Stepping up for the Lord

Photo By Sgt. Michael Baltz | Jenny Michael, a liturgical protestant service minister, was able to step up and fill a void by requesting and gaining the right to conduct liturgical services, which supports Joint Task Force Guantanamo and U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay personnel.  

GUANTANAMO BAY, CUBA

12.18.2009

Story by Sgt. Michael Baltz 

Joint Task Force Guantanamo Public Affairs

GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba — In order to support the religious needs of Joint Task Force Guantanamo and U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay service members and personnel, Jenny Michael stepped up and sent a request to her bishop to assume the duties of the liturgical chaplain at U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay.

"I don't believe in letting a ministry fail," said Michael, who has now become the liturgical protestant service minister. "When Chaplain [Clint] Picket left in July, [the GTMO community] didn't have a liturgical minister. With our faith tradition, it is important for us to receive the body of Christ and fellowship, so there was a big hole in our lives."

Although she is not ordained, she has many of the same responsibilities as many chaplains do.

In a letter to the Federal Chaplaincy Ministries, Bishop Edward R. Benoway, the bishop for Florida-Bahamas Synod, said, "In light of the fact that there is not a Lutheran chaplain presently available to provide the word and sacrament ministry to the people at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, I am hereby authorizing Jenny Michael to provide for and lead a liturgical Protestant worship service in this area."

She was also granted the permission to provide the consecration of the Sacrament of Holy Communion based on "her commitment to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and its mission throughout the world," stated Benoway.

It took a few months to complete the paperwork in order to continue the liturgical services, but since then she has made an impact.

"I really like Jenny; she really has the heart of Christ. Being around her makes me feel at home," said Air Force Master Sgt. Phylis Washington with Joint Task Force Guantanamo's Joint Medical Group. "A lot of times we are called by the Lord. God called her to do something, and she stepped up, and her being so obedient is really amazing."

"She keeps me grounded, rooted and accountable with the Lord," continued Washington, who works in mental heath. "I think about all the people I have seen in my mental heath clinic and see all of these people searching and searching, so having the Lord in my life keeps me anchored. It is sad to see people come on [temporary duty] and think, 'what ever happens at [the temporary duty station] stays at [the temporary duty station].' So with challenges service members face, it is important to take God every where you go, including [temporary duty stations]."

Michael has been accustomed to stepping up and taking charge because she is married to retired Army Sgt. 1st Class Kelly Michael, who now works as the special security officer for JTF Guantanamo.

"I am so proud of her," her husband said. "With all the deployments I have been through, my wife has always supported me. No matter where I went or what I did, she knew I was doing it for my country. I couldn't have done what I done without her."

Michael is a lay leader and also the leader of GTMO Protestant Women of the Church.

Michael was sure to note that, "having God in one's life is hard to explain. It is like describing how salt tastes to somebody. It spices everything up in your life for the better."

• Date Taken: 12.18.2009
• Date Posted: 12.21.2009 17:05
• Story ID: 43013
• Location: GUANTANAMO BAY, CU