New Beginnings at Sojourn Chaplaincy

Dear Friends and Supporters,

As many of you know, Claire Bohman, our dedicated executive director of the past decade, has recently moved on to new endeavors. While we deeply feel their absence, we also celebrate their remarkable contributions to Sojourn Chaplaincy and the San Francisco General Hospital community. Claire’s contributions are astounding.

For those who don’t know me, my name is John McLean Wolff, and I am honored to step into the director role for Sojourn Chaplaincy. My professional journey with this extraordinary organization began in 2017 as a student in Sojourn’s community chaplaincy program. Claire was the most remarkable educator I have ever had in this field. They not only prepared me to be an excellent chaplain, they prepared me to be a chaplain who specializes in the beautiful, albeit complex, world of public health.

I was so profoundly inspired by my experience as a student here that I went on to do Clinical Pastoral Education training at UCSF, Divinity School in Berkeley, and am on a path to ordination in the Episcopal tradition. All of this happened under the leadership and profound inspiration of Chaplain Claire, and Sojourn has been my foundation.

My own journey, deeply inspired and shaped by Claire’s visionary leadership and Sojourn’s unique ministry, has instilled in me a profound understanding of the unique needs within this public health setting. Having witnessed firsthand the extraordinary impact of Sojourn’s chaplains, I am now driven to expand this crucial support to even more patients, families, and staff. We have a strong foundation, a dedicated team including Chaplain Keisuke Lee-Miyaki, Chaplain Karen Villanueva, Chaplain MC Gee, and our valued partners Chaplain Freddie Thomas and Father Brian Henden, and a deep-rooted commitment to the mission of Sojourn.

As public health is under attack at the national level and the vulnerable communities we serve here at the General are being targeted, spiritual care is critical. Your financial contributions, no matter the size, will directly enable us to increase our capacity to offer innovative spiritual care to patients, families, and staff across a broader range of departments, develop more inventive programs, and ensure the sustainability of our vital services for years to come, building on our incredible 42-year foundation.

In these times of great challenges and profound instability, Sojourn’s mission of collaboration across difference in support and defense of the most vulnerable is more important than ever. I ask you to give and give generously. Thank you for being part of the Sojourn family and for helping improve the lives of so many. Please reach out to me anytime with questions or concerns or if you wish to know more about our priorities for the future.

In gratitude,

John

John McLean Wolff, MDiv

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Methods to Help Our Mission:

  1. Your employer may be able to match your donations to Sojourn! Find Sojourn Chaplaincy on your corporate giving platform (CSR).
  2. We are currently searching for two additions to Sojourn’s board of directors. We hope to find people with one (or more) of these areas of expertise: Finance, Marketing, Fundraising/Development, and Medicine/Public Health.
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Goodbyes and New Beginnings at Sojourn – a letter from Chaplain Claire Bohman

Beloved Sojourners,

After a decade of service, I am writing to announce that I am passing along the torch of leadership at Sojourn Chaplaincy.  I want to begin with a deep bow of  gratitude to each of you for the opportunity to serve as the Executive Director of Sojourn Chaplaincy. As I prepare to step down from my role as Executive Director of Sojourn Chaplaincy, I want to take a moment to reflect on the incredible journey we’ve shared and express my deepest gratitude to each of you.

Our mission at Sojourn has always been to provide compassionate, inclusive and innovative spiritual care to those in need, and this would never have been possible without the unwavering dedication of our volunteers, staff and the generous support of our donors. You have been the heart and soul of this organization, offering your time, resources, and kindness to patients, families, and staff during some of their most vulnerable moments.  In the midst of major traumas, gun violence, homelessness, an epidemic of overdose—even a worldwide pandemic, you have been a key part of Sojourn’s weaving deeply into and building a powerful root system of connection here at the General.
Together, we’ve built a community grounded in empathy, respect, and hope. From bedside visits offering spiritual counsel here at the General to training chaplains around the country in providing care that’s rooted in compassion, affirmation and love Sojourn’s reach has grown to stretch far beyond this city. In a time when empathy, compassion and respect seems to becoming increasingly sparse, I can’t emphasize how revolutionary this work of truly showing up for one another is.

I came into Sojourn during a transition and as I depart, Sojourn is in a place of transition once again.  In the last three months, we have experienced significant budget cuts, the death of our beloved board president, Jim Forsyth, and a reduction in staffing.  From some vantage points, this could seem like a crisis for the organization. However, at the same time, the city has invested more resources in hiring two new full-time chaplains and remains steadfast to supporting Sojourn moving forward.

While I am sad to be departing, I am clear that the challenges we are facing as a nation are a key part of the call I have been getting towards justice work outside the hospital.  I am thrilled to announce that Chaplain John McLean Wolff is stepping into the role of Sojourn’s Program Director. John’s been with Sojourn since 2017 and has a powerful vision for the organization moving forward.  I can’t think of anyone I’d rather pass this torch along to.  You’ll hear more from John soon.

I want to take a moment and offer my deep gratitude to the late Jim Forsyth, one of my key partners and mentors in this ministry. Jim was a fierce champion and supporter of Sojourn. He led the board quietly and was one of those teachers that stood back and gently pushed but also wasn’t afraid to step in strongly offering support when needed.
Jim touched the lives of so many of us in Sojourn over the years. He brought wisdom, experience, pragmatism to challenging times. He is greatly missed and we give thanks for the ways his spirit lives on here at Sojourn.

