Salt & Light Partners

Respite for our First Responders Protector's Peak (https://lnkd.in/gpR8_wZz) at Shiloh Ranch is 144 acres of beautiful mountain land nestled in the woods of north Idaho. Protector's Peak is a place where First Responders, military members, and their spouses go to rest, renew, and reconnect with God. Salt & Light Partners is collaborating with Protector's Peak to give our local heroes a place of respite. The men and women who protect us are under constant stress and pressure. The burden that our police officers and first responders carry is heavy and overwhelming. In careers that don't allow much time for self-care, Protectors' Peak exists to serve our servants.

Salt & Light Partner chaplains were privileged to participate in the ROCAir24 exercise simulating a mass casualty event at the Rochester International Airport. With over 400 participants, chaplains integrated into the exercise in three ways: 1) at the casualty collection point, providing counseling and comfort to injured survivors; 2) at the Family Assistance Center (FAC), reuniting family and friends with living victims; and 3) assisting law enforcement with death notifications regarding passengers or ground casualties. The community of Rochester is well prepared, though we hope it never happens.

We had our first marriage retreat weekend at the Elizabeth Lodge in Zumbro Falls this past weekend for our first responders. Many thanks to our facilitators Glenn and Susan Herschberger, our sponsor Christ Community Church, Chef Craig Rasmussen, and Mary Ward.

When you put the right resources into a critical incident (police, social worker, and chaplain) you can solve problems more quickly and compassionately. Thank you to the Rochester Police Department, and Olmsted County's Community Outreach Specialists for partnering with us to make our community the best it can be!

We are grateful for all of our firefighters and we celebrate the women of the Rochester Fire Department and the unique perspective they bring to the fire service and the wellness of our community.

On August 30th this past year, S&L Executive Director George Beech met with Olmsted County Sheriff’s Captain Samantha Reps and officers of the Deputy Sheriff’s Association, Matt Swazey and Andy Reinke. He wanted to see if S&L might bring the Family Readiness & Outreach Group (FROGs) family support program to the sheriff’s office. There are many reasons to have a support group, but one he chose to highlight, was that in the event of a line of duty death, the FROGs would surround the family of a deputy who died with love and support. This was a worst-case scenario, of course, and we hoped that we would never need them for that. Exactly seven days later, George was dispatched to a home in northwest Rochester where the worst-case became reality. A detention deputy had died unexpectedly from a heart condition at home. That deputy was Andy Reinke whom George had met with just one week earlier.

Like combat medics, Salt & Light Partners works to reduce the emotional bloodletting. https://lnkd.in/gigpcEV4

A Thread of Hope Our logo reminds us of our mission and vision as we work with those who serve our community. Matthew 5:13-16 gives the foundation for our mission and logo where our chaplains are called to be "the salt of the earth" and "the light of the world."  Salt // White Thread - Salt brings out the natural flavor of food and preserves what is good over time. This is what Chaplains do! We bring new perspectives and preserve hope in the worst of situations. Light // Yellow Thread - Light expels the darkness. Our first responders see a bit of darkness every day in our community. It's important for chaplains to shine a light on hope in a profession that sees the worst in our world.  The Darkness - The background represents the darkness that is inherent in our world. There is evil and brokenness everywhere and we need the light to overcome it.  Weaving // Our Community - Our community is like fabric. Many threads come together to make a beautiful tapestry representing all who call it home. Imagine a single thread of gold (light) woven into the dark background of the world's cloth. Though the single gold thread is subtle, you can see it from far away because it is different. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. https://lnkd.in/ehyAtSwK