wfn.org | Olympic Chaplain's Impressions

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"UNITED METHODIST DAILY NEWS" by SUSAN PEEK on Aug. 11, 1991 at 13:58 Eastern,
about FULL TEXT RELEASES FROM UNITED METHODIST NEWS SERVICE (3059 notes).

Note 3058 by UMNS on July 12, 1996 at 16:55 Eastern (3749 characters).

SEARCH: summer, Olympics, athletes, chaplain, Atlanta, counseling,
spiritual care

Produced by United Methodist News Service, official news agency of
the United Methodist Church, with offices in Nashville, Tenn., New
York, and Washington.

CONTACT: Thomas S. McAnally                       344(10-71){3058}
         Nashville, Tenn. (615) 742-5470             July 12, 1996

United Methodist News Service to release
daily impressions of Olympics chaplain

     NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS) -- Daily impressions of a United
Methodist chaplain serving at the summer Olympics in Atlanta will
be released in two stories by United Methodist News Service.
     (You may wish to add a sentence here saying your publication
plans to carry the stories).
     The Rev. Keith Johnson, pastor of Park Avenue United
Methodist Church in Minneapolis, will be selecting from his
"diary" a daily impression or encounter that he thinks will
interest United Methodist readers.
     Johnson will be one of 37 chaplains from seven countries
selected to oversee religious services for more than 10,000
athletes from 197 countries.  Five of the 37 chaplains are United
Methodist.
     Johnson has long had an interest in sports and a commitment
to the Christian faith.  A native of Minnesota, he ran track for
the University of Minnesota where he graduated with a B.S. in
social work in 1982.  He earned his M.Div. degree from Trinity
Seminary in Chicago in 1991 and has been pastor of the 1,200-
member Park Avenue Church in Minneapolis for five years.
     Since 1991 Johnson has been ministering to professional
football and baseball and collegiate teams.  As one of the
chaplains for the Minnesota Vikings, he speaks and ministers along
with the coaches and players, getting them involved in ministry in
the city and sharing with them the Gospel.
     Religious activities at the Olympics will be centered at the
Catholic and Baptist student centers on the Georgia Tech Campus,
location of the Olympic Village.  The centers will open at 5:30 in
the morning for prayers and close at midnight.  However, chaplains
will be available for counseling 24 hours a day.
     When asked what kinds of counseling needs he anticipates,
Johnson cited the pressures on athletes to succeed.  "Everybody in
their home countries wants them to win the gold medal but every
athlete can't win. That inevitably leads to anxiety, let-down,
depression."
     He said much could happen within the athletes' families and
countries while they are gone that might prompt counseling support
and assistance.  Athletes who must drop from competition because
of health problems or accidents or even disqualification also
would need support, he said.
     Stated purpose of the chaplains is to "provide spiritual care
and support to all the people involved in the Olympic Village; to
be a God-based team giving loving support and spiritual care to a
multi-religious community."
     "Our mission is to remind people of God," said Johnson, "to
empower the Olympic Committee with a spiritual presence of
honesty, care, unity, availability, mutual concern for others and
to nurture the faith of those embodied in the Olympic experience."
     Johnson will arrive in Atlanta July 16 for the Olympics,
which formally open July 19.  The Olympics close August 4. 
Johnson will depart for home Aug. 6.
     United Methodist News Service, the denomination's official
news agency, plans to release one story mid-way through the
Olympics and another at the close.  It is expected that a photo of
Johnson with one of the athletes will be released with the second
story.  Director of the News Service is Tom McAnally.
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