A Tribute Letter to Lenoard Nimoy (Mr. Spock from Star Trek: The Original Series)

Mr. Nimoy... You and Bill Shatner inspired a whole generation who grew up watching you. I was one of that generation - the last of the baby boomers. Star Trek has inspired Civil Rights, Technology Development and Space Exporation... The list goes on...  

No one television has affected so many, so widely for so long and still affects yet a new generation of "Trekkies" through the acting of Chris Pine, Zachery Quinto, Karl Urban, and the entire new cast of a "new timeline" of Star Trek.

The contributions you and your fellow actors by bringing to life Gene Roddenbury's vision of a

better, kinder, and gentler world made a difference when it first Broadcast. After the first year Nichelle Nichols had decided to leave the show until one night at an event she ran into a fan of Star Trek, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who she told she was quitting to which Dr. King replied "You Can't !... Don't you know what you represent.. The first female, African-American bridge officer ever portrayed on screen. ". Nichelle returned and you and your comrades continued to bring to life Gene's vision.

Those of us who grew up with you, no one except our generation, will know the love, the reverence, and the kindred spirit that we all share with your cast. You realized it for the first time a Star Trek convention was held expect 300 to 400. When you went on stage, there were 3000-4000 fans waiting. You knew then this was not just another series. It was an event. It became a cult of "Trekkies". 

Those same Trekkies who grew up and created things like the floppy disk drive (like you used on your computer on the Enterprise), the cell phone (which was developed in part from inspiration from your communicators), the PADDs which, more on later versions of Star Trek (like Next Gen and DS-9), that those same data PADDs inspiried what we have today - they called iPads and Tablets; and even what we have today that is in every house, on our walls and tables - the Flat Screen TV. 

You even brought from an ancient Jewish cabal, the vulcan sign of peace (the famous "v" made with your had by separating your middle and ring finger to form a "v".  So much of what

you and the cast brought to life, meant everyting to a generation which grew uip and changed the world through the inspiration of Gene Roddenbury's vision, portratyed like no other actors have like your fellow cast members.

You you will truly be missed. Loved and adored by many. But your spirit will always be with us. In our hearts, in our inspriations, in our visions of a better, kinder, gentler world. Even with the horrific tragedies humanity is inflicting on itself (ISIS), you and your cast helped a whole generation and now whole generations, to see beyond the mundane and look beyond to the future, where no one has gone before - where there is no hunger, no want, no need unfilled so that humanity can pursue higher pursuits.

You will always be with us in our hearts and we will never forget you , nor will we let our children, grand-children, and great-grandchildren the incredible cadre of actors who through not just acting, but emboding the characters which Gene Roddenbury envision, brought to life hope for the future. Leonard, may your spirit "Live long and prosper".

An Insider's View of Channel 13 WTHR's "Nightbeat" story, "Minister with a Badge" by Andrea Morehead (originally aired 02/19/2015)

by Jeffery Wolfe, Indianapolis, Friday, Feb. 20, 2015


Yesterday, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) Chief Richard Hite held a press conference where he highlighted not only the successes which IMPD had in 2014 resulting in the arrests of some of the worst criminal offenders in Indianapolis, but spent a significant amount of time showing that IMPD is not just concerned about arrests, but those whom they arrest.   Expanding on a number of programs designed to support their officers through police shootings, to early on set of stress and in some cases PTSD with its officers and how a number of programs are designed to be there to support our fine men men and women in blue.   Chief Hite also had a number of individuals speak at the press conference on a number of programs and initiatives designed to help not only its IMPD Officers, their families and IMPD staff and their families, but also those victims of violent crimes and their families.

Chief Hite also asked paid Staff Chaplain David Coatie at the press conference yesterday at 1pm to say a few words about his Chaplain team and how they try to make a difference not only in the lives of our officers, but also the entire administrative and support staff of IMPD as well as the victims and victims families of violent crimes.   Chaplain Coatie's team is composed of an ecumenical cadre of men and women ministers, pastors, priests, and rabbis who volunteer their time and talent to help achieve this important work as volunteer chaplains.  But don't let the word "volunteer" fool you.  These men and women are anything but ordinary volunteers.   All were screened from hundreds of candidates of some of the top ministers, pastors, priests, and rabbis in the City of Indianapolis.

But it doesn't stop there. Once Candidates are weeded out based on their resume and their references and finally offered the position of '"volunteer chaplain", their work training just begins. These final candidates go through a rigorous vetting process by a "hiring board" of the Command Staff of IMPD and its this "board" which actually gives the final approval for these final candidates.  Then their training begins.   IMPD treats these "volunteer chaplains" the same as they do their paid staff. A rigorous training program is a time when these men and women volunteer chaplains go through an intense training program designed by Chaplain Coatie. They are required to join the International Conference of Professional Chaplains (http://icpc4cops.org) and enter their intense training program for credentials as "professional chaplains. But Chaplain Coatie won't take the credit.  He adamantly points out that Indianapolis has one of the top chaplain programs in the country for two reasons: 1) the work they do is entirely supported and encouraged by Chief

HIte and his entire Command staff; and, 2) because of the incredible work of Chaplain Coatie's predecessors like Chaplain Philip Bacon, Chaplain Rick Kassel, et.al.,  who were staff Chaplains for as much as 30 years for IMPD , whom have literally wrote the book on current Law Enforcement Chaplaincy and whose model of IMPD is an example to which many other police departments from around the country look to for making positive changes in their own Chaplain programs.  

