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General news and information about Soccer Chaplains United including newly formed partnerships, news on the different teams and communities being served, and upcoming events for donors, partners, and communities.

Moody Soccer Soon to Move

The Moody Bible Institute recently announced that there will be a sale of particular parts of its urban campus in downtown Chicago. Amongst the buildings and parts of land that have been offered up for sale is the Moody soccer field. A recent article on Crain’s Chicago Business website, details more of the proposed sale and the hiring of a firm to sell “non-critical” parts of the campus. The sale of land will help to fund and fuel Moody’s growth initiatives for 2030.

Jon Forsythe, a graduate of Moody and the current, Moody’s Men’s Soccer Head Coach, recently gave an update to alumni of the soccer program,

Please join us in praying for the future of the school and the soccer program in this time of transition – the facilities may look different in a few years, but the purpose of the school and the program remain the same: training and equipping students to be ministers of the Gospel.

Forsythe also shared that the Men’s Soccer Program will continue and that the remainder of the 2019 season will be unaffected by the field being put up for sale. But future iterations of the soccer program will look different. Coach Forsythe and the school have mentioned that, following the sale of the land, the soccer program will continue, using an off-campus field for training and matches. The location of which is yet to be determined.

Moody’s soccer field, famous for its location and known to slow down ‘L’ drivers curious to watch a game, will soon be sold by the school and developed.

In what may be a forever goodbye for a place special in many student’s hearts and memories, Moody Men’s Soccer will host its annual alumni game on Saturday, October 12. Coach Forsythe hopes to see the field full of generations of Moody Soccer players. But for alumni unable to attend, an open invitation exists for alumni to come by for any remaining home games or training sessions.

Please pray for Soccer Chaplains United chaplain Pete Distler as he works with the men’s soccer program — both for the current students and athletes and the alumni, as well. And pray for Moody as they continue to orient the school and students and education in a difficult time for Christian higher education.

Colin Clark Memorial Service

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Former Colorado Rapids Midfielder, Colin Clark, died on Monday morning of a heart attack. At just 35 years old, Colin’s death has come as a shock to many. The left-footed midfielder grew up in Fort Collins playing soccer and played for the Rapids, Houston Dynamo, and Los Angeles Galaxy and had one appearance for the US Men’s National Team.

A date and time has been set for his memorial service.

Wednesday, September 18 at 7:00 PM at Dick’s Sporting Good’s Park.

Family, friends, and the soccer community are invited to attend and pay their respects during this time. More details to follow.

Michigan On the Horizon

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We’re just a couple months away from the 2nd Global Congress on Christianity and Sport. This year’s congress is being held at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, MI October 23 — 27 and it’s not too late to register. Here is a place for dialogue and sharpening between academics, theologians, practitioners like chaplains and counselor, and others connected into the world of sport.

I really enjoyed the last congress in York, England back in 2016. And, as I have mentioned before, it was at the congress that God gave us a new vision to change the name of our ministry to Soccer Chaplains United.

At the York congress, I gave a presentation entitled: Foundations of Pastoral Care- Recovering the Spirit of Chaplaincy in Sport. Additionally, I had my first professional article by the same title published in a special edition of Practical Theology. It was an exciting and challenging time.

Theologian Miroslav Wolf will be a keynote speaker this October

During the upcoming congress, Soccer Chaplains United will feature in two parallel sessions. One session, entitled, Chaplaincy and Counseling in Sport: A Necessary Partnership, will have myself and Brooke Ewert presenting on the challenges of linking chaplaincy and counseling in sports. We will share about our work of serving in football (soccer) and how the chaplain and counselor can serve simultaneously and differently from one another.

I will also present in a separate session, A Biblical Foundation for Chaplaincy in Sport. In this session, I will propose a different starting point for considering chaplaincy and sports chaplaincy from a biblical framework. Currently, there is not an article being published, but hopefully there will be something to add into the library of sports chaplaincy at some point.

