Many of us have gratefully experienced a chaplain’s ministry in a hospital, hospice, college or military setting. Have you ever wondered what else chaplains do? How do their roles differ from the responsibilities of church-based clergy? When do chaplains minister to LGBTQ+ individuals and what are their challenges? To answer these questions and more, Openings welcomes Chaplain Jo Ann Mann and Chaplain Glenn Palmer to our April meeting.
Chaplain Jo Ann Mann is a retired member of the Florida Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church. Before entering the ordained ministry, she was an Army journalist and news editor for eight years. She has been a pastor, a hospital chaplain, an Army chaplain and a prison chaplain. Her ministry has taken her to Washington State, Saudi Arabia, Texas, Korea, Washington, DC and South Carolina. Most recently she was the associate pastor at Trinity UMC in Blythewood, where she led the contemporary service.
Chaplain Mann holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Florida State University and a Master of Divinity from The Divinity School at Duke University. She is board certified by the Association of Professional Chaplains. She lives in Pontiac, SC with a four legged blond named Tyke.
Chaplain (Lieutenant Colonel) Glenn A. Palmer is currently serving at the US Army Chaplain Center and School at Fort Jackson as Chief, Training Development Division. He entered active duty in the Army in 2002 after a seven-year ministry as a Lutheran pastor. He has served as a chaplain at Army bases across the US as well as in Korea and Iraq. Chaplain Palmer’s numerous military awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal and the Defense Meritorious Service Medal.
Chaplain Palmer is a graduate of the University of Southern Maine and the Lutheran Seminary at Gettysburg. He is married to the former Pamela Beedy of Dixfield, Maine. They have three children, Keturah (27), Ian (25) and Stuart (21).