Archive for month: February, 2018

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Lent – Check In

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Rev Brad checks in on how Lent is going, shares some reflections from last year’s journey through changing to a vegan diet, and confesses his own inability to play “Barbie” Dolls. 

Inquiries and feedback can be sent to podcast@soccerchaplainsunited.org.

From the Touchline is a short-feature (10 min) podcast with Rev Brad Kenney and occasional guests touching on various issues around faith, family, and football.

Check out the Soccer Chaplains United App and go to the Media section. Under podcasts you will see a new podcast for 2/28/2018 entitled “Lent – Checking In.”

If you don’t have the app yet, you can download the Soccer Chaplains United App from the Google and App Store. Search “SoccChaplain” and look for our logo (see photo below)!

Colman – The Breakup

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Rev Brad Kenney, shares some insight into the life of Saint Colmán of Lindisfarne and reflections on the nature of lifes “breakups.” Included is a reading of the Colman liturgy or prayer that might be said or prayed (or listened to) when faced with a job dismissal or a relationship breakup or ending.

Inquiries and feedback can be sent to podcast@soccerchaplainsunited.org.

From the Touchline is a short-feature (10 min) podcast with Rev Brad Kenney and occasional guests touching on various issues around faith, family, and football.

Check out the Soccer Chaplains United App and go to the Media section. Under podcasts you will see a new podcast for 2/21/2018 entitled “Colman – The Breakup.”

If you don’t have the app yet, you can download the Soccer Chaplains United App from the Google and App Store. Search “SoccChaplain” and look for our logo (see photo below)!

Timothy Project: Valor Costa Rica 2018 – Return to Tamarindo

Timothy Project: Valor Costa Rica 2018 will see Coach Brian Shultz return to Tamarindo, Costa Rica with his Valor Christian High School soccer players for a second time this March.  Soccer Chaplains United Executive Director, Brad Kenney, will join the team which consists of 20 players and eight leaders from the school’s soccer programs.  Kenney serves as the Valor Boys Soccer Chaplain.

During their time in Tamarindo, Kenney and the team will build two houses for selected needy families and reach out to the local community through soccer camps and clinics.

Coach Shultz shares why the return trip,

This is our second trip, and we intend to repeat this trip annually or bi-annually. Last year’s trip was an amazing experience, and we hope and pray God will work again in our lives and the lives of those we serve. Tamarindo has gone from being a small fishing village 20+ years ago, to now, it is more of a small, sleepy surfing and tourist town. Behind the tourism, a lot of poverty exists among the locals. Valor Soccer is partnering with Casa Vida Church and Pastor Alex Bejarano to build “Mercy” homes for needy families that the church has identified.

The Valor soccer players will be able to share their love of soccer with the local children.  The poverty is great so adequate soccer gear is not a reality for the people of Tamarindo.  Shultz explains how the Timothy Project donations will be used,

We will be reaching out through soccer camps and clinics where we hope to distribute soccer gear to the many children who do not have shoes, cleats, shin guards, or even soccer balls. We also hope to support the local coaches with gear. In the evenings we will do soccer clinics and play FUTCINCO where we will also distribute gear to our opponents and pray with them after the games.

Coach Shultz (far) previews the collected soccer equipment during the team’s pack day in 2017.

To partner again with the Valor Christian High School soccer teams on their spring Discovery Trip is a priviledge for Soccer Chaplains United.  Timothy Project was able partner with the team last year by giving them socks and jerseys and coaches gear.

To support Timothy Project: Valor Costa Rica 2018 or future Timothy Project ventures please donate through PushPay — simply select Timothy Project from the selectable funds to contribute to. Your financial gift helps us purchase new soccer equipment, sponsor an individual or organization in an outreach effort, and to cover associated costs of providing Bibles, soccer equipment, and other outreach tools locally and around the world!

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Ash Wednesday

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In this episode of From the Touchline, Colorado Rapids Chaplain Rev Brad Kenney shares about Ash Wednesday.

Inquiries and feedback can be sent to podcast@soccerchaplainsunited.org.

From the Touchline is a short-feature (10 min) podcast with Rev Brad Kenney and occasional guests touching on various issues around faith, family, and football.

Check out the Soccer Chaplains United App and go to the Media section. Under podcasts you will see a new podcast for 2/14/2018 entitled “Ash Wednesday.”

If you don’t have the app yet, you can download the Soccer Chaplains United App from the Google and App Store. Search “SoccChaplain” and look for our logo (see photo below)!

