For chaplain-related support or care (personal, business, organization, public meeting or event, etc) please contact by email bburton.cchap@gmail.com or by phone 816-558-5338.
PRESENT beyond the walls
Pastor Brian Burton has faithfully led Edina Assembly of God, preaching God’s Word and shepherding our congregation with passion and purpose since January of 2023. He has now stepped into an expanded role—serving outside the church setting as an officially commissioned Assemblies of God Community Chaplain, one of only 40 in the nation.
“Chaplaincy is not just about preaching. It’s about being there where there are hurting people, where they grieve, where they question. It’s ministry on the margins.
what is a community chaplain?
The ministry of a community chaplain is grounded in Matthew 25:35–36—They welcome the stranger and comfort the sick. They show compassion to the hurting, warmth to the cold, hope to the hopeless, and restore dignity to the overlooked.
A community chaplain is a pastor without the walls or pulpit of a church. First responders of the soul—offering prayer, presence, and peace in difficult times.
Requires no religious affiliation.
Respects an individuals personal background and beliefs.
Committed to the well-being of their community not just a church.
Listen with the highest of integrity, empathy, and confidentiality.
An impartial and nonjudgemental resource.
Brings encouragement to people in places traditional ministry doesn’t always reach, including:
Community organizations and agencies
First responders (EMS, fire, and law enforcement)
Hospitals and nursing homes
School administrators, faculty, and students
Sports Teams
Government meetings and civic events
Homes, the work place, and public spaces
in times of crisis, loss, or transition, the community chaplain’s work may be as simple as just listening to someone who needs to be heard. Someone to ask questions more to understand than to give answers. From the Meaning of Life discussions to the End of Life questions, chaplains help people work through them. There may not always be a good answer, and they can help come to terms with that.
how our community benefits
Community Chaplains can be instrumental in strengthening community involvement, increasing the effectiveness of various community efforts. Helping a community believe they can accomplish things by working together is also something community chaplains are instrumental in.
When made available to employees/staff, they have been proven to increase focus and the productivity of employees. Knowing they are valued as a person and not just an employee can help with employee retention. They are known to improve morale and increase the positivity of the atmosphere in the work place.
For chaplain-related support or care personally, in a business or organization, public meeting or event, etc, reach out to:
Email: Bburton.cchap@gmail.com or Phone: 816-558-5338
KEEPERS OF THE CLOAK
THE STORY OF THE CHAPLAIN~ The word chaplain originates from a story from the 4th Century about Saint Martin of Tours. Martin, who was a Roman soldier, had come to faith in Christ and was later declared a saint by the Catholic Church. One day, while stationed in Gaul (modern-day France), Martin saw a beggar shivering by the roadside. Moved with compassion, he removed his military cloak, cut it in half, and gave one half to the man.
That night, Martin had a dream that Jesus was wearing the half-cloak he had given away and heard Him say to the angels, “Martin, who is still only a new believer, has clothed Me with this robe.” In another version of the story, Martin then awoke the next morning to find his cloak miraculously restored to wholeness.
His act of kindness became legendary. The cloak, known as a “cappa”, was preserved and kept in a small sanctuary that became known as a chapel. The priests who served there were called chaplains—originally meaning “Keepers of the Cloak.” The cloak was later stored at Marmoutier Abbey near Tours, France. From its very beginnings, chaplaincy has been a ministry of presence—bringing warmth to the cold, compassion to the hurting, hope to the hopeless, and dignity to the overlooked.
As Jesus said in Matthew 25:35–36: “For I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited Me in, I needed clothes and you clothed Me, I was sick and you looked after Me, I was in prison and you came to visit Me.”