Archive for month: June, 2024

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2024 Uganda Community Project Fulfillment

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Last week, members of the Cherry Creek 2024 Uganda short-term mission trip came over to my house to help with sorting and bagging gear to take with them to Uganda. The team, leaving on July 3, will spend time in the capital city of Kampala and work with long-time partner, Mirembe House. The team will host some Vacation Bible School as well as play soccer and host a sports camp. To track the team, click this link.

CCPC Uganda 2024 Team Members hold a sampling of items bagged and packed for their upcoming trip.

Below is a list of items that the team will take with them to give to the children that they work with and spend time with:

  • 2 pairs of soccer cleats
  • 5 ball pumps
  • 2 balls (size 4)
  • 28 jackets
  • 2 GK sets (jersey, shorts, socks)
  • 2 soccer nets
  • 38 training and compression pants
  • 112 compression shorts
  • 27 soccer shorts
  • 81 t-shirts
  • 20 scarves

The total weight came out to around 125 pounds of gear that the team will take with them to Uganda!

When you financially 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 Project from the selectable funds. Your financial gift helps us purchase new soccer equipment, sponsor individuals projects and organizations, and to cover associated costs of providing Bibles, soccer equipment, and other outreach tools locally and around the world!

June Soccer with Jordan – Part 2

From the Touchline

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 27:55 — 51.1MB)

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Today on the podcast, it is part 2 of my conversation with Jordan Medas. Jordan serves as a volunteer chaplain with Soccer Chaplains United and as the East Coast Chaplain Manager.

Jordan and I continue our reflections about the 2022 Men’s World Cup Devotional and the subsequent (2024) revision, The Light is Coming. Jordan and I both served as authors for this 8-week devotional which combines themes of faith and football (soccer).

We close out the conversation with a fun game of Crosses with Rev, one which requires a VAR review to see if he scored the last question before time was up!

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.

Ruiz Steps Back from Soccer Chaplains United to Focus on the Valley

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A little over a year ago, EJ Ruiz stepped into a gap. Chaplain Isidro Piña was moving to San Antonio and needed to handoff the chaplaincy work with the (now defunct) Rio Grande Valley Toros FC, an USL-Championship soccer team. From June until December of 2023, EJ faithfully served as the new chaplain to the Toros with Isidro encouraging and guiding him. Then, the devastating news came just 6 months into EJ tenure — the team was folding. When the Toros officially eased operations on December 18, 2023, EJ and Isidro did their best to help players and coaches in the transition period.

In the months since Toros disbanded, EJ and myself began asking if there were any other soccer teams that might be served with EJ as chaplain. However, the task of shepherding and preaching for the church, El Mesias UMC in Mission, Texas and increased roles within the denomination combined with the difficult work of starting something fresh and anew has meant that EJ needs to step back from Soccer Chaplains United.

EJ remains open to the possibility of returning to serve as a chaplain should the Toros return at some point.

Soccer Chaplains United has been extremely blessed to have EJ as part of the team. He played an important role in helping be a presence to the athletes and coaches at a difficult time. We pray that EJ and his family, experience God’s grace and favor as they look to invest more of their love, time, and energy into the church and community in the RGV.

Soccer Chaplains United is non-profit, 501(c)3 and depends upon the financial support of our partners to carry out our work of developing chaplaincy across all levels of soccer. Please consider making a contribution today to help us continue growing our chaplains and our work. Check out our Donate page for different giving options.

June Soccer with Jordan – Part 1

From the Touchline

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 28:00 — 51.3MB)

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

Today on the podcast, I am joined by Jordan Medas. Jordan is a volunteer chaplain with Soccer Chaplains United and he serves as the East Coast Chaplain Manager. Jordan’s first time on the podcast, we take a little bit of time to get to know him better and understand his story of coming to serve with Soccer Chaplains United.

Jordan and I also take a look back at the 2022 Men’s World Cup Devotional and the subsequent (2024) revision, The Light is Coming. Jordan served as one of three authors. The revision as well s the original devotional (along with translations into Spanish and Portuguese) are still available on Amazon. With so much soccer going on in this month of June (Euros, international breaks, and Olympic call ups) we reflect back on one of the first writings and publications that we made around a major soccer event.

We continue the conversation in part 2 (next week) with a fun game of Crosses with Rev! You won’t want to miss it.

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.

June Soccer with Jubal – Part 2

From the Touchline

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 28:16 — 51.8MB)

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

Jubal McDaniel joins me today for part 2 of our June Soccer series. Jubal is the volunteer chaplain for the Tacoma Defiance and serves as the Soccer Chaplains United Pacific Coast Chaplain Manager and our conversation has centered around the two devotional books that we worked on — for the recent World Cups and the subsequent revisions.

June 2024 marks our release of the revision of last year’s Five Women You Meet in Faith and Football. With new artwork and a more timeless feel, Jubal and I look back on that devotional and the work done on both devos and how the art moved or spoke to us.

Jubal and I also play a fun game of Crosses with Rev! It’s debatable whether he attempted to slow the pace down…all good fun, though!

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.

Revised Five Women You Meet in Faith and Football Available!

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Just shy of one year from our initial publication of the devotional book, Five Women You Meet in Faith and Football, we’ve released a new edition. Featuring new artwork and changes to the book to make it more timeless, this second edition is available globally on Amazon in paperback and ebook (Kindle) formats.

The devotional looks at the lives of five women listed as part of Jesus’ genealogy found in the Gospel of Matthew. 25 different readings examine some of the visible attributes out of their lives and personalities. These virtues and traits might also be visible and valued in the people that we see in the Beautiful Game!

Below is the artwork — reproductions are available! Requests including information on sizes and pricing should be sent via email to Kalyn Phelps at k.and.eve.create@gmail.com. A portion of proceeds will go to benefit Soccer Chaplains United.

If you or your team are interested in a discounted, bulk sale please send an email for more details: info@soccerchaplainsunited.org.

Soccer Chaplains United is non-profit, 501(c)3 and depends upon the financial support of our partners to carry out our work of developing chaplaincy across all levels of soccer. Please consider making a contribution today to help us continue growing our work. Check out our Donation Page with all the different options. Or, simply click the PushPay link below to make a secure, online, tax-deductible gift, or mail a donation to Soccer Chaplains United, PO Box 102081, Denver, CO 80250.

June Soccer with Jubal – Part 1

From the Touchline

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 27:55 — 51.1MB)

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

June is the start of a very busy soccer season — international friendlies, the Euros, readying for the summer Olympics, as well as the various leagues throughout the U.S. Today on the podcast, I am joined by Jubal McDaniel. Jubal is the volunteer chaplain for the Tacoma Defiance and serves as the Soccer Chaplains United Pacific Coast Chaplain Manager.

Jubal and I take a look back at the devotional books that we worked on — one for the 2022 Men’s World Cup and one for the 2023 Women’s World Cup. With the revision of Five Women You Meet in Faith and Football coming out this month, we reflect back on the artwork and graphic design and layout help that Jubal provided for the two devotionals.

And in part 2 (next week), Jubal and I play a fun game of Crosses with Rev! You won’t want to miss it.

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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