Chaplains at Community Crossroads: Integrating spirituality in diverse sectors

Pastor Susan Beck is the pastor of the Community of St. Dysmas Lutheran Church which is a ministry within the Maryland State Correctional System. She never expected that ministry would take her “behind bars,” but she is finding that that’s exactly where the gospel is. Before accepting the call to be CSD pastor, she served two churches, St. John’s Lutheran in Thurmont and  Shepherd of the Glen Lutheran in Glenwood. She is active in ecumenical and interfaith work, and serve on the board of Soul to Soul, in interfaith organization that seeks to promote understanding between faiths. She lives in Woodbine, Md. with her husband Bill, a retired physicist. She and her husband have 3 grown children and seven grandchildren, all of whom are blessedly local. 

The Rev. Dr. Lorraine Brown is the founder and Executive Director of Project SPIRIT Sickle Cell (PSSC). PSSC ensures that young adults living with a diagnosis of Sickle Cell Disease experience internal hope through a community-based spiritual resource designed to support them in managing the complexities of both life and health care treatments, aiding them in effectively responding to and managing life’s challenges. Prior to a life of ministry her nursing focus was in the areas of early childhood health education and sickle cell disease. While working for the federal government in the Genetic Service Branch she answered the call to ordained ministry and has served as a pastor for a variety of United Methodist Churches (UMC) in Maryland. 

Chaplain Asma Inge-Hanif, a dedicated activist and healthcare professional, founded Muslimat Al Nisaa to provide essential health services to underserved women and children, drawing from her extensive experience caring for marginalized communities over 30 years. With qualifications in nursing and midwifery, she established a Health and Social Services Center. She was originally motivated in response to her maternal grandmother who was a domestic worker for a physician, and who died from a preventable condition because she lacked healthcare. As a trailblazer, she became the first female Chairperson of the Council of Muslim Organizations and graduated from various seminaries, deepening her understanding of Muslim-Christian relations and pastoral care. Through her center and shelter, she offers refuge and support to women facing homelessness and domestic violence, addressing critical needs with compassion and dedication.

The Rev. Dr. Allen Siegel is a board-certified chaplain, clinical pastoral education supervisor, and Director of Spiritual Care Services for the UM Upper Chesapeake Health System. He is a 34-year Registered Nurse and a retired US Health and Human Services DMORT & American Red Cross Disaster Spiritual Care Chaplain. Rev. Siegel is an ordained interfaith minister with certificates in health ministry, palliative care, ethics, and critical incident stress management and the author of Can You PACE Yourself? Using PACE in the Clinical Setting, at End of Life and in Grief Work in the Journal of Radiology Nursing.

The Rev. Dr. Alisha Wimbush is the ICJS program director for religious leaders. She has a B.A. in Social Work from Messiah College and is a graduate of Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, GA, where she earned both her M.Div. and a Th.D. in Pastoral Care and Counseling. Most recently Alisha served as an Associate Chaplain at a continuing care retirement community in Pennsylvania. She has more than 15 years of experience working and providing leadership in nonprofit and congregational settings. She is passionate about building bridges across diverse communities and finding creative ways to foster relationships.