Chaplains Corner
Our Chaplain, Fred Soto.
What is a Chaplain?
Chaplains share God's hope and comfort with those who have experienced tragedy or loss in their lives. A chaplain's ministry does not replace the local church and usually occurs outside the walls of a church. Instead, Chaplains encourage others to join local churches or faith groups to grow in their faith/relationships.
The CVG Chaplain Role
The CVG Chaplain is part of a larger community network of friends, neighbors and other volunteers that extend compassion and care within the Celebrate community. The Chaplain is focused on the spiritual encouragement of the CVG leadership and members. He will, through prayer, precept and example, point the way toward a high moral plane for the organization. The CVG membership is comprehensive in nature, embracing all religions and faith groups within its ranks. Accordingly, the Chaplaincy, being non-sectarian, must seek to minister to the needs of all, without regard to either church/synagogue/mosque affiliation or non-affiliation. The Chaplain may be asked to support meetings, life celebrations and other events with remarks, invocations, dedicatory prayers, or benedictions. The Chaplain may also be called upon to represent the CVG at official functions or public meetings. The CVG Chaplain helps to implement CVG initiatives with supporting suggestions and messages that promote unity, encouragement and healing.
Meet the Chaplain
Dr. Fred Soto accepted the invitation to serve as the CVG Chaplain in December of 2021. Fred brings over three decades of ministry experience including staff roles e.g., Seminary Academic Dean, Teaching Pastor, Pastor of Ministries, Music ministry, Church Elder, Interim Pastor and Church Consultant. Fred seeks to encourage inner resilience, Espirit de corps and service to the community. His academic degrees include a Ph.D. in Religious Education, Doctor of Strategic Leadership, Masters of Science in Management and undergraduate degrees in Social Psychology and Organizational Behavior. He has also earned diplomas or professional certification in Practical Theology, Instructional Methodology, and Organizational Effectiveness. Dr. Soto is also a professional percussionist who served in military bands in the United States and overseas. Having served in several ministry roles, he is no stranger to encouraging others in their faith. Fred’s love for learning and passion for encouraging others helped him to become knowledgeable and proficient in a variety of areas. His faith in God and contagious enthusiasm is only equaled by his sense of humor and service to others. If you ask him, he will tell you that his greatest accomplishments is his marriage of 50 years and the success of his children.
Prayers - Click Here for some useful non-denominational prayers