From a Cold Detroit Night to a Lifelong Calling
🙏🏻 How God Forms Leaders Long Before Credentials
At 61 years old—“29 plus shipping and handling,” as she likes to say—Guinevere Isabeau Haworth, known to most as Izzy, is living what she describes as the happiest season of her life. She and her husband live in Royal Oak, Michigan, surrounded by grown children, an urban farm, four dogs, three cats, and seventeen hens.
But this peace did not come easily.
It came through loss, homelessness, prayer, and a calling that first appeared on a freezing night beneath a Detroit overpass.
🕊️ A Childhood Without Roots—but Full of Questions
Izzy’s early life included church attendance without understanding. Faith was something you sat through, not something you were invited into. Her mother brought the family. Her father came along and slept through most services.
From a young age, Izzy questioned everything. She skipped grades, struggled socially, and felt misunderstood. At twelve, she was diagnosed with autism—finally offering language for what others had missed.
She wasn’t drifting because she lacked intelligence or curiosity. She was drifting because no one had helped her connect belief with meaning.
🌾 Loss That Shattered Faith
In December of 1987, Izzy lost her infant son. He was one of several babies who stopped breathing in a nursery due to neglect. Five babies died. Her son lived seven and a half months—his entire life marked by pain.
She had just begun to feel close to God.
Then her son was gone.
“I hated God,” she writes with unfiltered honesty. “I hated Him.”
Grief broke what little faith had formed. Izzy left home and lived homeless on the streets of Detroit for over a year. Surrounded by suffering, life felt unreal. God felt absent.
✨ The Night Everything Changed
One winter night on Detroit’s Cass Corridor, Izzy noticed a man slumped under an overpass. Empty pill bottles. Empty alcohol containers. She thought he was dead.
Then he moved.
Something in her broke open.
She knelt beside him and prayed—for the first time in a very long time. She stayed nearly an hour. Before leaving, she felt his hand rest gently on her head.
That moment became a turning point.
She listened. She prayed. She showed up.
Izzy helped him to his feet. Others gathered. They met night after night around a burn barrel—talking about God, survival, and hope. The man turned out to be a former Marine who had survived unimaginable hardship.
The man turned out to be a former Marine who had survived unimaginable hardship.
What began with one or two people grew to ten.
Eventually, the community asked her to serve as their pastor—not through an institution, but through trust.
No building.
No title.
No credentials.
Only presence and faithfulness.
🙏🏻 Learning Before Leading
Even after leaving the streets, Izzy knew calling alone was not enough. She wanted to learn.
For years, she intentionally lived among different faith communities—writing to churches, chapels, mosques, and synagogues, asking families to host her while she learned their beliefs. She studied. She taught. She traveled the world.
Her ministry expanded across cultures and continents.
Izzy endured multiple sclerosis, repeated COVID exposure as a first responder, and heart failure. Her implanted defibrillator now has a name: Sparky.
Still, she served.
🫶 Still Called. Still Faithful.
Today, Izzy ministers near Dearborn, Michigan, among people of many faith backgrounds. She listens. She teaches. She counsels. She prays.
She has been a teacher and counselor for 25 years.
A pastor for more than 40.
Her story reminds us of a quiet truth: God often calls people long before they are trained—and invites them to grow along the way.
If you feel a pull to “do something more,” you are not alone.
Sometimes the next faithful step begins exactly where you are.
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Christian Calling Later in Life: A Ministry Story from Detroit
From a Cold Detroit Night to a Lifelong Calling 🙏🏻 How God Forms Leaders Long Before Credentials At 61 years old—“29 plus shipping and handling,” as she likes to say—Guinevere Isabeau Haworth, known to most as Izzy, is living what she describes as the happiest season of her life. She and her husband live in […]
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Why Christmas Needs Chaplains
Why Christmas Needs Chaplains – Ordained Volunteer Ministry 🎅🏼 The Joy 🌟 and the Pain 💔 of Christmas Christmas is often called the most wonderful time of the year. Families gather, churches fill with carols, and lights shine in every town. But beneath the joy, many people experience something else: loneliness, grief, stress, or spiritual […]
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Fire/EMS Chaplain Training
Fire/EMS Chaplain Training: Equipping First Responders to Bring Hope Firefighters, EMTs, and paramedics often serve on the front lines of crisis. They arrive first at accidents, fires, medical emergencies, and tragedies—places where life can change in a matter of seconds. In those moments, physical rescue matters, but so does spiritual presence. That is where Fire/EMS […]
🛤️ Free Ministry Training for Those Sensing a Calling
Many people assume a calling to ministry belongs only to the young, the formally educated, or those with uninterrupted paths. Scripture—and real lives—tell a different story.
Across the Bible, God calls people after loss, after wandering, and after long seasons they never planned. Some are called in midlife. Some in later years. Many are called quietly, long before recognition ever comes.
