The Baptist Health Foundation hosted a Chapel Hall Dedication on October 20 to welcome Baptist leaders, donors and board members to the new chapel at Mississippi Baptist Medical Center (MBMC). The chapel was made possible with a generous $250,000 donation to the Baptist Health Foundation from the Mississippi Baptist Convention Board (MBCB).
The Rev. Anthony Burdick, Baptist’s system director of pastoral care, delivered the invocation.
“I’m always excited when we’re able to dedicate a new chapel at one of our hospitals. Our chapels are very visible reminders of how important our Lord is to us, not just as individuals, but also as an organization that is committed to following the three-fold ministry of Christ of Healing, Preaching and Teaching,” said the Rev. Burdick.
The new chapel, designed by MBMC architect Robert Neal, is four times larger than the former chapel. It’s located next to the new Chapel Hall Critical Care Waiting Room, which is under construction and expected to be completed within a couple of months. Both projects, the chapel and the critical care waiting room, have been in the works for about five years, noted Stephen Snead, executive director of Baptist Health Foundation. He said, “It was great to have Memphis leaders down here. There was a nice mix of both central Mississippi and Memphis leaders here for the dedication.”
Baptist leaders in attendance for the dedication included Jason Little, president and CEO; Dr. Saju Joy, senior vice president, chief medical officer and chief physician executive; Bobbie Ware, CEO of MBMC; and Chris Anderson, vice president of Mississippi operations.
Little introduced the speaker, Dr. Shawn Parker, executive director of MBCB and Little’s former pastor from First Baptist Church in Columbus, Mississippi, who delivered comments on behalf of MBCB.
The Rev. Heath Ferguson, director of pastoral care and faith relations at MBMC, offered the benediction. Rev. Ferguson said, “Here at Mississippi Baptist Medical Center, we are grateful for those that cast a vision for this beautiful space, for those that helped provide the resources so that it could be built and for the leadership here and at every level that allows for real Christian ministry to take place here in this chapel, at the bedside and in every space within Baptist Memorial Health Care.”
The chapel hosts a Sunday worship service at 8:30 a.m., and a morning prayer service on Wednesdays at 11:30 a.m. Patients may also view the services from their hospital rooms.
