Area clergy meet monthly at VWCH
January 11, 2006
Clergy in attendance, and the churches they represent, photographed at a recent meeting, included (back row) Father Tony Nochunas of St. Mary’s Church in Plano; David Schoenbeck of Emmanuel Baptist Church in Sandwich; James Gottwald of Union Congregational Church in Somonauk; Terry O’Brien of DeKalb County Hospice; Carol Gates of Salem Lutheran Church in Sandwich; Don Balgeman of Immanual Lutheran Church in Hinckley; and Steve Shotts of Church of the Nazarene in Sandwich. (Front row) Father Jack Heraty of St. Paul’s church in Sandwich; Aaron Folkerds, Intern at Salem Lutheran Church in Sandwich; Mary Suomala Folkerds, Intern at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Somonauk and Dennis Heaney of St. John’s Lutheran Church in Somonauk.
Area clergy are invited to lunch at Valley West Community Hospital each month on the 4th Wednesday for updates on hospital happenings, new equipment, and patient services. Area Agencies have been invited to review services available to patients and citizens.
While the hospital encourages patients to notify their own pastors before anticipated admission for surgery, several area pastors volunteer to serve as Chaplain on Call for a week at a time, to be available for emergency calls and the spiritual needs of emergency room patients and their families, if needed.
All area clergy are invited to an Appreciation Dinner, served in the first floor conference room off the atrium lobby on Wednesday, January 25 at 11:30 a.m. To facilitate planning, please call Karen Sepaniak at 815-786-3779 to make a reservation. Every attempt is made to keep clergy lists up to date and invitations will be sent, but any clergy person missed by this mailing is cordially invited.
“The hospital is deeply grateful for the spiritual care and calming presence our pastors bring to our patients and their families,” said Karen Sepaniak, Hospital Liaison for Clergy.