Christian Leaders Institute exists for people exactly like that.
CLI offers free ministry training online for men and women who sense a calling and want to grow in biblical understanding, spiritual maturity, and practical ministry skills—without relocating, going into debt, or putting life on hold.
This formation is especially meaningful for:
You do not need to have everything figured out before you begin.
Many students start simply because they feel a nudge—to learn, to heal, and to serve more faithfully.
Christian Leaders Institute provides a place to grow at your pace, in your season, with dignity and grace.
Why Christmas Needs Chaplains – Ordained Volunteer Ministry 🎅🏼
The Joy 🌟 and the Pain 💔 of Christmas
Christmas is often called the most wonderful time of the year. Families gather, churches fill with carols, and lights shine in every town. But beneath the joy, many people experience something else: loneliness, grief, stress, or spiritual searching.
❄️ The widow spending her first holiday alone.
❄️ The single parent trying to make ends meet.
❄️ The couple planning a Christmas wedding, but unsure who can officiate.
❄️ The overwhelmed volunteer at a holiday charity event, longing for encouragement.
Christmas magnifies both the highs and the lows of life. And that’s exactly why we need Christmas Chaplains.
🎁 What Is a Christmas Chaplain?
A Christmas Chaplain is a volunteer minister ordained through the Christian Leaders Alliance. Their calling is simple but profound: to bring presence, prayer, and Christ-centered hope in the holiday season.
They serve at church and community events, in homes and gatherings, in moments of grief—and often at Christmas weddings, officiating one of life’s most sacred moments. This role is not just seasonal; it’s a gateway into lifelong ministry, giving ordinary Christians the chance to step into extraordinary opportunities.
🎄 Why This Is an Ordination Role
A Christmas Chaplain is more than a seasonal volunteer—the role is recognized through ordination because both the chaplain and the community need more than goodwill; they need spiritual authority, accountability, and trust.
❄️ For the called chaplain: Ordination affirms their calling, giving confidence and recognition to minister, officiate weddings, and lead sacred moments with integrity. They stand not just as a helper but as clergy commissioned by the body of Christ.
❄️ For the community: Ordination creates credibility and confidentiality. When people know they’re speaking with an ordained chaplain, they can safely open up about grief, stress, or family pain that often surfaces during Christmas. The expectation of confidentiality allows people to share burdens they may never voice elsewhere—opening the door to prayer, pastoral guidance, and Christ-centered healing.
In short, ordination grounds the Christmas Chaplain in both personal calling and public recognition, while giving the community a safe, trustworthy presence to lean on in the most tender season of the year.
☃️ Why the Role Matters Today
Many people won’t walk into a church but will gladly receive prayer at a Christmas event, workplace party, or neighborhood gathering. Chaplains meet people where they are, embodying the message of Immanuel—God with us. They remind the world that Christ’s light still shines, no one has to face the holidays alone, and that weddings and blessings are sacred moments worthy of ordained clergy.
🧝🏼How to Become a Christmas Chaplain
The Christian Leaders Institute pathway includes:
❄️ Wedding Officiant Training – officiate weddings with excellence.
❄️ Chaplain Foundations Course – theology of presence and prayer.
❄️ Christian Chaplaincy Module – practical ministry for the holidays.
❄️ Ordination Recognition – credentials via Christian Leaders Alliance.
You can be a volunteer or bi-vocational leader—ready to step into holiday ministry right where you are.
📕 Table of Contents
❄️ Why Christmas Needs Chaplains
❄️ Christmas Chaplains: A New Volunteer Movement in Ministry
❄️ How to Become an Ordained Christmas Chaplain
❄️ 5 Ways Volunteer Chaplains Bring Hope at Christmas
❄️ What Does a Christmas Chaplain Do?
❄️ From Holiday Stress to Christmas Presence: The Chaplain’s Role
❄️ Why Weddings Need Christmas Chaplains
❄️ How Christmas Chaplains Bring Comfort in Grief
❄️ Top 7 Christmas Blessings You Can Lead as a Chaplain
❄️ Christmas Chaplain Ordination Program
❄️ Sinterklaas and the Christmas Chaplain: Carrying the Legacy of Saint Nicholas
🕊️ A Gateway to More Ministry
Many who begin as Christmas Chaplains go on to:
❄️ Plant Soul Centers in their communities.
❄️ Train for other chaplain roles (hospital, fire/EMS, school, corrections).
❄️ Enroll in low-cost ministry degrees at Christian Leaders Institute.
Becoming a Christmas Chaplain isn’t the end—it’s the beginning of your ministry journey.
🎉 Ready to Answer the Call?
