We are pleased to promote the visit of Chaplain Norris Burkes to Chemung County, New York, during the week beginning Sunday, September 9, 2018.
Primary Sponsor – First United Methodist Church in Horseheads, NY
Public is welcome to attend any of the following events on the agenda for this visit.
SUNDAY – September 9, 2018
Location: Horseheads United Methodist Church, 1034 West Broad St., 14845
8:00 am – Early Worship with Norris Burkes
9:15 am – Sunday School hour; Join Norris in the adult class
10:30 am – Worship, Chancel Choir; Norris will bring the message; childcare for under 4 years; children’s fellowship for ages 4-8.
11:30 am – Gather for Lunch with Norris; enjoy coffee, conversation and Norris’ books followed by a pot luck lunch; meat, beverage, and table service supplied.
Website: www.hhdsumc.org/
MONDAY – September 10, 2018
Location: Big Flats United Methodist Church, 109 Hillview Dr. 14814
7:00 pm – Fellowship with Norris Burkes followed by a reception. “Laughing Through Loss, Love, and Life” is the title of his evening message. Books will be available for sale and free-will donations will be accepted to help defray costs.
Website: Big Flats United Methodist Church
TUESDAY – September 11, 2018
Location: Arnot Mall Center Court
Noon – 9/11 Memorial Gathering including Norris Burkes’ comments
3:00 pm – Chaplains, Pastors, Caregivers and Servers Workshop – All are invited to gather and meet those who share ministry and outreach goals and duties. Norris Burke will facilitate a discussion. Suggested topics include:
- The unique and valuable role of Chaplaincy and service in our community.
- Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) of existing and potential programs.
- Mutually beneficial support and coordination strategies.
5:00 pm – Center Court: greeting, book sales and signing
Website: www.arnotmall.com/
WEDNESDAY – September 12, 2018
Location: Bethany Village
7:00 am – Horseheads Rotary Meeting
9:00 am – Public welcome to join residents and families for a meet-and-greet with Norris Burkes. Suggested discussion topics include:
- Moving beyond self-service.
- God is bigger than our favorite part of the world.
- Lives have purpose beyond survival.
- Connecting across barriers.
- Being one without being the same.
Website: www.bethany-village.org/
Bio for Chaplain Norris Burkes, Lt.Col, USAF, ret.
Chaplain Norris Burkes began his chaplain career with both the active duty Air Force and the Air National Guard until his retirement in 2014. His assignments included Cape Canaveral Air Station, Izmir Air Station Turkey, and Moffett Field. He was deployed as a combat chaplain to Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and Panama.
Concurrent to his military service, he served as a board-certified healthcare chaplain at Sutter Memorial, Kaiser, Methodist and Mather VA hospital. He entered retired life on July 1, 2017.
Highlighting his chaplain work, Burkes writes a spirituality column that offers a humorous and hope-filled approach to everyday spirituality and is syndicated in 36 additional papers nationwide. He recently published a book retelling the best of his newspaper columns called “Thriving Beyond Surviving.”
He graduated from Baylor University, Waco, TX, with a Bachelor of Arts in religion and journalism. He has a Master of Divinity degree from Golden Gate Seminary in Mill Valley, CA, and a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from Pacific University in Portland, OR.
In recent years, Chaplain Norris has run two marathons of 26 miles, completing the Air Force marathon in a little over 5 hours. In 2013, he took up golf, but says he is not yet to be trusted with keeping accurate score.
He is the author of “Hero’s Highway” about his experience as a chaplain in a combat hospital. He is also the author of “No Small Miracles,” the father of four grown miracles and living proof that 38 years of a happy marriage is still God’s greatest miracle.
Website: https://www.thechaplain.net