And don't think "volunteer" means these ordained ministers, pastors, priests, and rabbis are "part-time volunteers".  Many have put in as much as 180 hours of logged time in just three weeks (that roughly 60 hours per week to do justice to the role they fill as "IMPD Chaplains").   Many are usually supported through their local and/or national churches, Some are supported through their retirement savings.  Some are in the unique position where their spouses become the bread winners for their respective homes so that these dedicated men and women of G-d can do the work of an IMPD chaplain.  

The week, Andrea Morehead on Channel 13 WTHR's Nightbeat highlighted this important and often invisible work of IMPD to its officers, staff, ,their respective families, and the victims of violent crimes and their families.  Its been invisible for the most part because these volunteer ordained men and women of G-d are doing the work of an IMPD Chaplain volunteer not for status, nor ego, nor fame, nor even recognition.  All of them didn't choose to be volunteers for the IMPD Chaplain program. If you ask each of them, the will tell you that its a "calling" into this specialized and often unnoticed but very important work.  The are men and women are dedicated to make a difference in the lives of IMPD officers, staff and victims of violent crimes. 

Last night, WTHR's "Nightbeat" highlighted this work they do through through following some of these chaplains as they go through a typical day.   Chaplain Coatie would tell you that the training which these ordained ministers pastors, priests and rabbis is tough, but its one of the best training programs in police chaplaincy.  Below is video form Channel 13, WTHR's Nightbeat of IMPD's Chaplain program and Staff Chaplain's team and the daily grind of good works these men and women of God accomplish each day.  Being an IMPD Chaplain and the work which that it entails would be challenging even if these Chaplains were paid - but they are not - a job that would make most "full-time paid staff Chaplains" running back to church or parish ministry. These volunteers stick it out because 1) it is their calling;and 2) they each have a servant heart whose sole purpose to literally and simply be ministers, pastors, priests and rabbis; and, 3) the entire Chaplaincy Team views the men and women in blue, the support staff for IMPD, and the Victims and their families violent crimes as their own congregation, church, temple and/or parish.

Here is "Minister with a Badge", Part I, by Channel 13 WTHR's Nightbeat story Andrea Morehead. for this week.  Part II of "Minister with a Badge" will air on Channel 13, WTHR's will show yet another side of this incredible. Check out this incredible story and watch next week for Part II of this story "Minister with a Badge" on Channel 13 WTHR's "Nightbeat" by Andrea Morehead.

*photos and video courtesy of WTHR Channel 13.  All Rights are reserved to WTHR Channel 13. (c) 2015, WTHR Channel 13. _______________________

Rev Bro Jeffery Wolfe, OSFC is currently a "Chaplain Candidate" with the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) and is currently going through the vetting process which takes two (2) to five (5) weeks to complete for qualified individuals applying to be part of IMPD's Volunteer Chaplain Program.   Bro Jeff is currently in self-study training for Law Enforcement Chaplaincy and recently became a Board-Certifed Disaster Response Chaplain with the United States Emergency Services Chaplain Corps. (http://www.fb.com/usescc), a national Chaplain Response team avaiable for deployment after a natural, man-made or technical disaster.  Bro Jeff is also in the process of applying to the International Conference of Police Chaplains (http://www.icpc4cops.org) as a Liaison member and beginning their Credentialing Program to become a Certified Chaplain.

In addition, Rev. Brother Jeff Wolfe, OFSC is of St John XXIII Catholic Church in Indianapolis, IN. It was founded April 4, 2011 in Indianapolis on the East-side in Irvington. Bro Jeff serves Indianapolis by offering a Progressive, Vatican II Independent Catholic parish which offers communion, hospital visitation, shut-in visitation, prayer groups, RCIA, weddings and funerals, and other traditional liturgies associated with Catholicism. You can reach Bro Jeff through the website for St John XXIII Catholic Church - UACC or through Skype (user ID:  rev_jwolfe).  Follow Bro Jeff on Twitter @RevJeffWolfe.

Rev. Brother Jeffery Wolfe, OSFC is the Executive Director and a member of the Board of Directors for The Kristen Center, a faith-based not-for-profit community based organization dedicated to providing programs and services to those with HIV and those who care for them. Currently The Kristen Center offers targeted, customized HIV Support Groups for: Newly Diagnosed; Long Term Survivors; Family & Caregivers of those with HIV; and, Women with HIV. HIV Prevention programs are an essential core element of the services offered by The Kristen Center. You can learn more about The Kristen Center by going to http://www.thekristencenter.com/ or by checking out its Facebook Page at http://www.fb.com/TheKristenCenter or visit their Twitter page at http://www.twitter.com/kristencenter.

