilippis, Secretary –

Marge Wenger, and Treasurer- Dell-Ann Benson. As we continue to grow in numbers the work of our Ministry Teams continues to include plans for upcoming events this fall, an updated school website, re-pairs to the infrastructure, diverse opportunities for worship, participation in community events and out-reach in the community at large. Rally Day is set for Sunday September 7, 2014. Following the 10 am service we will both celebrate and feel the loss of Vicar Nicholas Sollom’s internship with Good Shepherd. Please consider being with us as we barbecue, give thanks, and show our appreciation for Vicar Nick’s time with all of us. Our Harvest Festival is set for Saturday October 25th; this very successful event requires organizing committee. Please consider participating, if you are interested contact Roy Steinhilber. In Christ, Kevin Ocker Council President

Common Table Prayer

Come, Lord Jesus, be our guest,

Let these gifts to us be blessed.

Blessed be God, who is our Bread,

May all the world be clothed and fed. Amen.

If you would like to submit an article for inclusion in our October 2014 Newsletter, please e-mail it to

church@ourshepherdlives.org on or before Friday, September 19, 2014. Thank you very much!

If you are reading this it is September! You are probably seeing tons of school ads, and yel-low school buses are starting to roll by your house. Teenagers are struggling to get their summer reading done; parents are anxious to get kids back on some type of schedule; pens and loose-leaf are flying off shelves; and teach-ers, like I once was, are experiencing butterflies knowing there is so much to be done to suc-cessfully start another school year. I used to enter September with a bit of apprehension, realizing that instead of sand between my toes, I would soon have chalk between my fingers. But then I realized I have just as much fun in the fall as I do in the summer, and the fall brought many more things to look forward to. One of the things I loved was seeing all my students again and the people I worked with. What a happy homecoming! Church life is like that too. It will be great seeing people who have been away for the summer and those who have been off and on traveling. I look forward to that! What a joyful time it will be! One of the things I am excited about and also face with a bit of nervousness is beginning once again our monthly Taize service. Taize is held on the third Sunday of the month from September through May. We had one in May and over 80 people attended. Our sanctuary is beautiful, but can you imagine how breath taking it was when lit with close to 400 can-dles? The music was so spiritually uplifting! Lois Fassino was our cantor, Kathy Prinz our flutist, and Tere-sa Ratkowski our pianist. The Taize service consists of several scripture readings, silence, shorts verses of songs sung repetitively, and prayer. It is a time of meditation and communion with God. The service is 45 minutes long, so it does not intrude on getting ready for the workweek or school. Wine, cheese, soft drinks, and light refreshments are served afterwards. Our next service is on September 21 at 7:00. Circle it on you calendar and consider coming. I have always considered September a time of new beginnings and challenges. It is certainly so in the life of the church and there are so many things to get involved in from ministry teams (which always need new members and their ideas), Lectio Divina Bible studies, Worship to Go, choir, ushering, Bread Ministry, baptismal banner making (the list of opportunities goes on and on). The life on the church depends on personal in-volvement. Consider trying something new and having even more fun than you had in the summer.

- submitted by Marge Wenger

You may have noticed some upcoming events and programs on our calendar, some new, others annual, that may have piqued your curiosity and interest.

Once again, Roy Steinhilber will be organizing the teamwork that goes into our annual Fall Harvest Festival (on 10/25). If you wish to participate in this very important fun- & fund-raising opportunity, please contact Roy or the church office.

We have been holding a monthly service of Holy Communion for the residents of Huntington Hills. This ministry was brought to Huntington Hills last year at the request of Ethel Batchelder and continues as part of her legacy. If you wish to join Pastor Olsen, Teresa Ratkowski, and others on the second Sunday of each month, please contact the church office to let us know.

Thank you for considering becoming involved in these activities that continue to vi-talize our church family!

