Rev. George Arthur Burn

Col. David H. Forden

Col. Micheal Hoyt

Rev. Gordon J. Kieft

National Ministries, American Baptist Churches USA, has named four American Baptist chaplains who were honored at the 2009 Biennial in Pasadena, Calif. Awards of Merit presented to military and institutional chaplains along with pastoral counselors at the pre-Biennial luncheon on June 25.

Rev. George Arthur Burn, Southport, N.C., received the Institutional Chaplain Merit Award honoring more than 35 years as an institutional chaplain. Burn, a long-time advocate for spiritual care in health care settings, has been a pastoral care administrator and pastoral counselor to hospital patients and their families. As a certified bereavement facilitator, Burn has been sought after for his skill and judgment in matters of palliative care and ethics. He is a board certified chaplain with the Association of Professional Chaplains (APC).

Col. David H. Forden, Bakersfield, Calif., received the Military Chaplain Merit Award in recognition of his work as a pastoral counselor. A U.S. Army Reserve chaplain, Forden is credited with establishing a reintegration program at Fort Dix, N.J., for soldiers returning from combat duty. While on active duty, in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Forden provided valuable stress counseling to fellow National Guardsmen stationed in Louisiana. He is a certified marriage and family therapist.

Col. Micheal Hoyt, Alexandria, Va., received the Military Chaplain Merit Award for years of "outstanding service and dedication to duty." Hoyt has been consistently recognized for his leadership ability and his concern for the spiritual well-being of combat soldiers and their families. A U.S. Army chaplain since 1984, Hoyt served in Iraq where he was awarded a Bronze Star for his service in a combat theater.

Rev. Gordon J. Kieft, Denver, Colo., received the Pastoral Counselor Merit Award for his work as a pastoral psychotherapist. Kieft is currently a pastoral counselor at Calvary Counseling Center in Denver. An endorsed pastoral counselor since 1992, Kieft has provided counseling to individuals, couples and families. Also, he has taught and supervised counselors in training, along with providing pastoral care, leadership and conflict resolution training and counseling for both clergy and laity. He is a fellow of the American Association of Pastoral Counselors (AAPC) and chairs its national theological and social concerns committee.

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