I hope you all have a Safe, Healthy and Happy 2021!

As part of that “safe and healthy,” I was feeling a bit envious of my colleagues who had great smiles and glowing expressions on their social media pages after they received their COVID-19 vaccine. Good for each of you who have already gotten your first shot, and for those who are awaiting an opportunity to receive the vaccine, hang on; I trust it soon will be available for all of us. I fervently believe we will all have the option in the coming weeks/months. And, I’m hopeful that soon our scientists will get a tighter grip on the pandemic. In the meantime, please continue your vigilance, even if you’ve received the vaccine or survived the illness, so we can remain healthy and able to continue our work together. For those who may be deciding what to do, please be safe and healthy.

Early last week, I was fortunate to receive my first shot and look forward to the second shot coming later this month. This one was relatively benign for me. My arm was a bit sore and warm to the touch, but I had no other symptoms. The literature says there is an array of reactions to the vaccine and I have anecdotally heard that is true for both virus and the vaccine. Be good to yourself, do not compare your experience with the experience of other, stay safe, and know we really are all in this together.

We have a busy year ahead of us. I will be attending via ZOOM The COMISS Network: The Network on Ministry in Specialized Settings meeting on January 11, as will our Executive Director Trace Haythorn and Board Chair-elect Shawn Mai.

Another important part of our work together may soon involve the possibility of joining with the Association of Professional Chaplains (APC) in a new venture to strengthen our work as professional chaplains and spiritual care educators. For the past two years, the ACPE and APC have been in talks about merging our groups to become a different entity. The dream is to benefit the education of chaplains, spiritual care professionals and educators, and spiritually integrated psychotherapists, in all settings and provide for the greater good of the discipline and practice of spiritual care. We will meet with La Piana, our consulting group, and the APC Executive Board again on January 25th. More to come on that soon.

Our Annual Conference will be conducted using virtual platforms and online resources on particular days between May 3 and May 21, 2021. I am proud of the work of the Anti-Bias Task Force (ABTF), who is leading ACPE’s quest to become an actively anti-racist organization. I am looking forward to the conference because the ABTF has been diligent selecting outstanding content and considering the intricacies of a mix of synchronous and asynchronous learning events. The conference registration will open at the end of the month.

I know the Accreditation, Certification, and Psychotherapy Commissions are attentive to the needs of centers, educators, and psychotherapists. We are in good hands with our leadership. I look forward to hearing how you are serving your clients, students, and institutions in the coming year.

I’ll end as I began, I wish you a safe, healthy and happy new year! May we experience renewed energy and enthusiasm for our work.