When Labor Day comes there are changes and decisions to be made. For example I always experience the perennial question whether it's still okay to wear white pants or should they be packed away along with beach chairs and suntan lotion. At my age you'd think I should know the an-swer to that question. I notice some of the trees in my neigh-borhood have started to change what they are wearing. Maybe white pants are out!! Changes in seasons bring other changes too. Kids are back in school and families travel less. We notice attend-

ance at liturgy increase. One of the changes to certainly impact us this fall is the absence of Vicar Nick who became so much a part of the rhythm and fabric of our church life in the past year. Besides the palpable personal loss we may be feeling at Vicar Nick's leaving, many of us have expressed concern for our pastor with regard to the ministry and work now to be shouldered more exclusively by him. But does it have to be? Our epistle today spoke how we as a church are one body with many members and many different gifts and functions. Too often, however, we suffer the Moses' complex and think we're not good enough and nei-ther is our gift. When God spoke to Moses from the burning bush and told him to go up against the Phar-oah and free His people, Moses excuse was he didn't speak well. We often think the Biblical people God chose were especially gifted or especially good. Yet they weren't. Jonah ran away from God's call, Peter de-nied Jesus, Thomas doubted, King David killed one of his generals to take his wife, Jacob deceived his father to steal his brother's birth rite. Yet God used them! It is such a freeing concept knowing God can use us just as we are. Vicar spoke about Worship to Go in his sermon today. It was one of the ministries in which he was involved. Church on the Go takes a worship service with the Eucharist to either Huntington Hills or White Oaks nursing home once a month. We talk to the residents, sing with them, help them find the hymns we're singing, take part in liturgy by reading a Bible passage, or dis-tributing communion. No special gift is needed for this ministry other than the gift of being present. We share smiles; we share touch; we share the peace of God; we share Jesus' love. In doing this we are bringing the Light to others. We used to sing, "This Little Gospel Light" when we were kids and sang "put it under a bushel, NO". I don't think any of us would intentionally put our light under a bushel, but maybe we forget how powerful the smallest light can be. Open a door between two rooms, one light, the other dark, and you'll notice the light always goes into the dark, not the other way around. Light always overcome darkness. The Ice Bucket Challenge is very popular right now. As we head into fall and the challenges it brings including decreasing daylight, perhaps we might consider the Be a Light Challenge. All it involves is sharing your gift, sharing your light in one of our ministries. There's an empty spot, waiting for you.

- Submitted by Marge Wenger

Raise your reading score and comprehension lev-el. It will help with all subjects in or out of school. If you are a low-level reader, I can help you. I have sixteen years’

experience tutoring pre-K to adult, one-on-one in your home or mine. I use the Orton Gillingham//Wilson method, a multi-sensory approach to phonics. I charge on a sliding scale basis. Call Ms. Helen @ (516) 557-2467.

Many thanks to all who joined with us this summer and shared a dish or two, caught a fish or two, made a memory or two, helped support each oth-er, Genevieve’s Helping Hands,

and/or our “Heal the Pane” cam-paign. We had a great time in splendid weather enjoying each other’s company and lots of music. We will long remember and appreciate the clams and cocktail sauce that Ole Olsen brought to our concerts. And we also thank our grill masters Roy & Deb Steinhilber and Lori & Eric Tollefsen who also made sure we were pleasantly satiated before each show. Our monthly blues concerts with Karlus Trapp & Danny Keane and Riptide helped us to raise raised over $1,900 for our school’s windows, and we thank YOU again for your sup-port!

Vicar Nick went fishing for the first time!

Some terrific chefs are in our congregation!

POB JFK HS Music Director Adam Paltrowitz brought his choir back for their annual concert in

our church. Led by guest conductor Ron Meixsell the kids sounded amazing. We were also

introduced to our Middle Schools’ new music teacher, Robert Lombardo, who, along with Can-

tor Caryn, accompanied on piano. This event yielded $235 in free-will donations toward our

school windows.

Hundreds of Genevieve’s friends enjoyed a great meal, listened

to inspiring music, and remembered Genevieve and the charity

in her name, raising enough money for at least two grants! .

On Thursday, September 11, 2014, at 7:30 p.m. we will commemorate the 13th

anniversary of this solemn day in our nation’s history with a prayer service for

peace and remembrance...Please plan to attend this very special service.

DATE SERVICE

ASSISTING

MINISTERS

LECTOR FLOWER CARE GUEST USHERS

September 7

Thirteenth Sunday

of Pentecost

10:150 a.m. Judy Hinsch

Lori Mason John Hinsch Anne Rickmeyer

Cathy Aldrich

Eleanor Bierlmaier-Dugan

Karen Faucera

Cathy Vollono

September 14

Fourteenth Sunday

of Pentecost

10:15 a.m. John Schwaninger

Marge Wenger Richard Benson Anne Rickmeyer

Rich & Ellen Benson

George & Inara Hirn

September 21

Seventeenth Sunday

of Pentecost

10:15 a.m. Terry Miccio

Christin Walsh Paul Hinsch Kitty Hall

The Tollefsen Family

Lori, Eric, Alyssa & Nicole

September 28

Eighteenth Sunday

of Pentecost

10:15 a.m. Kathy Ocker

Bonnie McGowan George Milhim Kitty Hall

The Uzzo Family

Andrea, Eric,

Jonathan & Christina

As we prepare to place our order for personalized offering envelopes for 2015, please consider electronic giving. Electronic Giving is a quick and convenient way to make your regular offerings without having to write a check or even having to leave your house! WHAT IS ELECTRONIC GIVING?

