Tag: Be Present

Legacy of a YMCA Volunteer Chaplain: Bishop Paul Hirschy

I asked Vanessa from the Huntington Y to share a few words about her experience with Paul; she helps support Christian Emphasis in her YMCA, and this included supporting Bishop Hirschy in his volunteer chaplain ministry there.

Today was the funeral of our highly respected and beloved denominational leader Bishop Paul Hirschy.

A quiet leader, thoughtful, patient, faithful to the Lord and fruitful in his Christian ministry.

For me as a pastor and son of a pastor in the Church of the United Brethren in Christ, Paul was an ever present leader in my life – his unfailing warm-hearted kindness, generous smile and genuine attentiveness always made me feel welcome and included.

His ministry extended beyond his term as bishop, in the many years since then he served the local church providing pastoral care to members in need.

When I left the local church ministry for work in the YMCA as a pastor, my new tasks included connecting with local clergy who felt called to volunteer on the Y as a chaplain.

Imagine my delight when I discover Bishop Paul doing just that in the Huntington YMCA! How blessed that Y is to have a chaplain like Paul, and what a legacy for our UB ministers to have one of our own loving, caring and serving in the community with such a big heart and patient spirit.

May we have more pastors like Paul, more volunteer chaplains like him to strengthen the presence of Christ in our Y.

I asked Vanessa from the Huntington Y to share a few words about her experience with Paul; she helps support Christian Emphasis in her YMCA, and this included supporting Bishop Hirschy in his volunteer chaplain ministry there.

Here is Vanessa’s loving remembrance:

“His name was Paul Hirschy.

Former Bishop Paul E. Hirschy, 75, passed away December 1, 2021, after a long battle with cancer.

Paul was a faithful chaplain at the YMCA of Huntington County.

He would set aside a couple hours a week to invest in the lives of community members. He was full of God’s grace and shined ever so bright even in the darkest of days.

Paul would walk into the front doors of the YMCA and spread his contagious smile to the ladies at the front desk.

Then, he would turn the corner to record his time and place his VOLUNTEER name tag on.

Paul was the epitome of a volunteer.

He showed up, he served, he loved, and cared for all that stepped into his path.

Paul would usually find his way to the table.

The table where gentlemen and ladies would gather for a cup of morning joe and reminisce about the good ole days.

Eventually the relationships grew to move the discussion from the good ole days to the current not so good days of health scares and lost loved ones.

Paul never skipped a beat to listen and turn their attention to Jesus in prayer or through that light he so proudly presented.

The YMCA brought Paul on to serve our members, which he did well, not knowing the impact he would have on them as a leadership staff.

It did not matter the season for Paul, whether dark or bright, he always inquired how he could pray for us as a staff.

We knew whatever Paul was saying to Jesus was going to be heard and answered ten-fold.

Paul seemed to have a seat right next to our Heavenly Father even when his body was still on earth.

Paul cared for God’s people and inspired each of us every week.

After months of chemo, Paul came in to serve the YMCA not knowing how much longer he had.

Even in this time, Paul focused on us, he had faith and knew God’s plan was best and his peaceful presence said it all.

Paul was the most gentle, Christ centered man I know.

I have no doubt he is sitting by God as I write this and worshiping with his whole spirit; without pain, without suffering.

May our memories of Paul always be a place to visit his tender heart and produce a smile of joy upon our faces.”

Written by Vanessa Macias-Hannie, Director of Healthy Living at the Parkview Huntington Family YMCA, Indiana

More about Paul…

Paul graduated from Huntington University in 1968, and that year began ten years of pastoral ministry–initially in Convoy, Ohio, followed by nine years at Park UB church in Bluffton, Ind.

He managed the denominational printshop 1978-1981, and then was elected by General Conference to the first of five terms as Director of Church Services at the UB national office.

In 2001, Paul was elected bishop of the US National Conference. He served in that role until 2005.

He worked the next seven years as a development officer at Huntington University, and since 2012 has been associate pastor at College Park UB church in Huntington.

On October 1, 2021, Huntington University awarded Paul the Distinguished Alumni Citation, which recognizes exceptional service over an extended period of time. “Service” is, indeed, what Paul is most known for—a man with a true servant’s heart.

from UBCentral.org

The 5 Steps for Young Men becoming Christians in Association – by George Williams

What kind of spiritual vitality marked the founding of the YMCA in 1844? With what we learn about Williams and his steps for building a “healthy spirit” with those who worked near him, what is God’s Spirit stirring in you? 

How might you adapt these “steps” for your spirit-work in your Y, for moving the spirit-health of your branch and association forward?

  1. Each Young Man first assumed a special care for certain unconverted friends.
  2. He would then regularly and by name pray for each one.
  3. He would speak to them on serious matters.
  4. He would persuade them to accompany him to church.
  5. He would urge them to sample the prayer meeting or a Bible study group.

This list is found in chapter six of Clyde Binfield’s book George Williams and the YMCA, where he outlines the many factors that led up to June 6, 1844 and the founding of the Young Men’s Christian Association in London England (pgs. 110-111).

