Archive for month: November, 2023

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The Advent Antiphons — O come thou Rod of Jesse, free…

From the Touchline

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 10:47 — 19.7MB)

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For the past few weeks, we’ve been exploring the Advent Antiphons. This week, we look and listen to the third antiphon: O come, thou Rod of Jesse, free…

During this time of year (as we approach Christmas), for the podcast we will look at a particular ‘hymn’ that has helped worshippers prepare for Jesus’s arrival. Since the 8th century, the Church has been singing the “O” antiphons. An antiphon is a short sentence sung or recited before or after a psalm or canticle.

The “O” antiphons are so named as each line begins with an “O” — perhaps the most famous of these are the words and verse which begins: O Come, O Come, Emmanuel. Altogether, there are 7 antiphons. They are typically said or sung in the evening of the week (December 17-23) leading to Christmas, but for our intents and purposes, we will learn and hear one each week. A short reflection will be followed by the antiphon said and then sung.

From the Touchline is a short-feature (10-15 min) podcast with Rev Brad Kenney, Founder and Executive Director of Soccer Chaplains United and Volunteer Chaplain to the Colorado Rapids of Major League Soccer.

Rev Brad and occasional guests touch on various issues around the topics of faith, family, and football (soccer).

Also, don’t forget that you can listen in our app, SoccrChapUtd, in the Apple and Google store.

The Advent Antiphons — O come thou Lord of might,…

From the Touchline

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 9:01 — 16.5MB)

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Amazon Music | Android | Pandora | iHeartRadio | Email | Youtube Music | RSS

November 15 marks the beginning of Orthodox and Celtic Christian observances of the season of Advent. 40 days before Christmas — likely the sights and sounds of the season are already visible; however, the consumeristic nature of this time of year might have you seeing more than just holiday red. The truth is, we are waiting for more than a present or gift. We await a Messiah, a Savior. It is Jesus Christ, the Lord.

During the season, and on the podcast for the next few weeks, we will look at a particular ‘hymn’ that has helped worshippers prepare for Jesus’s arrival. Since the 8th century, the Church has been singing the “O” antiphons. An antiphon is a short sentence sung or recited before or after a psalm or canticle.

The “O” antiphons are so named as each line begins with an “O” — perhaps the most famous of these are the words and verse which begins: O Come, O Come, Emmanuel. Altogether, there are 7 antiphons. They are typically said or sung in the evening of the week (December 17-23) leading to Christmas, but for our intents and purposes, we will learn and hear one each week. A short reflection will be followed by the antiphon said and then sung.

This week, we look and listen to the second antiphon: O come, O come, thou Lord of might,…

From the Touchline is a short-feature (10-15 min) podcast with Rev Brad Kenney, Founder and Executive Director of Soccer Chaplains United and Volunteer Chaplain to the Colorado Rapids of Major League Soccer.

Rev Brad and occasional guests touch on various issues around the topics of faith, family, and football (soccer).

Also, don’t forget that you can listen in our app, SoccrChapUtd, in the Apple and Google store.

Hope For The Fatherless 2023 Request Team Gear

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Note: This request originally came in June of 2023 and was fulfilled in July 2023; however, a story was not published at the time. This story is a “catch-up” and photos and a final update will follow shortly.

Hope For the Fatherless (HFTF) is on a mission in Ethiopia. Believing that children belong in families, not institutions, Hope for the Fatherless rescues orphaned and vulnerable children and places them into loving homes through reunification, kinship placement, domestic adoption, and small group homes.

Currently HFTF has 30 children in its small group homes, 18 children in the sponsorship program (receiving educational, medical, and other support with their single moms so they do not become orphans), and dozens of children in the adoption program who are in the process of being placed with their forever families.

The Dragovich family (Darren, former Soccer Chaplains United Board Member) has been heavily invested into Hope For the Fatherless. Two of the Dragovich daughters, Reese and Sydney, both served as interns for the ministry in the US during high school and have traveled to Ethiopia multiple times. With a long relationship with HFTF kids and staff when the opportunity arose to spend five weeks there this past summer, both girls jumped at the chance.

Reese has been helping HFTF to develop a social media plan and gather film and photo material to use in the ministry, while Sydney (who will be studying Social Work in college) has worked with HFTF social workers in the adoption program.

