Noah is a full time Chaplain in Billings, Montana.  He works in the Spiritual Care Department at Billings Clinic, where he cares for patients in the Inpatient Cancer and Intermediate Care Centers.

Billings Clinic provides an interdisciplinary healthcare team where Chaplains are essential to a comprehensive care approach that addresses not only the physical needs of patients but also their emotional and spiritual well-being. In times of crisis, such as injury or illness, people need spiritual provision as well as medical care.  A compassionate listener can provide hope and encouragement, which supports the healing process. Chaplains are also available to care for the patients’ families, friends and loved ones, and Billings Clinic staff. If requested, Chaplains provide referrals to outside spiritual resources such as priests or ministers.

“There is a huge misconception about Pastoral care,” Noah says. Patients often think that his first visit is for the purpose of converting them to a particular faith, or that he has come to provide one final opportunity for spiritual redemption.  It is not uncommon for patients to tell Noah, “I don’t need a chaplain!  I am not dying!”

Noah explains that sometimes patients just need to share their feelings and concerns with someone who is not judgmental, not in a hurry, and not involved with the physical aspect of their treatment and recovery. “I am one of the only people (on the patient’s care team) who can just care about them as a person,”  he says. “I’m someone who wants to hear what they think, and how they feel about what they are going through.  I talk with them; I listen and pray with them.”

One of Noah’s responsibilities is to facilitate meetings for a staff Support Circle.  Noah prepares a presentation (which includes a lot of memes, puns, and uplifting humor) on a relevant topic.  He opens the meeting with a team-building activity, then delivers the presentation.  Participants discuss the subject and the presentation for the remainder of the meeting.  The topic of a recent session was Conflict Resolution and Processing Grievances.  The take-away message is:  We cannot resolve conflict if we are unable let go of our resentment.

Noah volunteers with the Pet Therapy program at Billings Clinic as well.  He accompanies Poppy the Therapy Dog and Virginia Power as they visit patients in the Clinic. Noah recognized Poppy’s potential to be an exceptional therapy partner when she was just a puppy, and he encouraged Virginia to work through the process of meeting all the requirements to participate in the program.  As often as possible, Noah makes the rounds with Virginia and Poppy to bring a little joy and fun to people who are going through a tough time.  Their rounds include both of Noah’s floors plus the Pediatric Hospital.

On the first and third Sunday of every month, Noah travels to Pompey’s Pillar Chapel in Pompey’s Pillar, Montana, to deliver a sermon for the church service. Noah preaches simple messages that are focused on the Bible.  He doesn’t give instruction on how to live, or what to do.  “I present what the Bible says about itself clearly and thoroughly so that the application (of the message) is very simple.  If you understand what it means, then the application is self-evident,” Noah says.

Noah has been the Pastor of Pompey’s Pillar Chapel since April 2022. His primary responsibility to the church is to preach, but he provides Pastoral care to the congregation as he can. He also leads a weekly men’s Bible Study in Billings.

Noah is an exceptionally selfless, gifted, and brilliant young man and a dedicated servant of Christ. We are so blessed to know him!

To learn more about Billings Clinic Spiritual Care Department, please visit
https://www.billingsclinic.com/patients-visitors/spiritual-care.

To learn more about Animal and Pet Therapy at Billings Clinic, please visit
https://www.billingsclinic.com/careers/volunteers/animal-therapy.

And we know that in all things, God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28