Binfield observes that it wasn’t just the “steps” that contributed to the early and enduring success of the YMCA, but also the character and charisma of the founding men, specifically marking the personal leadership and spirituality of George Williams. 

George Williams as a young man

The 1840’s “were ready for this” as Binfield writes, “a decade notable for movement”. And, as George Williams records in his diary “Oh shout God is at work…”

Binfield goes on to comment about the “steps”:

Such a system makes sense of aspects of William’s diary; there was something businesslike in it, at once quite rational and wholly Evangelical.

Yet no system, least of all involving ‘soul welfare’, can work unless the personalities concerned are sympathetic as well as powerful.

It might have required a system to make Williams abstain from gluttony or jump earlier out of bed.

It needed no such thing to make him deeply anxious for his fellows.

With this qualification, it is possible to see a development in intensity and spiritual awareness (which is not quite the same thing) amongst the Christians at Hitchcock, Rogers.

Here’s some of the paragraph Binfield writes about Williams:

…George Williams show[ed] the abundant geniality which impressed all who met him.

There was a genuineness about him which transcended other qualities.

Without this the atmosphere at St. Paul’s Churchyard would have been intolerable.

With it, the activities of the first Christian Young Men became natural, even unremarkable, and entirely acceptable.

There was, moreover, a persistence about Williams which only a strong character and formed intelligence could resist.

The young man was manifestly good at his job and he was no fool, despite the crevices in his intellectual armory.

From the first his ability in harnessing, utilizing, and keeping the abilities of more articulate men, and better organizers of greater men of the world, is striking.

This was partly the good businessman’s ability to delegate authority without abdicating responsibility.

Partly it was an extension of the good draper’s sixth sense – an ability to sum up and mentally to clothe his fellow man.

It was certainly the one thing needful to transmute the activieis at No. 72, St. Paul’s Churchyard into a Young Men’s Christian Association.

George Williams as a successful businessman

With what we learn here about Williams and his steps for building a “healthy spirit” with those who worked near him, what is God’s Spirit stirring in you?

How might you adapt these “steps” for your spirit-work in your Y, for moving the spirit-health of your branch and association forward?

What are some obstacles that seem to be in your way? 

What inspires you about Williams and his “steps” of faith? 

What kind of transformation might happen in you and those around you if you stepped courageously forward, like George and his friends did in 1844?

Day 12 :: Living Stone of LOVE

Join us for the 12 Day YMCA Devotion Series – LIVING STONES: LEAD, CARE AND SERVE LIKE JESUS

How can we be ‘like Living Stones’ used by God to strengthen the presence of Christ where we lead?

Recently, 24 YMCA leaders with the OnPrinciple program visited 12 places throughout the Holy Land where Jesus taught about how to live and lead in God’s kingdom.

From this experience comes 12 spiritual leadership principles – or Living Stones – (inspired by 1Peter 2:4-5) that Christ-followers can embody as we are being built up to lead, care and serve everyone, like Jesus.

by Tim Hallman, Christian Emphasis Director with the YMCA of Greater Fort Wayne

“It’s so dark and loud, I can’t believe how intense and crowded it is up here” I whispered to myself as a few of my friends squeezed through the dense throng with me in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher at the end of the Via Dolorosa.

We were in the Old City of Jerusalem trying to see the eleventh and twelfth stations of the cross, where Christ is depicted as being nailed to the cross and then dying on it.

Standing there in the dim candlelight and swirling incense, I wondered what it would have been like for the Lord’s beloved disciples and family as they tried to see him on the cross.

Bewildered? Terrified? Heart-broken? Wondering: “How could this happen?” “Why did this happen?”

We’ve all had our own moments of dark grief, loud confusion, and intense fear; there is no escaping suffering in this world, it is all around us in spirit, mind, and body.

Kierkegaard comments that when we suffer patiently this is not specifically Christian, freely choosing to suffer, though, is.

Jesus willing and freely chose to suffer and die on the cross – it is both our salvation from sin and an example to us on how to sacrificially lead and love.

Especially as Christian leaders, we imitate Christ Jesus when we follow his example of practical compassion to those who are suffering and thirsty for loving help – organizing and inspiring from start to finish.

The work that God gave Jesus to do was triumphantly completed on the cross, and our Lord was faithful to the finish, which included suffering at the hands of those he loved and was sent to save.

When Christians lead with sacrificial love, when we choose to suffer from others, we are allowed to share in word and deed the Good News of Christ Jesus and what he finished on the cross.

What is the sacrificial work God has given you to finish in your community, with your friends and family, in your congregation or workplace?

What has Christ been calling you to finish, to complete, to bring to an end for those in your midst who need a drink of hope and forgiveness?

May the suffering and compassionate Jesus be an example to you in spirit, mind, and body to finish what you started, sustaining you as living stones sacrificially leading, loving, and serving where he has sent you.

“Later, knowing that everything had now been finished, and so that Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.”

A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips.

When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.”

With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.”

Gospel according to John, 19.28-30 NIV

This YMCA devotion series brought to you by onPrinciple – click here to learn more about it – a new leadership development program to strengthen the presence of Christ in the YMCA

Click here for the entire devotion series as a downloadable PDF booklet.

Click here to access entire devotion series on YouVersion