Local pastor honored by Mat-Su Regional Medical Center

PALMER — St. John Lutheran Church pastor Jonathan Rockey has been volunteering as a chaplain for the Mat-Su Regional Medical Center for nearly three decades.

“He has blessed the lives of countless people through his service here, including patients, family and staff,” MSRMC Director of Marketing and Public Relations Alan Craft said.

Rockey recently received the Volunteer of the Season award from the hospital amid other volunteers and employees who were recognized for their outstanding service.

“Other people got awards that day,” Rockey said.

There are two award ceremonies every year, one for the fall and winter season and the other for the spring and summer season. Staff and volunteers are awarded for their efforts during that those time frames, according to Craft.

Rockey said it was nice to be recognized. He insisted it was more than about him, giving credit to the other recipients and the chaplaincy program itself for providing vital services on a regular basis. He said that he started volunteering as a chaplain in 1991.

“It’s an important program,” Rockey said.

The hospital’s volunteer chaplaincy program started in the 1980s, according to Rockey. He said that the chaplains come from churches across the Valley. They work one week at a time on a rotating schedule and they’re also on-call.

“It’s a way for the hospital to provide for the spiritual needs for people in a responsible way,” Rockey said.

From births to deaths, even a quick marriage before a birth, Rockey has pretty much been there for it all. He said the worst part of this role is of course death and sickness, but especially the untimely deaths of infants. Those kinds of tragedies are some of the toughest to bear witness to, he said.

On the flip side, the happiest event is another cornerstone for the church chaplain, births. Rockey said that he’s done scores of baptisms over the years. He said that his wife volunteers there as well.

“We try to be faithful and serve the people,” Rockey said.

Craft said that Rockey has led the chaplain program for a number of years. This involves training other chaplains and working extensively with staff. He’s been known to provide encouragement for both the patients and the staff on a regular basis. Craft said that he’s really enjoyed getting to know Rockey over the years.

“He is certainly very, very caring with everybody he’s made contact with,” Craft said.

On the day of the 7.0 earthquake last year, Rockey came to MSRMC to assist a church member who was checked in as a patient at the hospital. That act, among many other acts of kindness and presence of spirit factored into his nomination.

“I have had the unique privilege of interacting with and getting to know Pastor Rockey over the past several years, as I have frequently sought his participation in hospital events, including speaking at Veterans Day and Memorial Day remembrances and other special hospital events. It was an honor for me to present Pastor Rockey with the hospital’s Volunteer of the Season award…” Craft stated via email.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman reporter Jacob Mann at jacob.mann@frontiersman.com