Start your journey today:
❄️ Enroll in the Christmas Chaplain Program
❄️ Order Your Christmas Chaplain Kit
❄️ Support Training More Volunteer Chaplains
❄️ Explore the Low-Cost Ministry Degree Pathway
Because this year, someone’s Christmas miracle might be you showing up as a Chaplain.
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Christian Calling Later in Life: A Ministry Story from Detroit
From a Cold Detroit Night to a Lifelong Calling 🙏🏻 How God Forms Leaders Long Before Credentials At 61 years old—“29 plus shipping and handling,” as she likes to say—Guinevere Isabeau Haworth, known to most as Izzy, is living what she describes as the happiest season of her life. She and her husband live in […]
-
Why Christmas Needs Chaplains
Why Christmas Needs Chaplains – Ordained Volunteer Ministry 🎅🏼 The Joy 🌟 and the Pain 💔 of Christmas Christmas is often called the most wonderful time of the year. Families gather, churches fill with carols, and lights shine in every town. But beneath the joy, many people experience something else: loneliness, grief, stress, or spiritual […]
-
Fire/EMS Chaplain Training
Fire/EMS Chaplain Training: Equipping First Responders to Bring Hope Firefighters, EMTs, and paramedics often serve on the front lines of crisis. They arrive first at accidents, fires, medical emergencies, and tragedies—places where life can change in a matter of seconds. In those moments, physical rescue matters, but so does spiritual presence. That is where Fire/EMS […]
🔔 Resources & Next Steps: Christmas Chaplain Hub
Deepen Your Journey Into Christmas Chaplaincy:
Becoming a Christmas Chaplain isn’t only about one holiday season—it’s about discovering your calling to serve with presence, prayer, and Christ-centered hope. Below you’ll find resources to help you explore training, ordination, stories, and broader ministry pathways.
🌟 Learn & Train
❄️ Christmas Chaplain Program at Christian Leaders Institute – Begin your training with free online courses designed for practical ministry during the holidays.
❄️ Ordination Recognition at Christian Leaders Alliance – Discover how your calling is affirmed through official ordination, giving credibility and accountability to your chaplain role.
❄️ Ministry Care Conversations Course (MIN 235) – Gain skills in relational and pastoral presence, a core part of chaplaincy.
🕯️ See Real Stories
❄️ Journey to Become a Chaplain – Read inspiring testimonies of those who answered the call to chaplaincy.
❄️ Chaplain Ministry Education & Ordination – Explore how everyday Christians are stepping into leadership through CLI and CLA.
🎁 Order & Support
❄️ Order the Christmas Chaplain Kit – Everything you need to begin serving this season.
❄️ Support Training More Volunteer Chaplains – Your donation helps expand training so that more Christmas Chaplains can bring hope into their communities.
🌍 External Insights (for broader perspective)
❄️ Association of Professional Chaplains – Learn about chaplain roles in different contexts.
❄️ Hospice Foundation of America: Coping with Grief During Holidays – Resources on how chaplains and caregivers can walk with people in holiday seasons of loss.
❄️ Christianity Today – Chaplaincy Features – Articles reflecting the growing impact of volunteer chaplains in today’s culture.
📚 Expand Your Calling
Many who begin as Christmas Chaplains go on to:
❄️ Plant Soul Centers in their neighborhoods.
❄️ Train as specialized chaplains (school, EMS, hospital, crisis).
❄️ Pursue low-cost ministry degrees through Christian Leaders Institute.
🧑🏫 About Christian Leaders Institute
At Christian Leaders Institute, we connect ministers, chaplains, wedding officiants, and ministry coaches in a global Spirit-led network. Our mission is to help you answer God’s call without financial barriers, empowering you to serve your community and the world. In partnership with Christian Leaders Alliance whom equips called Christians worldwide through free, study-based ministry training and recognized ordination credentials.
Fire/EMS Chaplain Training: Equipping First Responders to Bring Hope
Firefighters, EMTs, and paramedics often serve on the front lines of crisis. They arrive first at accidents, fires, medical emergencies, and tragedies—places where life can change in a matter of seconds. In those moments, physical rescue matters, but so does spiritual presence. That is where Fire/EMS Chaplain Training comes in.
At Christian Leaders Institute (CLI), we believe that first responders and ministry leaders alike can be equipped to bring Christ’s presence into high-stress, high-stakes environments. Our Fire/EMS Chaplain Training program provides free, donation-supported courses that prepare volunteer, part-time, and full-time chaplains to serve with credibility, compassion, and confidence.
🙏 Why Fire/EMS Chaplains Are Needed
First responders face trauma daily. From holding the hand of a dying patient to comforting a family at the scene of a fire, chaplains step in to provide emotional and spiritual support. They are a vital presence not just for victims and families, but also for the firefighters and EMS crews themselves.
Many responders carry hidden stress, moral injury, and spiritual questions. A trained chaplain can walk beside them, offering prayer, counsel, and hope.
