Winter Games Chaplaincy 2010: Tuesday, Feb 9 update: Chaplains

In 2010, Canada will host the Olympic Winter Games for the second time in history. The XXI Olympic Winter Games come to Vancouver 22 years after Calgary hosted the XV Olympic Winter Games in 1988. Vancouver will mark the third overall appearance of Canada as host (the Games of the XXI Olympiad were held in Montreal in 1976). Montreal was my first Olympics as an alternate on the USA Wrestling Team. The 1992 Barcelona Summer Games was my first opportunity to serve as an official Olympic Chaplain in the Olympic Village. I have served as a chaplain at the past 3 Winter Games and have already seen some friends from the National Olympic Committees in the OV.

Photo 1: Carl and Kim and book table

At the 2006 Torino Games, 2,508 athletes from 80 nations took part in what was the most ever for a Winter Olympics. More athletes and countries are expected to compete this month in Vancouver and Whistler. There are twelve nations that have competed in every Winter Olympics: Austria, Canada, Finland, France, Great Britain, Hungary, Italy, Norway, Poland, Switzerland, Sweden and the United States. Great Britain and Switzerland are the only two countries to have competed in every Winter and Summer Olympics. Norway has won a total of 280 winter Olympic medals over the years, followed by the Soviet Union 217, USA 216, Austria 185, and Germany 179.

The Olympic Village is open, spring like weather in Vancouver, lots of snow in Whistler and snow being hauled into the Free Style and Snow Board Venue by truck and helicopter. My first shift in the Village was Saturday. The Chapel (Multi-faith Centre) is in a great location in the center of the OV. Sunday most of the chaplains gathered for orientation and briefing. There are many with Winter Sports chaplaincy experience, Olympic Chaplaincy experience and even two Winter Olympians (one Canadian Gold Medalist) serving the sports people. About half of the 25 Protestant Chaplains live in North America, with the rest coming from Europe and Australia. In addtion to the Christian Chaplains, there are representatives of the Buddhist, Moslem, Hindu, Jewish faiths serving the athletes. We have 5 rooms available for religious services, prayer, counseling, fellowhip and worship. Please pray for us and the entire Olympic family. I first met Katya at the 1998 Nagano Olympics when she was skiing for Belarus and I was a chaplain. Since then we have served together at ski World championships and this is our second Olympics together as chaplains. She serves in the Whistler OV and I serve in the Vancouver OV.