RMD - 2020 Year in Review

RELIGIOUS MINISTRIES

In spite of the challenges related to COVID-19, the Religious Ministries Department (RMD) had a fantastic year!

The most challenging dynamic the RMD faced was providing both religious ministry and counseling support during the lock-down with social distancing measures in place. While religious services were cancelled from March through May, the chapel staff was able to keep chapels open during the week and on Sundays as a place of solace and prayer for the installation.

Although traditional methods of ministry were difficult, the RMD adapted and garnered a significant virtual presence. They partnered with the Fleet and Family Support Center to create three dynamic videos to highlight important coping skills related to COVID-19 and the lockdown. Their series of five parenting videos was picked up by AFN and broadcast world-wide to 3.9 million personnel in 176 countries.

During Suicide Prevention Month, RMD partnered with Naval Aircrewman (Mechanical) 2nd Class Erin Videll to launch a new suicide intervention letter writing initiative called “Letters for Life.” Thanks to a team of 14 volunteer Sailors and Airmen, Letters for Life has prepared and deployed 108 letters across the installation at eight strategic locations providing U.S. personnel with a note of encouragement and resources they can to reach out to. Finally, toward the end of the year the START virtual suicide prevention training and ePREP marriage enrichment workshops became available to the installation.

The RMD also spearheaded the Good Neighbor Campaign, an installation-wide food drive in partnership with the commissary as a response to the dire economic conditions in Sicily due to the COVID-19 lockdown. People from all commands aboard NASSIG participated and provided 1,439 meals for the communities of Acireale and Lentini. As a result of these efforts, Radiounavocevicia, a local radio station for the Episcopal Conference of the Italian Bishops of the Catholic Church, interviewed Chaplain Hervey for insight into the American response to a Sicilian crisis. The Good Neighbor Campaign was an incredible example of the ability of the service members stationed at NASSIG to come together and help those in need.

In addition to these incredible resources, the live streaming of daily and weekly chapel services became part of their standard operating procedures. In addition to providing virtual ministry locally, the RMD was assigned to provide chaplaincy services to the United States Marine Security Guards stationed at 22 embassies in 18 countries across Europe.

It was a year of great challenges, but also of significant steps forward in the provision of religious ministry.