Nashville SC is One Step Closer

PlayPlay

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I had the privilege of spending part of last week in Nashville. The primary purpose of the trip was to do some training and coaching with our chaplain candidate who will serve Nashville SC this upcoming year. We’re not quite ready to announce who the chaplain is, but we will within the next few weeks as we complete the process.

I pose pre-game for a photo in wet Nashville with Assistant Coach David Proctor. David and I met in Colorado when he worked for the Rapids Developmental Academy.

With Nashville SC Head Coach, Gary Smith, being someone that I have worked with in the past (Colorado Rapids 2009-2011), there has been tremendous opportunity to assist in finding and developing the chaplaincy role for this new, exciting addition to U.S. Soccer. Nashville was recently awarded a Major League Soccer expansion franchise. As the team competes in the United Soccer League (Division II) for the next year or two, the club will face a lot of transition and work to make the jump to MLS.

Part of the time spent this week was spent being introduced to staff and players at a weekly training session. I shared about the support role of the chaplain and introduced the chaplain candidate. We utilized the first game for a bit of a walk though. The chaplain plays an active role during the week and during game days to support so many different facets of the organization — from players and staff, to management and ownership and their families.

It was also great to see some former players and staff who have made their way back to play with Coach Smith. Keep up with us as we look to make some more official announcements regarding the Nashville SC placement in the next few weeks.

Nashville SC Moments after Kickoff

Timothy Project: Liberia 2018 – LIFE Relocates

The most recent Timothy Project request, Timothy Project: Liberia 2018, will feature a massive change for the Liberian Institute for Empowerment (LIFE). LIFE is preparing to relocate to the heart and purpose of their organization, Liberia. Soccer Chaplains United has had the privilege of partnering with LIFE a number of times in the past few years (read previous stories here).  The work LIFE is doing in Liberia is changing the landscape of life and providing opportunities never before offered.

Thomas Fahn is the founder and executive director of LIFE.  He recently returned from Liberia and shares his plans as his family prepares to relocate from the US to the area.

L.I.F.E.’s goals is holistic community development in rural Liberia. We are specifically targeting youth sports a key component to our community development goals.

L.I.F.E. began as a result of a vision I had when I first moved to the USA for my college education. Born and raised in a village in rural Liberia, I intimately know the desperate conditions that the children and youth of rural Liberia are currently faced with. I faced those same obstacles and challenges and it’s my heart desire to be a blessing to them by giving them hope and the promise of a better future.

One of the areas we are currently focused on is youth sports, mainly soccer. I was in Liberia for the five months and recently returned to Colorado. I was amazed with the number of youth players we currently have in our soccer program in Liberia. Evidently, football is absolutely an integral part of the Liberian society. It is such an empowering and motivating tool that brings joy and happiness to most Liberian youth. In most villages in Liberia, simply showing up on a field with a soccer ball will win you instant access to many things. Most kids will go to school just for football.

While I was in Liberia, I ran a lot of soccer clinics with some of our youth teams, and I saw that most of them were in desperate need of training equipment such as boots, socks, balls. We also saw the deplorable conditions of the fields they play on. Our goal is to help them with equipment and build three soccer fields in the region. We will be using two for training purposes and one will be reserved for games. The cost of building these fields is $1500.00. Any assistance will be highly appreciated. And please feel free to contact me at any time for more details about our soccer program.

To support Timothy Project: Liberia 2018 or future Timothy Project ventures please donate through PushPay — simply select Timothy Project from the selectable funds to contribute to. Your financial gift helps us purchase new soccer equipment, sponsor an individual or organization in an outreach effort, and to cover associated costs of providing Bibles, soccer equipment, and other outreach tools locally and around the world!

#TPT

 

From the Touchline – Introduction

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Rev Brad Kenney, Volunteer Chaplain of the Colorado Rapids and Director of Soccer Chaplains United, shares about the purpose and intent behind the podcast, From the Touchline. 

Inquiries and feedback can be sent to podcast@soccerchaplainsunited.org.

From the Touchline is a short-feature (10 min) podcast with Rev Brad Kenney and occasional guests touching on various issues around faith, family, and football.

Check out the Soccer Chaplains United App and go to the Media section. Under podcasts you will see a new podcast for 2/7/2018 entitled “From the Touchline – An Introduction”

If you don’t have the app yet, you can download the Soccer Chaplains United App from the Google and App Store. Search “SoccChaplain” and look for our logo!