With your authorization, an amount determined by you is withdrawn from your checking account, on a date which you select and "given" directly to the church bank account.

You determine the frequency and may start it at any time. No more weekly checks or envelopes to deal with And if you miss church service, your offering will still be made!

This benefits both you and Good Shepherd and is so easy to get started!

If you are interested, please complete the Electronic Giving Authorization form on the next page and submit it to Maureen in the church office. Forms are also available in the narthex. You may begin electronic giving at any time. If you would like to discontinue receiving personalized offering envelopes, please contact Maureen in the church office by September 30. Thank you. If you have any questions or concerns about electronic giving, please contact Dell-Ann Benson.

September Altar Care: Janet Cox

Michael Alexander—9/23

Stephen Betz—9/19

Kristin Cacchioli - I9/30

Izabella Canino—9/12

Richard Collins - 9/4

David Cronin—9/19

Juliette DiMartini—9/20

Michael Dumont—9/1

Naomi Hulver—9/16

Aidan Kwarta—9/23

Keith Mason—9/21

Gillian McGowan - 9/10

Kristen Mezick—9/22

Michael Milhim—9/17

Isabelle Moran - 9/20

Lisa Olsen—9/22

Morgan Passolo—9/25

Kyle Pawlenko - 9/12

Robby Pietrofere—9/28

Deven Rausch—9/13

Matthew Salerno - 9/6

JoAnn Schulz-Dellacona—9/8

Katie Sonnenberg - 9/16

Matthew Stoddart—9/5

Madison Tare—9/16

Adriana Vollono - 9/5

Bethany Wilinsky—9/28

Denise & Stanley Bartkow 47 years on 9/2

Maryellen & Richard Collins

28 years on 9/6

Maureen & Sean Cooke 27 years on 9/11

Susan & Ryan DeVerna

8 years on 9/17

Joanne & Andrew Krisztin 44 years on 9/20

Pastor Eric & Lisa Olsen

19 years on 9/22

Helen & Robert LaBarbera

1 year on 9/22

Faith Donitz

9/14

DATE TOPIC/THEME HOST CHURCH PASTOR/LEADER GATHER MAGAZINE ISSUE

9/26/14 We Are Called Christ Lutheran, Wantagh Pastor Martin Nale October 2014; Session 2

10/31/14 Transformation Takes Time St. David’s Lutheran

Massapequa Park Pastor David Meyer November 2014; Session 3

12/5/14 Faith in the Family Our Redeemer, Seaford Pastor Ronald Klose December 2014; Session 4

1/30/15 Repent and Forgive Faith Lutheran, Syosset Pastor Martin Nale Jan/February 2015; Session 5

2/27/15 Making Conversion Lastion

Grace Lutheran Church

North Bellmore

Pastor James Krauser Jan/February 2015; Session 6

3/27/15 Suffering and Endurance St. Stephen’s, Hicksville TBD March 2015; Session 7

4/24/15 Inspired by the Risen Lord St. John’s Lutheran, Bellmore Pastor Laurie Cline April 2015; Session 8

5/29/15 The Church Transforming & Re-

forming Good Shepherd, Plainview Pastor Eric Olsen May 2015; Session 9

All youth, youth advisors, chaperones and their families are invited to attend our annual trip to Great Adventure on Saturday, October 4, 2014 sponsored by the LYO of Metro NY Synod. The park is open from 11 a.m. until 11 p.m. Come and enjoy your favorite rides and shows. The theme for the entire park is decorated for Halloween. We will meet for lunch from 2:00 - 3:00pm at the Catering Picnic Grove. The LYO Board will greet everyone and lead us in a table grace before lunch. Your choice of hamburgers and hotdogs with

fixings, salad, pasta with marinara sauce, nacho’s and cheese, soda, and cookies is provided. Please stay for a brief worship experience following lunch. Please send your check for $49 per person, payable to Good Shepherd, by Rally Day, September 7th