Last year (2022), during Cherry Creek Presbyterian Church’s trip to Ethiopia, Soccer Chaplains United gifted HFTF with an assortment of soccer jerseys. The kids were so excited to put them on—even the little 5 year old whose shirt came down to his ankles! The kids felt special, blessed, and loved. This year, when Reese and Sydney arrived for their internships, the teenage boys at Faith House were excited to share that they have officially formed a HFTF soccer team that competes in games around the city!

There are ten teenage boys on the team (who all live at Faith House) and three younger boys (from Hope House) who help out.

Specifically, HFTF has requested the following:

  • 13 uniform sets

Remember, when you support Soccer Chaplains United, a portion of your gift automatically goes to help our community projects and requests. You can give specifically to help cover our costs by making a gift through PushPay — simply select Community from the selectable funds. Your financial gift helps us purchase new soccer equipment, sponsor individuals or organizations, and cover associated costs of providing Bibles, soccer equipment, and other outreach tools locally and around the world!

The Advent Antiphons — O come thou Wisdom from on high,…

From the Touchline

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 10:06 — 18.5MB)

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Amazon Music | Android | Pandora | iHeartRadio | Email | Youtube Music | RSS

November 15 marks the beginning of Orthodox and Celtic Christian observances of the season of Advent. 40 days before Christmas — likely the sights and sounds of the season are already visible; however, the consumeristic nature of this time of year might have you seeing more than just holiday red. The truth is, we are waiting for more than a present or gift. We await a Messiah, a Savior. It is Jesus Christ, the Lord.

During the season, and on the podcast for the next few weeks, we will look at a particular ‘hymn’ that has helped worshippers prepare for Jesus’s arrival. Since the 8th century, the Church has been singing the “O” antiphons. An antiphon is a short sentence sung or recited before or after a psalm or canticle.

The “O” antiphons are so named as each line begins with an “O” — perhaps the most famous of these are the words and verse which begins: O Come, O Come, Emmanuel. Altogether, there are 7 antiphons. They are typically said or sung in the evening of the week (December 17-23) leading to Christmas, but for our intents and purposes, we will learn and hear one each week. A short reflection will be followed by the antiphon said and then sung.

This week, we begin with the first antiphon: O come, thou Wisdom from on high…

From the Touchline is a short-feature (10-15 min) podcast with Rev Brad Kenney, Founder and Executive Director of Soccer Chaplains United and Volunteer Chaplain to the Colorado Rapids of Major League Soccer.

Rev Brad and occasional guests touch on various issues around the topics of faith, family, and football (soccer).

Also, don’t forget that you can listen in our app, SoccrChapUtd, in the Apple and Google store.

The Light is Coming Devotional Ebook Free on Amazon Tomorrow

In celebration of the beginning of the Advent season (November 15), Soccer Chaplains United’s devotional ebook, The Light is Coming, will be free on Amazon, tomorrow. The Light is Coming is our rewrite and revision of the 2022 FIFA Men’s World Cup devotional offering, is now available on Amazon globally via the link above.

It has been one year since we wrote for the Men’s World Cup. This devotional has been edited and re-written to remove time references, make it less “2022 World Cup” centric, and to also make it easier for individuals and teams to utilize in any 8-week span.

The eight, weekly themes match the Advent and Christmas season and fit nicely with a reading plan for this particular time of the year.

The 2022 World Cup devotional remains available for sale on Amazon and in the Spanish and Portuguese languages as well. Follow the links below to view those:

Walnut Middle School Fútbol Finding Ways

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Rev Cesar Duran has served with Soccer Chaplains United for some eight years and now lives in Nebraska, close to his son, César. His son is soon to begin his seventh year as a coach at Walnut Middle School in Grand Isle, Nebraska. The school is school is a Title I school — meaning that the majority of students are on a free or reduced lunch background.

Coach César serves a team of 100+ players along with 3 assistant coaches and two volunteers. When he took over in 2019, the team saw about 60 players come try out. Each year that number has grown. As a school team, for many of the students, this will be the last time they will ever play for an actual team.

As a Title I school, the sports programs require doing fundraisers for equipment or finding unique ways of getting more gear with limited funding and resources.

Our team has had the same practice balls for 6 years. The school is doing its best to purchase new soccer balls and last year we received 10 new ones, but it is a challenge with such a large number of players.

