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History
DFW International Airport opened in 1974, and at that time, Fred Griswold, a pilot for Braniff International, began promoting the idea of an airport chaplaincy. By 1977 his efforts led to an incorporated Board of Directors and the Chaplaincy was on its way to becoming a reality. In due course, the IRS recognized the non-profit group as a 501(c)(3) organization to which gifts are tax-deductible.
The Board of Directors, a self-renewing body, has met regularly for over 33 years to accomplish purpose, establish policy, set goals, plan funding and monitor disbursements.
The Chaplaincy's purpose has always been the same: Provide pastoral care for DFW International Airport passengers and employees. Care is offered equally to all, without discrimination, as the program is fully ecumenical and interfaith both in spirit and performance. From the beginning, the airport administration has welcomed the Chaplaincy's efforts and given it official status though the Chaplaincy runs its program independently and raises its own funds.
The Chaplaincy program maintains five chapels at DFW Airport. The five chapels are designed and furnished with all faiths in mind. They are always open and serve predominantly as religiously-oriented quiet rooms for private devotion. Sacred scriptures in various languages are available and Catholic, Protestant and Muslim services are scheduled. In its 34 year history, the chapels have welcomed a multitude of visitors. Entries in the guest registers reflect a remarkable variety of faiths, cultures, nationalities, languages and circumstances, with many expressions of thanks for the availability of a quiet place to pray or meditate at the airport.
Pastoral care at DFW also includes the availability of Chaplains. Head Chaplain DD Hayes was moved from a volunteer Associate to permanent Airport Chaplain staff in 1997 and he is assisted by 15 part-time volunteer Associate Chaplains of various denominations who ensure Chaplaincy coverage seven days a week, 24 hours per day. Clergy of all faiths and denominations are welcome to participate in the Chaplaincy program. The main requirement is having an enthusiasm for personal pastoral care in an ecumenical/ interfaith context.
In addition, the Chaplaincy employs a full-time staff member, Lisa Rhodes, to manage Operations and Development for the Chaplaincy program. The Chaplaincy's main office is located in Terminal D, Gate 21 Secure and our annual budget (now at approximately $220,000) has traditionally depended on voluntary gifts from foundations, businesses, judicatories, churches, and individuals throughout the Dallas/ Fort Worth Metroplex. In 34 years of operation, the program has generated over two million dollars in cash contributions. Principal benefactors have been The Meadows Foundation of Dallas, the Amon G. Carter Foundation in Fort Worth, and the Hoblitzelle Foundation in Dallas, among many other foundations.
In the 1980s, DFW Airport was twice the scene of a jetliner crash and once the scene of a passenger held hostage. In all three critical incidents, the Chaplaincy played a direct role in supplying pastors to help care for victims and families. A comprehensive plan exists to assure adequate and coordinated clergy response to airport emergencies. A pastoral crisis response team from the Dallas/Fort Worth area has been organized and trained in proper procedures. The Chaplaincy's plan is part of official DFW procedures and works closely with community disaster services channeled through the Red Cross. Chaplains at other U.S. airports have utilized the DFW plan as a model for their own pastoral response in times of crisis.
Throughout the years, the program has continued to grow in providing outstanding services at DFW International Airport. Our Chaplains have given hundreds of invocations and prayers for groups that regularly meet at DFW and we continue to arrange worship and memorial services, weddings and special services on an ongoing basis. In addition, individual counseling is provided to airport and airlines employees on both an impromptu and scheduled basis. Within the past decade, there has been a focus on ministry provided to the military, with over one million soldiers having traveled through DFW Airport on their way to and from the Middle East since 2004.
The DFW Airport Chaplaincy has a long and distinguished record of service to the airport community and the passage of time brings an opportunity for change and growth.
Since 2000 DFW Airport has experienced phenomenal growth. Passenger traffic and employee population has more than doubled with 155,000+ travelers daily passing through the airport. These travelers are faithfully served by an employee base of over 60,000 airport and airlines personnel. With the in-progress $1.8 billion Terminal Development Program planned for Terminals A, B, C and E the rate of growth over the next decade will most assuredly continue to increase, keeping DFW International Airport a true gateway to the world.
The DFW Airport Chaplaincy program currently utilizes 15 volunteer Chaplains to provide spiritual counseling and personal support to the diverse spiritual and emotional needs of this expansive community, and as the airport continues to grow, the Chaplaincy must follow suit to continue being an effective ministry of presence. The DFW Airport Interfaith Chaplaincy has an established base of service in the DFW Airport community, and in building any house, the foundation must be firm. The dedication and commitment of those who have served on the Board of Directors and staff have provided a solid base upon which to further build our program of complete pastoral care, but there is still much work to be done. As Charles Dickens once said, "Do all the good you can, and make as little fuss about it as possible."
The Chaplaincy program is in an exceptional position to influence peoples' lives for good, under God's guidance. DFW International Airport is a massive community with many diverse constituencies and our task in serving them is unique and challenging. Faithfully asking questions and genuinely seeking answers will enable us to serve the airport, our contributors, and God with purpose and integrity.