Meet the new chaplain: Mom, chaplain, community member

Mom, chaplain, community member

Hello, American Legion Family!

As your newly elected department chaplain, I want to say thank you to all those who placed their trust in me to serve in this capacity. It is humbling, and I pray that I will bring to this a sense of the sacred in all of who we are and the work before us.

I thought I’d begin with a bit of introduction.

My American Legion membership comes through my service as active-duty Navy, Naval Reserve and the Minnesota Army National Guard. I am an ordained clergy having served churches for 30 years in four different parishes.

When I was widowed in 2019, I worked long hours by my own choice. Ministry is what I love!

They say that if you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life, and that is mostly true. There were a few days that did feel like work. [insert smiley emoji here]

During the pandemic, the workload increased tremendously, so when things finally got better, I realized it was time to do something besides work 12-hour days. After retiring in 2022, I became active once again in The American Legion, serving as chaplain for the Daniel R. Olsen Post 594 in Eagan, and then chaplain for the 3rd District. I currently serve the post as the adjutant.

I am also a member Eagan Kick-Start Rotary and serve the community as a chaplain with the Eagan Police Department, as well as a support group facilitator at the Minneapolis Veterans Home working closely with the two staff chaplains and filling in on Sunday morning when needed.

All these things allow me to serve my community with the flexibility needed to travel and see my daughters.

I’m a mom with three grown children who all live beyond Minnesota, and I have one very adorable grandson who’s almost 3 already.

On my second term as the 3rd District chaplain, I made a commitment to pray for each post, its leaders, members and community. I felt then that the role of the chaplain as its written wasn’t enough for me. I wanted to do my part to lift up and support our veterans.

I often travel with my favorite district vice commander, Wayne Beierman, when he visits posts, which is what allowed me to see a need that I could fill, especially since folks never knew I was doing it. Now that the cat’s out of the bag.

So, Department of Minnesota, I am ready to renew my prayer practice, for our leaders of the department, district and all of our posts. I’m not sure what the next year will bring, but I want you to know that I am here and I’m lifting you up. If you’d like prayer for something specific, send it via email to my post email address.

God of us all, your love never ends, and when all else fails you still are God. I pray blessing for each and every person reading these words, as well as all those veterans out in our communities who haven’t yet found a home with the American Legion. I pray that all will know a sense of peace — peace that passes all understanding. Amen

As I step into the joy of serving alongside you, know I’m filled with gratitude.

Cindy Yanchury of Eagan Post 594 is the chaplain for The American Legion Department of Minnesota.