📖 What You’ll Learn in CLI’s Fire/EMS Chaplain Training
This program covers essential topics designed to prepare you for this unique ministry role:
Our training is flexible, online, and accessible from anywhere in the world. Best of all, thanks to generous donors, this training is free to enroll. Students are invited to give as God leads, making this program sustainable and expanding access to more chaplains globally.
🚒 Fire/EMS Chaplain Training: The Story of Jesse Gullett
Jesse Gullett was born and raised in Tennessee, where he still works today as a licensed paramedic. His life has been shaped by service, struggle, and a steady walk with God that began when he was just ten years old.
“My walk with God began around the age of ten, when I was saved,” Jesse remembers. “I always hated war, but I wanted to help those in need—not only with my hands, but by allowing God to work through me to show His love.”
In 2008, Jesse enlisted in the U.S. Army as a Combat Medic. For a young man from a small town where nearly everyone attended church, the military was a culture shock.
“I met people from many different walks of life, both good and bad. The hardest challenge was learning how to be part of the group without becoming part of the world,” he says.
At times he faced ridicule for his faith, but he chose not to waver. He never pressured others to believe, but looked for quiet opportunities to plant seeds.
In 2009, Jesse deployed to Iraq. It was a season of danger—but also of deep faith.
“Our platoon never sustained any major injuries, even in dangerous situations. I truly believe this was because, before every patrol, we prayed together. Not everyone believed in Jesus, but many were willing to pray if it meant divine protection. I know God was with us and kept us safe.”
Jesse describes his military experience as carrying a yoke “heavy enough to keep me humble, but light enough that I never feared being crushed.”
After leaving active duty, Jesse pursued a degree in criminal justice and became a licensed paramedic. His work today places him in some of the most intense and vulnerable moments of people’s lives.
“Being a paramedic means encountering people in their darkest moments. I can’t openly preach about God at work, but I can provide compassion. When someone opens the door to talk about faith, I joyfully share Christ.”
He has also learned that many who profess Christ need encouragement to live consistently with their faith. This has given him a heart for discipleship among his coworkers.
EMS schedules make Sunday worship difficult. Jesse sometimes felt like an outsider in church life, but God shifted his perspective.
“Through prayer, God reminded me that the church is not just a building—it’s the body of Christ. That gave me the vision to create fellowship opportunities within EMS. Too many first responders miss church because of the job. I want to bring worship and discipleship into the workplace.”
This dream—to serve first responders as a chaplain—began to take shape.
Jesse knows his calling is not just to provide medical aid, but also spiritual care.
“One of my future goals is to become a chaplain for the EMS service where I work. I want my faith to shine so others see there is hope—that there is a God who truly loves and cares for us.”
But he also recognizes the need for equipping.
“My faith is strong, but my theological knowledge needs to grow. If I’m going to guide others, I need training to answer hard questions, comfort in suffering, and celebrate in joy.”
That’s what led Jesse to the Christian Leaders Institute.
“I’m here because I need help. I want to walk closer with God and raise up others who will become mentors and leaders in the future.”
Through CLI’s Fire/EMS Chaplaincy Training, Jesse is gaining the biblical grounding and practical skills he needs to turn his vision into reality. His story reflects the mission of CLI—to equip ordinary believers for extraordinary ministry.
For Jesse, the call is clear: to bring the presence of Christ into the firehouses, ambulances, and emergency rooms of Tennessee—offering both physical care and eternal hope.
👉 Get Started Today
If God is calling you to bring His presence to become a fire/EMS Chaplain, now is the time to prepare. Christian Leaders Institute makes this training available free of charge, supported by generous donors who believe in equipping volunteer and part-time chaplains for service.
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Christian Calling Later in Life: A Ministry Story from Detroit
From a Cold Detroit Night to a Lifelong Calling 🙏🏻 How God Forms Leaders Long Before Credentials At 61 years old—“29 plus shipping and handling,” as she likes to say—Guinevere Isabeau Haworth, known to most as Izzy, is living what she describes as the happiest season of her life. She and her husband live in […]
-
Why Christmas Needs Chaplains
Why Christmas Needs Chaplains – Ordained Volunteer Ministry 🎅🏼 The Joy 🌟 and the Pain 💔 of Christmas Christmas is often called the most wonderful time of the year. Families gather, churches fill with carols, and lights shine in every town. But beneath the joy, many people experience something else: loneliness, grief, stress, or spiritual […]
-
Fire/EMS Chaplain Training
Fire/EMS Chaplain Training: Equipping First Responders to Bring Hope Firefighters, EMTs, and paramedics often serve on the front lines of crisis. They arrive first at accidents, fires, medical emergencies, and tragedies—places where life can change in a matter of seconds. In those moments, physical rescue matters, but so does spiritual presence. That is where Fire/EMS […]