Crisis in Omaha
May 6th, 2008
On December 5th, 2007, eight people were killed in shootings by a young gunman at the Von Maur clothing store in Omaha, NE. Six others were wounded by his ak47 rifle. As a police chaplain I was called out with about 20 other chaplains to minister to the survivors and their families. I was the only one assigned to University Medical Center, where I visited and prayed with two shooting victims and several of their family and friends in ER and outside emergency surgery. The next day I was on duty and was summoned early to counsel with a suicidal person. It was the mother of the shooter. I praise the Lord our time together went well. Two days later she was on national television telling her story on the Good Morning America program. The Omaha Police Department, in a debriefing afterwards, commended all of the chaplains for their excellent work during the crisis. To the best of my knowledge I am the only fundamental Baptist in the OPD Chaplain Corps at this time, and I was grateful for this opportunity to be a witness for Christ.
Pastor Greg Ubbens
Grace Baptist Church
Omaha, NE
Pastor Ubbens is a volunteer police chaplain in Omaha, NE. He is “on call” one or more times each month for 24 hours and goes to emergency situations, makes death notifications with an officer, and does “ride alongs.” He has also been assigned to the Special Victims Unit and Domestic Violence Unit and helps in those difficult situations.
Students at Calvary Christian Academy, Cresaptown, Md., have gathered in an early morning assembly to remember the events of September 11, 2001 and to pray for our nation. Student leaders prayed for the troops serving our country around the world, for President Bush and members of Congress, for the spiritual needs of our nation, 
and for God’s protection. During this service the students were challenged by Chaplain John Murdoch, director of chaplaincy ministries for the General Association of Regular Baptist Churches. (Pictured above from left to right: Austin Potts, Tiana Thompson, Jessica Hattenfield, Ch, Col John B. Murdoch, CAP, Garrett Humbertson, Dustin Snow. Photo by James Buckalew.)
Chaplain Johnson, who recently returned from Iraq, is serving with the 1st Bn 8th In, which is stationed at Fort Carson in Colorado. The Murdochs not only had the opportunity to renew fellowship with the Johnsons, but also were able to visit the unit and interact with the commander and fellow soldiers. Chaplain Murdoch had a great experience with soldiers and their chaplain during a field training time when the troops were doing maneuvers.
Do you have a desire to reach men and women who live in bondage to alcohol and drugs? We invite you to attend an Almond Tree training seminar for pastors, chaplains, and lay people. Almond Tree Ministries, a division of the Counseling Ministries of Bible Baptist Church, Kokomo, Indiana, is a Bible-based substance-abuse curriculum that has been acknowledged by courts in seven states as a faith-based alternative for court-mandated alcohol and drug rehab programs.
Chaplain Jerry Hamblin, CHC, USNR, was assigned for six weeks last fall to the Abraham Lincoln CVN 72 in Bremerton, Washington. The Abraham Lincoln had just returned to port after a five-and-a-half month cruise and was going into dry dock. Chaplain Hamblin reports that 2,300 personnel in the aviation portion of the carrier had already disembarked, but there were still over 3,300 people, part of the ship’s crew, 
to whom he ministered. The “Abe” had four full-time chaplains, one of whom had already transferred off before Chaplain Hamblin arrived, and two others were anxious to take their needed leave. It was Chaplain Hamblin’s joy to counsel many individuals on personal issues and encourage sailors to live a more effective Christian walk.
in Colorado Springs, and the unit was rotated home in small groups during most of the preceding month. Among those serving in that unit are several members of our congregation: Chaplain (CPT) Bill Johnson (endorsed by the GARBC), Chaplain (CPT) Wayne Keast, Captain Steve Walker, and Staff Sergeant Tim Shaw. Duane Pope, a member of the church and owner of “Above & Beyond” Military Insignia Displays, decorated the church with military flags, uniforms, and memorabilia in honor of the occasion. 