Just today I was going through my Facebook News Feed on my iPhone and ran across some posting about a teen coming out to his parents.  It started me thinking of the organization "Forty to None", a not for profit focused on helping LGBT teens who have been either kicked out by their parents when they told them they were gay or left on their own because of the verbal abuse once the family found out that one of their family members is gay and they thought it was unacceptable.

There are over 500,000 LGBTI teens who are homeless because they told their family were gay.  What a sad world in which we live where we have to hide the parts of ourselves (sometimes which is maybe we are gay).   Being gay is NOT a sin.  It never has been.   I could go on about this topic alone, but Mr. Matthew Vines, a sophomore undergraduate at Harvard does a very good job explaining why being gay is NOT a sin in his new book, "God and the Gay Christian".  Matthew says:

      Matthew Vines is an advocate for the acceptance of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people within Christian communities and in society at large. He lives in Wichita, Kansas. Matthew attended Harvard University from 2008 to 2010. He then took a leave of absence in order to research the Bible and homosexuality and work toward LGBT inclusion in the church.

In March 2012, Matthew delivered a speech at a church in his hometown about the Bible and homosexuality, calling for acceptance of gay Christians and their marriage relationships. Since then, the video of the speech has been seen more than 500,000 times on YouTube, and it was featured in The New York Times and The Christian Post.

In 2013, Matthew launched The Reformation Project, a non-profit organization dedicated to training LGBT Christians and their allies to reform church teaching on sexual orientation and gender identity. Matthew’s book, God and the Gay Christian: The Biblical Case in Support of Same-Sex Relationships, is in stores now.*

  

It is always good thing to be yourself, and if you are in a family environment which would embrace your coming out, that is wonderful and you are VERY fortunate; however, to all those LGBT teen who have not yet come out - I thought a word of advice and caution might be helpful

Ideally coming out should be no big deal and ideally we always pray we have patents whom live us unconditionally.  I did not come out to my dad until I was in college.  My mother has already pass102 But the reality is that this is not the case for every family whom have LGBT teens whom have yet to come out.

According to http://fortytonone.org, 500,000 LGBT teens are kicked out of their home by their parents because they came out to them and/or shared their HIV status with their family, or both.

So how to know if you are able to come out or not at home, here are some things to consider:

1). Wy are you coming out?  Is it for you to be proud of whom you are ?  Is it because you want to push a LGBT agenda at home ?  Is it because your friends who are LGBT came out with no repercussions?

2). What do you think your parents think about LGBT?  Does their faith day that it's wrong (even though you know it is not)?

3). Have you consideredtoday where you would go?  Where you would live?  How you would support yourself?  It is easy to believe "but they're my parents... They won't kick me out!  Really?  Ask one of the 500,000 teens who thought the same thing and now are homeless.

Here is a simple guideline that may help you gauge whether or not your family will receive you coming out in a supportive manner or not:

  A). Have your parents asked you questions out friends who may or may not be gay.  THIS IS NOT a foolproof guideline, but if your parents, on their own, been asking questions about LGBT persons, then chances are if they are asking questions on the topic, then they may be ready to hear from you coming out.  This is NOT a guarantee!!!  But it will give an indication if they are thinking about LGBT persons.

  B). If they are talking about LGBT persons on their own, aren't being derogatory, but genuinely curious. Then chances are they will receive your answer to their question with either supportive or positive responses.

 C). Test your coming out with your siblings.  Unless they are extremely religious , they will be supportive and might be willing to stand with you if you decide to come out to your family.

   D). If you are worried your family will not receive your coming out well, contact http://fortytonone.org or a sympathetic clergy to find out if there are any locations in your ares a for homeless youth.  DON'T SKIP THIS STEP.  If coming out goes sideways,you will be emotional and you need to know without a doubt where you can go to have a place to stay and or receive help and support which can facilitate a processes to work with you and your parents work toward reconciliation .

I know this seems like a lot, and can be a bit daughnting, but remember, 500,000 teens thought they would be OK to come out to their parents and family, and they weren't.  

I can also guarantee each of them would say that kid they had taken the suggestions above and prepared for the worst..  My guess would be they would say it would have been better to do a little planning incase it went sideways, they would have s plan on what to do, rather than just blurting out a dinner one night,  "Oh, by the way mom and dad? I'm gay.

As parents, even if they are supportive, will have blood rush from their head for fear you would get HIV/AIDS.

At this point, tell them HIV is no longer a terminal illness, and using proper protection, it becomes very hard to be infected (nothing is ever 100% effective - even HIV Prevention measure.   For more information about HIV Prevention, go to the Indiana HIV Prevention Community Planning Group.

To learn more about LGBT Homeless Youth and what you can do to help, visit http://www.fortytonone.org or if you live in Indianapolis, contact The Kristen Center at 317-520-3036 or visit their website at http://www.thekristencenter.com, their FB page at http://www.fb.com/thekristencenter, or their twitter account at http://www.twitter.com/kristencenter.

Peace,
Bro Jeff