S A T U R D A Y, O C T O B E R 4 , 2 0 1 4

Fright Fest

At Great Adventure

F O R T H O S E I N N E E D

O F H E A L I N G

Maureen Kelly Araujo, Alex & Derek Bartkow, Maya Berger (Vicar Nick’s friend), Eleanor Bierlmaier Dugan, John Binsfeld (Benner family friend), Edwina Bishop, Troy Braaten, John & Eddie Brusdeliens (J. Hinsch family friend), Jacie Capuano (Beatrice Haas’s friend), Brad Carbone & family (R. Benson family friend), Lynne Carlson (Irma’s daughter-in-law), Carol Cassis (Elaine Cassimatis’ mother), Ava Cataldo (GSL student), Colleen & her baby (McGowan family friend), Rita Cooper (Ruth Strakele’s friend), Gisela Conforti, Dorothy Cronin, Claudia DeMauro, Kristin DeMayo

(McGowan family friend), Ryan DeVerna, Denise (Lisa Olsen’s coworker), Susan Dowd (Maisch family friend), Brooke Ducey, Sally Ducey, Anna Duda (Denise Bartkow’s mother), baby Scarlett Duffy (Hickey/McGowan family friend), Becky Ernst (Paul Wenger’s cousin), Mary Faccio (Helmers family friend), Ryan Faret & family, Jim Fassino, Pat Froehlich (Peggy Lang’s friend), Mary Gessing (Vincent Cronin’s cousin), Bob Giddings (Vorstadt family friend), Lilah & Jim Gillett (Kathy Prinz’s friends), Eileen Greenfieldt (Griffin family friend), Tom Gucciardo (Olsen family friend), Liz Haley, Hedy (GLS Teacher Barbara Valen-za’s mother), Diane Helmers, Reverend Donald Hoger (Eleanor Ulich’s friend), Barbara Horak (Maisch family friend); Renee Iannone (Irma Carlson’s niece), Alexis Jacobsen (GSL teacher LeeAnn’s daughter), Anna Jerome, Robert Kamps (Lee family friend), Michele Kies, Chris Kim (Hu Jin’s friend), Lois Lengenfelder, Christian Lakis, Kenneth Lane, Martha Langhahr, Claire Larrie (Mary Wiegert’s

sister), Officer Steven Loftin, Angel Lorch, Kim Maca (Kathy Prinz’s friend), Dottie Melillo (Kathy Prinz’s friend), Claire Mehrhoff (Alice Vorstadt’s friend), William Mitze, Fran Mouton (Alice Vorstadt’s friend), Henry Nacewicz, Linda O’Brien (McGowan family friend), Rose Oliver (Ellen Benson’s friend), Don O’Neil (Olsen family friend), Meghan Ortega (Lisa Olsen’s niece), Nick Portugal (Liam Broggy’s friend), Kathy Prinz, Dr. Mark Prowatzke (Danny Wenger’s father in law), Cathy Rees (Alice Vorstadt’s friend), Nicole Richards (Karen Faucera’s friend), Justin Rogers (Karin Kienle’s nephew), Glenn Schabel, Adam Sink (Judy Hinsch’s nephew), Ian Spadaro, Don Stevens (Patty Larson’s friend), Nancy Stingelin, Ruth Strakele, Russell Striffler (Maisch family friend), Joyce Tare, Nicholas Taylor (Joyce Schwaninger Taylor’s relative), Susan Tonnesson (Terry Miccio’s friend), Shannon Udell (Miccio family friend), Madi-son Von Bargen (Ruff’ family friend), Jeff Zenko (Karen Faucera’s friend), and Brother George Zenle (Wenger family friend).

F O R T H O S E S E R V I N G

I N T H E M I L I T A R Y

Roger Griffith & Nick Sollom

F O R T H O S E P R E P A R I N G

F O R O R D A I N E D M I N I S T R Y

Keith & Kyle Calderone (Army), Specialist Sean Hassett (Lori Mason’s cousin), Master Sgt. John Headle, CPT. Paul Rickmeyer, Captain Robert Saueracker, LTC. Phillip Sounia, USMC, Corporal Nicholas Ventrelli-O’Connell (Patty Larson’s family friend).

F O R T H O S E

W H O A R E G R I E V I N G

Joanne Schulz-Dellacona & the family of Rich-ard Dellacona, grieving the second anniversary of his passing; The family & friends of baby Ol-ive; Lois Kazarian and the family & friends of her friend, Jean Dolce.