Please pray for Brooke and me, and other chaplains and people working and interacting and bridging the world of Christian faith and sport.

From Team Mom to Team Chaplain

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For Kimberly Beach, the pathway to becoming chaplain for Trinity International University’s (TIU) Men’s Soccer Program is, to say the least, an unusual one. But, then again, God’s planning and work to bring about something amazing in us and something powerful for His kingdom is usually born out of things that would confound the wise of the world.

Chaplain Beach, known affectionately to players and coaches as Miss Kim, started serving TIU in 2017. At first it began as a female soccer player and friend of her son (a student athlete at TIU with the men’s soccer team) asked if Kimberly could meet with and mentor her. Pretty soon, Kimberly was giving pre-season devotionals at the women’s team workouts. But the ministry didn’t stop there — her home routinely open to the athletes on her son’s team, meeting with the female athletes, and providing what she has come to term as “intentionally unintentional discipleship,” Kimberly’s ministry started to grow and expand beyond the typical “team mom” duties.

The growth of ministry, coupled with Kimberly’s own calling and story beginning back in 2000 led her to look for information on soccer chaplaincy. She landed on the recently rebranded Soccer Chaplains United webpage.

With the role of Team Chaplain at TIU, I was looking for an organization that would provide community.  I found that in Soccer Chaplains United.

Chaplain Kim Beach

Chaplaincy wasn’t necessarily a new concept for Kimberly — in the early 2000’s through the medical issues her young daughter had faced, Kimberly had felt an initial call to pediatric chaplaincy. She desired to show love and care to those parent’s going through dark and difficult times as she and her husband, David, had but the time wasn’t right.

Ten years later, she again felt the tug toward chaplaincy. Within the span of a week, from sitting in an emergency room for their own child and then attending a number of sporting events and watching the ambulance pull up and take injured athletes away, Kimberly told her husband,

We need a chaplain here that can help these families…even if it is only sitting with them in dark times.

Kimberly Beach, 2010

David agreed and encouraged his wife to pursue training and licensure for chaplaincy. Her initial start came with Chaplain Fellowship Ministries and she began to visit local emergency rooms, church members and friends in the hospital, to speak with families while they were at the regional children’s hospital, and to facilitate online support groups.

In 2016, God called the Beach family to move — this time to northern Illinois for better treatment options for their daughter. With her son on scholarship with the TIU soccer team, the way forward was being led by God. It wasn’t long after that Miss Kim began serving the soccer teams at TIU.

Miss Kim’s approach, hospitality, and ministry soon came across the radar of then assistant coach men’s coach Josiah Larson. Promoted to head coach in December of 2017, Coach Larson asked if Kimberly would consider being chaplain for the men’s team.

With a full season of experience, Miss Kim has served the full gamut — from the highs and lows of the season, to the weddings, parents of athletes struggling with health issues, and other moments of pastoral care and counseling. Heading into the 2019 season, Soccer Chaplains United will look to bolster Miss Kim’s ministry as she continues to serve the athletes, coaches, and families of TIU’s Men’s Soccer.

I had the privilege of meeting Kimberly and David last summer, as they were leaving Denver, where David works, to return to Illinois. I was able to share about the mission and vision of Soccer Chaplains United — so much of which resonated with Kimberly’s background, calling, passion, and equipping. The pastoral care emphasis that Kimberly had already discovered and begun to cultivate was one of the key values for our work of chaplaincy amongst soccer. And I am really pleased to see the conversation which began last summer, cultivate in Miss Kim joining Soccer Chaplains United as chaplain.

Please join me in welcoming Kimberly Beach and the Trinity International University Trojan’s Men’s Soccer Team to the family here of Soccer Chaplains United!

Mendoza To Keep Books

One of the things that I have come to learn in leading Soccer Chaplains United is that you never know what God might have in store when you say goodbye to one team member and God brings another. Recently, our first bookkeeper, went on and advanced in her bookkeeping and accounting work with joining a local private school’s accounting and bookkeeping team. The change meant that Soccer Chaplains United would soon need to look for a new bookkeeper.

