Sitting vigil by the bed of a sick or dying person is a familiar ministry for most clergy. Sharing the hope of the Resurrection in those moments can help bring peace to the afflicted and their loved ones. But in the midst of a global pandemic, clergy are not simply messengers of the Good News, they are also potential vectors for a deadly virus.

With many hospitals locked down to only patients and medical personnel, GBHEM asks, “Does end-of-life ministry need to be in-person?” This is the topic for Part II of our e-panel discussion series, “Coronavirus at the Crossroads of Faith and Science.” We will ask questions like:

• Is it practical or feasible to consider chaplains essential healthcare personnel right now?
• How does end-of-life ministry impact patient health?
• What can pastors do to offer care and comfort when they can’t be in the room?

Coronavirus at the Crossroads of Faith and Science: Part II
Does End-of-Life Ministry Need to be In-Person?

Wednesday, August 19
11 a.m. CDT

For this discussion, GBHEM turns to two experts in medicine and end-of-life ministry, Dr. Austin Dalgo and Rev. Dr. Trina Armstrong.

Dr. Dalgo is a palliative care specialist at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital and an assistant professor in the department of pediatrics at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis. He employs his expertise in end-of-life care as a member of the ethics team for the Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare system. Dr. Dalgo holds undergraduate degrees from the University of Alabama; an M.A. in theological studies with a concentration in bioethics from Covenant Theological Seminary; an MD from the University of Alabama School of Medicine; and an M.A. in bioethics and health policy from Loyola University Chicago.

Rev. Dr. Trina Armstrong is an assistant professor of pastoral care and counseling and pastoral theology for Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary in Evanston, Illinois. She is a licensed psychotherapist and ordained elder in the African Methodist Episcopal Church. She is the director and founder of the Center for Wellness Encounters in Evanston and served for seven years as a hospice chaplain in California. Rev. Dr. Armstrong earned an undergraduate degree from Golden Gate University; an M.Div. from Fuller Theological Seminary; an M.A. in psychology, marriage and family therapy from California Southern University; and an M.A. and Ph.D. in practical theology and spiritual psychotherapy from Claremont School of Theology.

GBHEM General Secretary Rev. Greg Bergquist will serve as moderator for the e-panel. It will be broadcast live via GBHEM’s Facebook page and YouTube channel and viewers will have the opportunity to pose their own questions to panelists via the comment sections on both sites. The panel is FREE and there is no need to preregister.