Announcing Assistant Chaplain Gerardo Alvarez

Soccer Chaplains United is pleased to announce the addition of Gerardo Alvarez to the chaplaincy team serving the Colorado Rapids. Gerardo works as a medical interpreter at Denver Health Medical Center and is fluent in Spanish and English. He will assist with chaplaincy coverage and Spanish language needs from the Rapids 1st-Team to the Development Academy and also with Rapids alumni. He fills the vacancy left by Chaplain Cesar Duran last summer.

Gerardo, a Colombian by birth, came to the U.S. in 1997 to be closer to family. He has faithfully served as a medical interpreter since 2004 — helping patients, families, and staff with translation and understanding medical procedures and other needs. He enjoys spending time with his family and watching his son who plays with the Colorado Rapids Youth Club. It was a friend who encouraged Gerardo to explore the opportunity to work in soccer chaplaincy.

I found out about Soccer Chaplains United through a friend who saw the posting at Denver Seminary’s website, and he thought about me. He is a chaplain himself, but he knows my pastoral heart and desire to help and server people. He told me, ‘Gerardo, you need to apply to be a chaplain!’

Gerardo will serve, initially, as an assistant chaplain. His background and education includes a MA from Denver Seminary in the area of Christian Formation and Soul Care. Part of his process with Soccer Chaplains United will be learning and growing in the area of sports chaplaincy and discerning whether to pursue an official ordination or licensing through his church.

You can see more of Gerardo’s background and experience by reading his bio here.

Soccer Chaplains United looks to develop chaplains, counselors, and community coordinators across all levels of soccer. If you or someone you know is interested in joining Soccer Chaplains United or if you are a team or organization interested in learning more about how chaplaincy can help your team, club or organization please reach to us at info@soccerchaplainsunited.org.

Timothy Project: Nuevo Tantoan, MX – Final Update on Los Burritos

Chaplain Cesar Duran and his wife Andrea relocated from Denver to Laredo, Texas in the summer of 2017.  This meant Soccer Chaplains United and the Colorado Rapids had to say goodbye to their Spanish-speaking chaplain and translator, Cesar.  But this move brought the Durans closer to their home and opened new opportunities to explore.

Andrea Duran recently shared an update on the Timothy Project request they made last year before leaving Denver.

August 2, 2017, I had the opportunity to visit the “Burritos” soccer team of Nuevo Tantoan, Mante Mexico. That afternoon they were training on the field, and I gave them the donation from Soccer Chaplains United’s Timothy Project. This donation included a cooler, soccer balls, water bottles, and jerseys of the Colorado Rapids.

I shared with them the responsibilities of a chaplain. Some of the soccer players met my husband, former bilingual chaplain of Colorado Rapids, Cesar. They were talking about the Rapids and asked about Tim Howard and other players. I also shared with them the gospel of Jesus Christ and the importance of the spiritual life. I explained to them how the Bible compares the care of the spiritual life with the effort of an athlete. For an athlete, it is most important to get the trophy and be the winner. This goal helps them to have discipline, train and spend a lot of time working with that in mind: be a champion! Many athletes sacrifice their families and many things, but to get the goal is the most important for them.

I shared with them about the love of God and all that God is offering to them. I also had the opportunity to listen to their dreams, victories, families, and goals. They also shared about the bad times on the field and their frustration as a soccer team. I prayed for them and motivated them to give the best from themselves in the next match.

After our time of visiting and encouraging one another, they opened the cooler and found the jerseys.  They were happy wearing their new jerseys.  All of them also were thankful and invited me to attend their next match. They also share words of thanksgiving for the Timothy Project donation. Thank you, Soccer Chaplains United, through the Timothy Project, for bringing happiness to my people in Mexico.

To support future Timothy Project ventures such as including Nuevo Tantoan, Mexico with our donations please donate through PushPay — simply select Timothy Project from the selectable funds to contribute to. Your financial gift helps us purchase new equipment, sponsor a missionary or organization in an outreach effort, and to cover associated costs of providing Bibles, soccer equipment, and other outreach tools locally and around the world!

#TPT

Prayers – An Introduction

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There are times when a chaplain may not be able to be present to pray for a person — whether an athlete is about to go through surgery, about to board a plane, after just getting some bad news, or even winning the big game.

These prayers are written and recorded with the football (soccer) athlete, coach/manager, staff member, and family member in mind. They are prayed in the spirit of reminding you that God is with you and He sees and knows the things that you are going through or about to embark upon — whether anyone else sees or knows about them.

There are times, places, and teams where a chaplain isn’t able to be present. There are places in the world where one is far from home and far from the support and foundations of one’s faith. There are moments when someone who is a part of the beautiful game feels alone and afraid. These prayers are for you.

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