Blessing of the Animals

Saturday, October 4, 2014 @ 10:00 a.m.

The Blessing of the Animals is an out-door worship service held in many Chris-tian congregations on October 4th in recog-nition of the Feast Day of St. Francis of As-sisi. The service recognizes the ideals of St. Francis, one of the most loved Christian saints.

Good Shepherd invites all people who love animals, along with all pets and their human friends, to this service, which focus-es on God’s gifts of animals, the natural world, and our responsibilities as stewards of God’s creation.

If you are interested in attending the service, you need only arrive at Good Shep-herd with your pet, on a leash if appropri-ate. All pets are welcome, but also consider

the wisdom of bringing aggressive animals. Large animals are also wel-come, but must be led (for example, horses must not be ridden). Or, you may bring a photograph of your animal.

We will meet on the grassy area surrounding the church building at 10:00 a.m.. Invite your friends and neighbors. This is a fun worship experience for young and old.

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UPDATE FOR SEPTEMBER 2014

WITH COUNSELING SITES LOCATED IN: NASSAU SUFFOLK MANHATTAN QUEENS WESTCHESTER

Prepared especially for LCC Association Congregations & Schools

The Military Connection*

By: The Rev. Anthony Stephens, Ph.D., J.D., LMHC

My deployment to Afghanistan with the

New York Army National Guard as a chaplain last year was both a peak experience and an

unsettling one. After 9/11, LCC counselors gained particular expertise in working with victims of trauma. I continue, like my col-

leagues, to feel very comfortable helping our clients work through trauma. This does not

mean that experiences of trauma are not fre-quently bad and sad – but we have proficiency at “keeping our heads while all around are los-

ing theirs”, to quote Rudyard Kipling. My ser-vice with LCC has thus prepared me well for

the mental health work of a chaplain. Howev-er, I had experiences that I had not had out-side of deployment.

As a chaplain I expected that during my deployment I would see death and horrific in-

jury. I also expected that I would see spectac-ular and graphic decompensation – what was

called in World War I and World War II “shell shock.” When I signed up I expected to be on the beaches administering last rites while tak-

ing direct fire, just as members of the Chap-lain Corps had done during the D-Day land-

ings. This expectation was heightened when I lent a stole to a fellow National Guard chaplain prior to a ceremony because he had forgotten

that his had been covered in blood and was no longer serviceable. As it happened my person-

al experiences were much tamer than I antici-pated. I never took direct fire. I was never an-ywhere near an IED.

Although my experience of the Veterans Administration (VA) has been wholly positive,

many others have not had the same experi-ence. Further, the VA is now deeply mired by accusations of abandonment and neglect.

Many vets, I fear, will have nothing to do with the VA, or anything that sounds remotely gov-

ernmental – even though the price is right. Where can they go? What about non-vet mili-tary? There is an epidemic of suicide in the Ar-

my. More soldiers are dying to suicide than

direct fire. As a new chaplain to a battalion recently returned from Iraq, while the combat

veterans might have had issues, the active suicidality was most conspicuous in those who had not deployed. Absent deployment, for

many there are no VA benefits. For non-deployed service members there

are numerous stressors, such as tighter budg-ets, smaller work force assets, more arcane and prolix metrics, plus families who are less

ready to move at the whim of the military, and who may see a lot less value in their sig-

nificant other’s military career. For families who may not want or trust military or govern-mental assets to deal with the adjustments

necessary to being a military family, LCC can provide top flight care, with considerable flex-

ibility and strict confidentiality. It’s worth a call.

Nothing in the foregoing should be deemed to construe anything but respect for the service members of the Armed Forces,

and their families, whether combat veterans or otherwise. It is my privilege and honor to

serve as a reservist military chaplain. Our re-mit is to nurture the living, care for the wounded and to honor the dead. In the same

way, since 2000, I have been privileged to serve as a staff psychotherapist with the Lu-

theran Counseling Center. I feel very comfort-able that LCC is equally committed to a mis-sion of nurturing the living and caring for the

wounded, particularly those who grieve.

*The comments above are those of the author and do not undertake to represent the position of the United States Army or government of the United States. Pastor Stephens provides pastoral counseling for adults, cou-ples and teens at LCC’s Paul Qualben site located in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. Contact Lutheran Counseling Cen-ter at 1-800-317-1173 or 516-741-0994 or e-mail

us at Center@lccny.org for more information or to set an appointment.