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  • Christian Leaders Institute & Christian Leaders Alliance

    Christmas and Seasonal Chaplaincy: Serving the Heart of Christmas

    Biblical foundations and practical training to serve faithfully during Advent and the Christmas season—where faith, culture, grief, and joy often meet.

    1 Module • Video • Readings • Transcripts • Practical Quizzes
    Matricularme

    Are you called to serve faithfully during Advent and Christmas—bringing Christ’s presence into a season where joy, grief, loneliness, and cultural tradition often meet?

    This course equips men and women to serve fruitfully as chaplains during the Christmas and holiday season in homes, churches, hospitals, hospices, schools, prisons, workplaces, and public spaces.
    Course Purpose

    The Christmas Chaplaincy Training Course provides biblical foundations, theological reflection, pastoral skills, and cultural awareness to help chaplains navigate the opportunities and challenges of Christmas ministry.

    Students will learn to embody Christ’s presence, offer comfort in times of grief and loneliness, provide leadership in ceremonies and community events, and point beyond cultural traditions to the deeper truth of the season: God’s gift of Himself in Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh.

    This training also supports the Seasonal Chaplain ordination pathway through the Christian Leaders Alliance, with resources provided through the Christian Leaders Institute.

    Course Overview

    Professors

    Leadership

    Rev. Abigail Dominiak and Rev. Henry Reyenga

    Format

    Learning Pathway

    Video, readings, transcripts, and practical quizzes designed for accessible seasonal ministry preparation.

    Learning Objectives

    By the end of this course, students will be able to:

    • Understand the call and commission of a Christmas chaplain as an ambassador of Christ’s hope and joy.
    • Respond to the emotional and spiritual dynamics of the holiday season, including loneliness, grief, and mental health challenges.
    • Lead in public and ceremonial spaces with wisdom, creativity, and theological grounding.
    • Practice personal resilience and spiritual rhythms that guard the chaplain’s soul during a demanding season of ministry.
    • Engage with the history and cultural traditions of Christmas as opportunities for witness and contextual ministry.

    Course Structure

    The course is organized into five sections, each combining video teaching, academic readings, transcripts, and practical quizzes to reinforce learning:

    Section 1: The Call and Commission of the Christmas Chaplain
    Explores the chaplain’s identity, credibility, and incarnational ministry as a visible presence of Christ in cultural settings.
    Section 2: Emotional and Spiritual Dynamics of the Christmas Season
    Addresses pastoral care challenges such as grief, loneliness, suicide prevention, hospital and hospice ministry, and the need for emotional intelligence and presence-based support.
    Section 3: Public Ministry and Seasonal Outreach
    Equips chaplains to serve in schools, stores, and civic events; lead candlelight and caroling ceremonies; collaborate with churches and nonprofits; and share the gospel with gentle boldness.
    Section 4: Personal Preparation, Resilience, and Multiplication
    Focuses on spiritual rhythms, soul care, preventing burnout, mentoring others, and multiplying seasonal chaplaincy as a model for discipleship and outreach.
    Section 5: The History and Cultural Lifestyle of Christmas Celebrations
    Provides academic and historical perspectives on the meaning of Christmas, including theological foundations, cultural narratives, and the story of Saint Nicholas.

    Who Should Enroll?

    • Chaplains serving in healthcare, correctional, school, workplace, or military contexts who wish to extend their ministry into the Christmas season.
    • Volunteer Christians seeking to serve their communities during Advent and Christmas.
    • Pastors and ministry leaders looking for tools to reframe cultural Christmas traditions in light of the gospel.
    • Any Christian seeking to understand and share the deeper meaning of Christmas in a culture often dominated by sentimentality and consumerism.

    Quiz Attempts

    Quiz policy: Students receive 2 attempts per quiz.

    Ordination (Optional)

    Successful completion of this course opens the door for the Seasonal Chaplain Ordination role with the Christian Leaders Alliance. This fits the Volunteer Chaplain vision of the Christian Leaders Alliance because there are groups of people who gather inspired by Christmas celebrations. Training resources are provided through the Christian Leaders Institute.

    Ready to begin? Scroll up and click the “Enroll me” button to get started.