Chaplain Promoted as She Follows Her Calling

 Chaplain Kimberly Belcher’s first extended unit of Clinical Pastoral Education at Erlanger Health System in Chattanooga, TN was responsible for derailing her path to “traditional” ministry. There, she was introduced to service that was entirely outside of the church, yet fundamentally focused on furthering her mission of caring for those in need. She had served as an Assistant Pastor for eight years and had planned on pastoring a Church of God church. Hospital Chaplaincy would lead her in an entirely new direction, one she was clearly meant to be in long-term. While she loved serving in the church, the individuals in the hospital were facing long, difficult journeys, and she jumped at the opportunity to walk beside these patients from a multitude of backgrounds and offer them a love and grace-filled representation of the Lord.

After two CPE units in Chattanooga, she moved to Chaplain Residency at West Virginia University Hospitals in Morgantown, WV, which became her home base. Upon first visiting, she shares, “I truly felt as though I had come home and knew that I wanted to work in this hospital as a Chaplain until retirement”. She started as a Staff Chaplain, and was set to take on a leadership role, a trajectory which accelerated when her Director retired in May, two years earlier than planned. This spring, she was promoted to Lead Chaplain, which encompasses both the role of manager and supporter. She is responsible for the Spiritual Care and Education Department operations, scheduling staff, and working with the Department Director, as well as attending to the holistic needs of each team member, effectively serving as a Chaplain for Chaplains at WVU. This new position also requires her to serve as the Department representative, collaborating with teams throughout the hospital such as the Medical Ethics Committee. Medical Staff Care and interdisciplinary teamwork are very important to her, and she feels blessed to serve a position which emphasizes both and allows her to work with the patients who first drew her to Chaplaincy. She serves the Adult Inpatient Palliative Team, providing care as many patients are moved to inpatient hospice, supporting them and their families through diagnoses, treatments, and end-of-life care.

While the last four months have been extremely busy, they have confirmed that Chaplain Belcher is exactly where she is supposed to be. In the midst of trials, whether of patients or staff, she is fulfilling her call to those who are hurting, providing peace from God and sharing hope that brings healing. Moving into this new positon “is the perfect fit for me”, says Chaplain Belcher, “and I thank God every day for this opportunity”.