When I stepped into the associate Chaplain position back in April 2023, I remember joking with David about whatever you do, you cannot quit the executive Chaplain position because I am NOT interested in your position. In fact, I would like to retire here in a couple of years. Obviously, the Lord had other plans for me.

The Lord had put this on my heart that I needed to ask David for his forgiveness about that comment because I made that comment to him more than once over the past almost 2 years, that day that I asked him for forgiveness we were having our weekly meeting at Junction coffee on Thursday morning. He just shared his heart with me about the Chaplaincy and his concerns about his health and family. It is time for him to step down and one of the reasons was he didn’t want to hurt me, and he didn’t want to disappoint, you, our First Responders, and the other Chaplains as well as our board!

But we both walked away that day, knowing that the Chaplaincy was in our Lord and Savior's hands! And then he needed to do what was best for him and his family. The Board our Chaplains and myself are very excited for David, Thanittha, and his boys for their new chapter. He had talked about wanting to step aside and maybe February or March after the Sportsman Show but it’s been on his calendar and on my calendar for him and his family to go on vacation for a month this December to Thailand.

I shared with him that it’s a really good time for him to make a change after he’s been able to be off for a month and hit the reset button going into the new year working back in his family’s business.

We will have a couple of months working together to help me transition into the role and possibly find a new candidate for the associate Chaplaincy position. I’m going to miss our Thursday morning meetings at Junction Coffee. I’ve made a new friend and mentor.  One of the things he said to me was on December 6th his last day, you have to lose my phone number and we both laughed together. I will miss you, my friend!

So the six years that I have been with  Central Oregon Public Safety Chaplaincy. I have been mentored by some very wise men in the executive Chaplain role. But again I use men lightly because as we know from history men and women can fall when we take things into our own hands! So as we continue to move forward I just ask that we continue to pray for each other. First Responders praying for Chaplains and Chaplains praying for our First Responders. As we all know the enemy comes to rob, steal, and destroy!

Let’s take up our shield of faith and stand strong against the fiery darts, and the flaming arrows, take up our sword, which is the word of God. It’s alive and active, and sharper than a two-edged sword, which cuts in both directions so as we put on, not only our Body armor, we need to put on our spiritual armor every day so that we can stand strong! Eph. 6:10-17.

Before I stepped into the associate Chaplain position from the volunteer position I prayed about that for over a year! Not something I took lightly!

The word that the Lord gave me at that time on February 2, 2023, is 1Corinthians 15:58

So my dear brothers and sisters, stand strong! Do not let anything change you! Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your work in the Lord is never wasted.

So I feel like that word is now MORE prevalent than it was back in February as I move into this new chapter. This is not something that I would choose to do, but I feel it’s the Lord's direction for me at this time, so I need to stay strong in our Lord and Savior. My prayer is that I don’t change and that I stay focused on the task at hand, serving our First Responders with the love of Christ! I pray for the mind of Christ as I continue to do his work. Beautiful are the feet of those who bring God’s good news.

Thank you for your service to our community may the Lord continue to bless you and do the Lord's work.

Chaplain Richard Ross