Christmas Chaplaincy (1 CDS Module)
مخطط الموضوع
-
🎄 Christmas and Seasonal Chaplaincy: Serving the Heart of Christmas (1 Module)
Professors: Rev. Abigail Dominiak and Rev. Henry Reyenga
Course Description:
The Christmas Chaplaincy Training Course equips men and women to serve faithfully and fruitfully as chaplains during the Christmas and holiday season. Christmas chaplains are called into a unique intersection of faith and culture, ministering in homes, churches, hospitals, hospices, schools, prisons, workplaces, and public spaces during one of the most emotionally charged times of the year.
This 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 (John 1:14).
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 (including Saint Nicholas, European customs, and modern cultural narratives) 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 the theological foundations for celebration, cultural narratives, and the story of Saint Nicholas.Who Should Enroll?
This course is designed for:
- 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.
Ordination (Optional)
Successful completion of this course opens to door for the Seasonal Chaplain Ordination Role with the Christian Leaders Alliance. This fits the Volunteer Chaplain vision of Christian Leaders Alliance because there are groups of people who gather inspired by Christmas Celebrations. ,
-
-
-
-
-
This section will feature only readings. These reading help inform the Chaplain about the traditions and culture of Christmas.