I nearly pulled out my hair trying to find someone. Our bookkeeping needs are quite small and not a whole lot of hours, but is still a critical function of our ministry and for our growth. Several interviews and after quite a bit of searching, finally got an email in response to our advert on the Denver Seminary job board (shout out to the ole’ seminary).

The funny part is that the applicant was someone I know. The convergent worship leader at the church my family worships at, Cherry Creek Presbyterian, and a church partner with Soccer Chaplains United. What’s even more funny is that I had asked the missions director and executive pastor if they knew of anyone in the church that might assist us.

Well, it’s my pleasure to introduce Susie Mendoza, who will serve as our new bookkeeper. I had a wonderful time sitting and sharing the Soccer Chaplains United story with her and hearing much of her own story and journey. I asked her, why even bother with a smaller opportunity like Soccer Chaplains United? She shared,

Working in a “faith-based” organization can be quite rewarding, as both career and faith in Christ can intersect. Sharing my faith is what I love to do…I share the same vision as Soccer Chaplains United in that we are to share the Good News of Jesus!

Susie Mendoza

It is an incredible gift for us to be united with a shared vision to share the Good News and especially to live it out in our chaplaincy and counseling and community service that we provide. And when we live out, with passion, the deep vocation and calling that God gives to us, we get to see the amazing privilege of the work that God is about and where we get to join in and be vessels used by Him. Certainly, I have been able to see that in Susie week after week as she leads in worship and I am excited to see her bring her talents and gifts in accounting and bookkeeping to Soccer Chaplains United.

Susie, welcome to the team!

Lewan Foundation Gives Fourth and Final Grant

The Lewan Family Foundation has, once again, provided a grant to help support the work of Soccer Chaplains United.  The foundation has partnered now, for the last four years, with our ministry. Their partnership has helped sustain Soccer Chaplains United through some key organizational moments, including the rebranding of the ministry which happened a couple of years ago.

The Lewan family has been a notable name in Denver for many years through their company, Lewan Technology. The Lewan Family Foundation has had a long legacy of service and support of many local Denver and Colorado organizations including Denver Seminary, where many of our chaplains and counselors have received training.

Soccer Chaplains United is non-profit, 501(c)3 and we are dependent upon the financial support of our partners to carry out our work of developing chaplaincy, counseling, and community service across all levels of soccer. If your church, business, or foundation would like to support our work please consider making a contribution today or reaching out to us at info@soccerchaplainsunited.org.

Click the PushPay logo below or text soccerchaplains to 77977 to make a secure electronic donation. You can also mail a donation to Soccer Chaplains United, PO Box 102081 Denver, CO 80250.

Proposal(s) Accepted!

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I am excited to announce that Soccer Chaplains United has had two proposals accepted for presentation at the Second Global Congress on Sport and Christianity. The congress, taking place at Calvin College later this year, will feature speakers, writers, practitioners, academics, and more that are constantly wrestling with issue of faith, life, and sport.

I had the privilege of presenting at the Inaugural Congress in 2016 in York, England. It was a challenging and encouraging time all in the same breath. Theologians and academics mixing with sports ministry practitioners — for me, there was some new thinking and challenges around how I understand faith and sport. I also did my part, challenging a few academics into considerations that, as a chaplain, I’ve had to work out in the field and arena of sport.

My friend and colleague Rev Bob Mayo (chaplain for QPR and vicar at Shepherd’s Bush) pose whilst having a coffee on the ancient fortress walls in York at the Inaugural Global Congress on Christianity and Sport.

This year, the committee for the congress has accepted two proposals from Soccer Chaplains United. I submitted one on a bilabial foundation for chaplaincy in sport. Essentially, chaplains (and those in sport) often default to particular passages fo scripture to “make a case” for serving in the sport arena (and other areas as well). My hope is to encourage chaplains to go further back into scripture for a foundational basis for the work that we do outside the walls of the church building.

