News : Local Pastor Prepares for Serving as a Salvation Army Chaplain

A heartfelt passion to serve others. Many people might lay claim to that phrase. But for Pastor Brian Reeves, it set him on a path to further his skills as a pastor and chaplain. He states, "I have always had a desire to serve people. I enjoy working with folks to strengthen their emotional, spiritual and mental health, especially during a crisis."

Reeves has been a pastor for 36 years and currently serves 2 congregations in Shellsburg. He also serves as the Sheriff's Chaplain for the Benton County Sheriff's Office. Part of his responsibilities is to support the department but also those in the county jail 2 times per week or as needed, providing Bible studies, a listening ear and spiritual support.

Currently, Reeves is an Emotional and Spiritual Care Specialist with the Salvation Army. He has one class to complete for his Salvation Army Chaplain 2 credentials. He explains this will give him more freedom to work with people on a 1:1, as well as folks out in the community.

When the Salvation Army deploys to a large disaster, an ESC (Emotional Spiritual Care) Team works together to support the local people, but also the other disaster volunteers who may be experiencing stress and trauma as a result of their assignment.

When asked why he chose the Salvation Army to further his training, he stated, "There was a local Salvation Army team. I saw what they did during the 2020 derecho. They did a lot! Also, the Salvation Army obviously meets the practical needs of people in difficult times but also encourages spiritual and emotional care to be given too. That's not the case with every helping organization."

Pastor Reeves wanted folks to know 3 things about Salvation Army Units like ours in Benton County:

* That 90% of the money donated here stays in Benton County.

* It exists to help the local community during a disaster, or for individual hardship, like rent, utility bills, etc.

* It is made up entirely of volunteers.

As a part of his training, Reeves has had zoom classes, written material, as well as live, in-person mock disaster drills. Folks play the part of acutely-affected disaster survivors coming for help. Instructors evaluate how the chaplain responds to their needs.

Reeves explained the difference between a pastor and a chaplain. He noted, "A pastor focuses on a denomination, its beliefs and the local group of congregants. A chaplain is more well-versed in a diversity of religions and can help anyone in the community. Also, a chaplain often has additional Mental Health Training certifications to assist his possibly larger scope of service.

Reeves went on to say that in the future he could foresee volunteering for deployment to a disaster in the U.S.

Something that encourages Reeves is when his help actually empowers others. "I really am pleased to see someone who I've helped, feel empowered to pass on that help to someone they know. Paying it back in a way."

In looking at what he has learned during his training, Reeves commented, "It has broadened my perspective in realizing everyone faces "issues" with their mental, emotional or spiritual health. We all experience the loss of a loved one, loss of a job, or a change in health, etc. Without help, the "issue" can become a crisis. What's important to know is that we are not designed to deal with these issues alone. It only takes a call to reach out for help."

Do you know what the Salvation Army is doing?

Locally:

The Benton County Service Extension Unit, which started in 2016, currently consists of 11 members: Scott and Julie Hansen, Scott White, Pastor Bryan Lund, Pastor Brian Reeves, Dave and Lori Gleason, Dragana Pilipovic, Matt Clevenger, Joe and Terie Wehage.

There are 45 Service Extension Units in Iowa.

Please call 319-560-1921 to inquire about volunteering or for any questions.

Currently, our Benton County team supports the Cedar Rapids Salvation Army team by taking rotations to operate the canteen truck that delivers sack lunches to the homeless, and the shelters in Cedar Rapids on Saturday mornings.

Cedar Rapids and Waterloo both have a Corp designation. They have a building, an officer who is a full-fledged pastor, a church and church services. They have homeless shelter programs, free meals, and various programs for the community.

On a Larger Scale:

The Salvation Army exists to meet human needs whenever, wherever, and however we can.

The Salvation Army has a presence in 133 countries.

Programs are in place to assist in the areas of hunger, poverty, homelessness, veterans, addictions, prisoners, elderly, youth, domestic abuse, human trafficking, unemployment, adult rehab and more.