Coach César, on the limited resources for Walnut Fútbol

For Coach César, it’s more than just about fútbol (soccer). He shares about how he is trying to use the game to help these young men.

We share the love to the players by having lessons and conversations on the stereotypes of being a young man. Our students and athletes have challenges with gangs, drugs and the pressure of the young boys having to show off to “survive”… We also work with them on conversations about careers and preparing as they start their high school days…We only get two years to be with them but our connections have stayed with them and many of them come back for games and practices.

Coach César, on the importance of making an impact on the young boys’ lives

Specifically, Coach César has requested the following:

  • 50 soccer balls
  • 50 jerseys
  • Goalkeeper sets

Remember, when you support Soccer Chaplains United, a portion of your gift automatically goes to help our community projects and requests. You can give specifically to help cover our costs by making a gift through PushPay — simply select Community from the selectable funds. Your financial gift helps us purchase new soccer equipment, sponsor individuals or organizations, and cover associated costs of providing Bibles, soccer equipment, and other outreach tools locally and around the world!

Saint Martin’s Ministry Tree

From the Touchline

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 15:03 — 27.6MB)

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Every year around the middle of November, I talk about Saint Martin. Martin (as you hopefully know) is the patron saint of France and of chaplaincy and it’s from his life and story that we understand and see the origins of chaplaincy.

In sports and especially in football (soccer), these days, there is more and more attention on “coaching trees.” These are a bit of historical record and a tracing of different coaching influence and “family” tree kind of connections. When did a particular philosophy emerge? Who developed a style of play or formation? And whom has been an influencer or had a following and disciples?

On today’s episode of From the Touchline, I (Rev Brad) take a look at Saint Martin’s “ministry tree.” Who are the people that he influenced? Who are those who took something away from their time with Martin and changed their own community or world? I narrow in on Saint Ninian. If you want to hear our previous podcasts on Saint Martin from 2019 and 2020 here are the links:

From the Touchline is a short-feature (10-15 min) podcast with Rev Brad Kenney, Founder and Executive Director of Soccer Chaplains United and Volunteer Chaplain to the Colorado Rapids of Major League Soccer.

Rev Brad and occasional guests touch on various issues around the topics of faith, family, and football (soccer).

Also, don’t forget that you can listen in our app, SoccrChapUtd, in the Apple and Google store.

The Light is Coming — Now Available on Amazon

The Light is Coming, our rewrite and revision of the 2022 FIFA Men’s World Cup devotional offering, is now available on Amazon globally via the link above.

With a year, now, gone by since we wrote for the special version and timing of the Men’s World Cup — we’ve re-written the devotional to remove time references, make it less “2022 World Cup” centric, and make it easier for individuals and teams to utilize in any 8-week span.

Readers can still use it during the season of Advent and Christmas. The eight, weekly themes match the season’s usual progressive topics.

The 2022 World Cup devotional remains available for sale on Amazon and in the Spanish and Portuguese languages as well. Follow the links below to view those:

The Light Is Coming

From the Touchline

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 21:13 — 38.9MB)

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Amazon Music | Android | Pandora | iHeartRadio | Email | Youtube Music | RSS

One year on from our first publication and we’ve revised and republished our first devotional. Last year, for the 2022 FIFA Men’s World Cup, Soccer Chaplains United published an 8-week devotional designed to cover Advent and Christmas and the World Cup, all at the same time. The original devotional which is still available on Amazon (and in Spanish and Portuguese) went through some slight revisions to make the book and writing more timeless and more useful for other 8-week periods in a given season. The book title and cover art has been changed. You can find it on Amazon under the title The Light is Coming | A Soccer Devotional.

On today’s episode of From the Touchline, Rev Brad talks about some of the backstory behind the putting the devotional together. From the artwork and the writing, he shares about how things came together and how the theme of “light” emerged as artists and writers worked independent of one another.

From the Touchline is a short-feature (10-15 min) podcast with Rev Brad Kenney, Founder and Executive Director of Soccer Chaplains United and Volunteer Chaplain to the Colorado Rapids of Major League Soccer.

Rev Brad and occasional guests touch on various issues around the topics of faith, family, and football (soccer).

Also, don’t forget that you can listen in our app, SoccrChapUtd, in the Apple and Google store.

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