The second proposal involves myself and our Director of Counseling Brooke Ewert. We will be tackling the issue of chaplaincy and counseling in sport. It is a difficult integration and Brooke and I will be doing a panel presentation to discuss how Soccer Chaplains United has worked to bring the work of the chaplain and the work of the counselor into better alignment.

Brooke has been an amazing addition and our sights are set on Michigan in October

Some of the featured keynote speakers include Tim Tebow, Miroslav Volf, Gary Thomas and more…

A few of the keynote speakers lined up for this year’s congress

If you would like to sponsor or help offset the cost of getting to Michigan, we would love your support. Pray for us as we share with others working in the field of sport and as we seek to learn and to grow Soccer Chaplains United.

Soccer Chaplains United is non-profit, 501(c)3 and we depend upon the financial support of our partners to carry out our work of developing chaplaincy, counseling, and community service across all levels of soccer. Your support allows us to grow in our skill, education, and service to others. Please consider making a contribution today to help us continue growing our work. Click the PushPay logo below or text soccerchaplains to 77977 to make a secure electronic donation. You can also mail a donation to Soccer Chaplains United, PO Box 102081 Denver, CO 80250.

On the Road Again

February was a heavy travel month — as there is a preseason in sports, there is a preseason in sports chaplaincy as well.

Feb 7-8: Leoti, KS

To begin, a 400-mile road trip out to Leoti, KS for presbytery meetings. As an ordained minister in the EPC (Evangelical Presbyterian Church), it is important to work to attend a number of our quarterly meetings if at all possible. The added benefit for this trip was two fold: a) I got to spend an unexpected amount of time with our new chaplain in Memphis, Greg Aydt. His re-routed and re-directed flight put him into Denver and I had an extra seat. It was a God-thing to get the additional 4 hours on the drive to talk and work through some of the chaplaincy needs of the preseason. b) Soccer Chaplains United was able to have our new introductory video played at presbytery. The video highlights our chaplaincy, counseling and community work and many in attendance commented on the quality of the video and how it conveyed a new sense of the scope of work being done with Soccer Chaplains United.

Feb 19-21: Nashville, TN

I had the wonderful privilege of spending time with one of our newest chaplains, Rev Ryan Doyle. Ryan is getting started with providing chaplaincy for Christ Presbyterian Academy Boys Soccer for the upcoming spring season. We enjoyed a coffee and catch up in the historic Franklin downtown. We shared for a couple of hours on different ideas for the chaplaincy.

While in Nashville, I also got a chance to spend time with our Nashville SC chaplain, Billy Cerveny. We spent time together talking about the chaplaincy issues that will likely be faced this year as the team makes the transition from United Soccer League – Championship to Major League Soccer. Some Martin’s BBQ made for a full day as we also took in the announcement for Nashville’s new logo when they begin play in MLS.

Nashville SC new logo launch and reveal party

My trip also include some time spent with Nashville Head Coach Gary Smith and his family and an old friend, Pastor Don Diehl. Don was my youth pastor for a couple of years back in high school and early college. We were able to grab a quick breakfast and catch up with each other, before heading off to my final February destination.

Don and Diann Diehl, long time friends back to my high school days

Feb 21-26: Charlotte, NC

The longer part of my trip was to take part in the 3rd Summit on Global Sports Chaplaincy. Here, with leaders from around the globe, we worked through the continuing development of sports chaplaincy at a global level. How do we develop chaplaincy in developing countries? How do we equip and support chaplaincy leaders that lack resources? To what level do we try to formalize partnerships and relationships? These were some of the questions and tasks that everyone around the table worked to tackle.

Dr Steven Waller and I pose outside the Championship Conference Room at Joe Gibbs Racing Center where we had our meetings over a few days

For Soccer Chaplains United, the aims of this group is much broader than our own; however, the global nature of soccer and the relationships that God has afforded me to make over the years has meant that this is a significant conversation to continue to be involved in and contribute to.

I was excited, too, to learn that my hosts were connected to the most recent candidate to emerge for the Charlotte Independence vacancy. I had a dinner meeting with someone from the club during one of the nights where we had some time off from the meetings and then a breakfast the next day to meet with the candidate and speak more about what the chaplaincy with the team looks like.

All in all a full February and many ways in which I was able to see God’s faithfulness in so many ways. Thankful for the many miles travelled and the safety and provision of God.

2nd Global Congress on Sport and Christianity

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I am really excited about the upcoming 2nd Global Congress on Sport and Christianity this October. The inaugural congress was held in 2016 in York, England at the University of Gloucestershire. I was able to be a presenter and participant in 2016. I gave a 20 minute presentation on Foundations of Pastoral Care: Recovering the Spirit of Chaplaincy in Sport. And before the congress, the paper was accepted for publication in Practical Theology.

2016 and the congress were significant for another reason, though — it was through some conversations borne out of my time there that God impressed upon me that the time had come to put the CrossTraining name to rest. Thus began the journey of creating our current organizational name of Soccer Chaplains United.

Now, three years later, I am excited to return back to this latest expression of the Congress. It will be held at Calvin College in Michigan, October 23-27. I have already entered one abstract for presentation along the lines of a theological construct for chaplaincy. I am also working to develop another presentation with sports chaplaincy and counseling themes intertwined.

I am praying that we will be able to help subsidize the cost of our chaplains and counselors that are available to go and attend, as it is an extremely formative and sharpening time.

Matthew Adams Joins Soccer Chaplains United Board of Directors

Last week, the Soccer Chaplains United Board of Directors unanimously voted to approve Matthew Adams to the board. Matthew is VP, Senior Tax Counsel at Cloud Peak Energy and a member of the Department of the Interior Royalty Policy Committee. Originally from Iowa, Matthew grew up playing soccer and he is passionate about leadership and strategic development. An assistant coach at Valor Christian High School, Matthew has had two sons in the program, which  is how Matthew and I met.

As I became involved with the Valor Christian soccer program as a coach, I was tremendously impressed with the cultural impact that Rev. had on the coaches and players alike.  His modeling and support of Christian values as players deal with success, challenges and personal growth is invaluable to the entire community.

Matthew’s passions and gifts toward developing mid-range and long-range strategy is an important gift and asset to bring to the board of Soccer Chaplains United, especially at this time. As we have completed, now, one year of moving forward with our new name and rebrand we will need to begin to strategically think through the different opportunities that lie before us in terms of development and potential growth. Among some of the key developments and learnings that will need strategical thinking and planning hit amongst our three expressions, namely:

  1. Chaplaincy — we are the only organization looking to provide chaplains at all levels of the sport. Especially, in the areas of the youth game and at the collegiate level this will require strategic plan development and roll out.
  2. Counseling — we are the only sports organization or ministry group that is coupling chaplaincy and counseling. As a pioneering work, there has been difficulty in gaining traction, but we are beginning to get through some early development stages.
  3. Community — as our footprint across soccer grows, we know that we will become aware of more need and more opportunities. Developing a robust community service plan will be key for the future.

I am honored to join this group of exceptional men and women in pursuit of increasing the impact of SCU.  I look forward to helping shape and implement our growth initiatives as we enable players and coaches to utilize their personal strengths and faith to raise their professional skills to greater heights.  I strongly believe that by enabling and supporting pastoral and counseling support services through the great sport of soccer, we are building and strengthing entire communities in a unique and positive way.

Matthew is a graduate of Drake University and holds a Masters and Doctor of Law from the University of Denver. He is an expert in tax law and different issues surrounding compliance and regulatory issues.

Matthew’s appointment now brings the Soccer Chaplains United Board of Directors back up to seven individuals, following Jack Ballou’s non-renewal.

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, counseling, and community service across all levels of soccer. Please consider making a contribution today to help us continue growing our work.

If you would like to learn more about Soccer Chaplains United, please email info@soccerchaplainsunited.org.

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