While this chapter in my journey of ministry is coming to an end, I am confident that Sojourn Chaplaincy will continue to thrive, thanks to the incredible foundation you have helped create. The mission we share is larger than any one person, and I leave knowing that it remains in capable, compassionate hands. 

Thank you for trusting me to lead this organization and for being steadfast partners in our mission. I am forever grateful for the support, collaboration, and friendships that have grown over the years. I look forward to witnessing Sojourn’s continued impact and look forward to when our paths will cross again in the future.

With Deep Love,

Rev. Claire Chuck Bohman MDiv BCC

Executive Director, Sojourn Chaplaincy February 2025

2024 Hero and Heart awarded to Chaplain Claire Chuck Bohman

Rev. Claire Chuck Bohman, Sojourn’s Executive Director, was awarded the 2024 Hero and Heart Award from the San Francisco General Hospital Foundation on February 8, 2024, at its Hearts in SF 2024 Gala. This award was presented to Chaplain Claire for their years of service supporting the patients and staff of Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center. Chaplain Claire is the first chaplain to receive this honor in the history of the foundation. The Board and Staff of Sojourn Chaplaincy congratulates Chaplain Claire on this well deserved honor. Thank you, Chaplain Claire, for being a champion for Sojourn Chaplaincy and its mission to heal hearts through innovative spiritual care.

Pictured above from left to right: Recipients Dr. Andre Campbell, Rev. Claire Chuck Bohman, and Dr. Hali Hammer, and ZSFG CEO, Dr. Susan Ehrlich.

Emotional and Spiritual Care

Since 1982 Sojourn has practiced the mission described in its name: “to stay with for a time.” We offer compassion and understanding to patients and their loved ones as well as to the staff at SFGH. Our vision: Comprehensive spiritual and emotional support for everyone who needs it.

Sojourn Chaplains offer support through a skilled response to suffering. Chaplains work alongside patients, families and staff to support them in reconnecting with their inner resources that will carrying them through the challenges they face.

Orlando Vigil Altar 1Sojourn provides a critical element of San Francisco General Hospital’s holistic care. SFGH staff members are skilled in providing resources for physical, mental and emotional health. Sojourn completes the circle, by attending to the spiritual needs of patients, families and staff.

Dr. Jeanne St. Pierre, former Unit Chief of the LGBT Psychiatric Unit at SFGH writes: “Often in a day I realize the inadequacies of modern medical treatments for trauma, schizophrenia, substance dependence, and other causes of emotional suffering. At those times I am particularly grateful for the Services of Sojourn chaplains. Chaplains offer kindness and understanding to those who will likely never be cured, yet do not need to be alone with their pain.”

Ceremony 6

Trans Spiritual Care Initiative

In 2013, California led the nation in banning Transgender exclusion in health care plans. This made it illegal for Health Insurance Companies to deny transgender people access to lifesaving healthcare. After years of organizing and struggle for access to healthcare, California insurance companies can no longer discriminate against trans people. This has opened the doors to access to health care that many Transgender Californians have never had before.

The Trans Spiritual Care Initiative was born when Sojourn Chaplains were approached by Trans members of their spiritual communities about challenging experiences with Chaplains. These experiences ranged from problematic at best to disturbing.  Sojourn Chaplaincy’s chaplain training program was born during the epidemic as a ministry for people dying from AIDS.  During these painful times, we learned how important justice rooted training is for Chaplains and Spiritual Care providers.

Here at Sojourn at the Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, we serve many trans and gender variant patients–some of whom are the most marginalized in the trans community. Training around gender diversity has become an important part of our Chaplain training.  We are developing this curriculum to improve our care for trans and gender variant patients at ZSFG.  We are also developing this training with the hope that it become a resource for Chaplains, Spiritual Care Departments, clergy and healthcare providers across the country  who would like to improve their services and provide more culturally appropriate care for gender variant patients.

In a time when the trans community is facing so many challenges and an increasingly hostile political climate, we believe it is critical for the faith community to stand up and take leadership to support LGBT rights.  We are hopeful that the Trans Spiritual Care Initiative will create critical new resources to help Chaplains and other spiritual care practitioners provide better care and develop deeper relationships with the trans community.  As spiritual people, we know that relationships are powerful.  As Chaplains, we know that bearing witness to the suffering of others can create openings for solidarity rooted in personal connection.  We launch this initiative with a prayer for healing and justice for the trans community.  May we be open to the divine gifts that are possible when we open to witnessing the pain and struggle of all members of our human family and work toward a more just world.


 

Sojourn Receives Hearts Grant Award

Sojourn Chaplains Floyd Trammell and Claire Bohman with ZSFG's new CEO Susan Ehrlich and SFGH Foundation Board Officer Ellen Newman
Sojourn Chaplains Floyd Trammell and Claire Bohman with ZSFG’s new CEO Susan Ehrlich and SFGH Foundation Board Officer Ellen Newman

Sojourn Chaplaincy is honored to announce we are recipients of a Hearts Grant from the San Francisco General Hospital Foundation.  The San Francisco General Hospital Foundation has given Sojourn Chaplaincy $3,800 to support our work providing multi-faith spiritual care to the patients, families and staff of ZSFG.  This money will go specifically to efforts to make our Prayer and Meditation room more accessible to people of different faiths and spiritual traditions.  One dimension of this grant is to create a chest accessible for staff and visitors to store Muslim prayer rugs, Buddhist Malas, and other religious supplies.

We are thrilled to receive this generous grant and for all the support of the SFGH Foundation.  Deep bows of gratitude to all the Officers, Members and most of all the donors of the SFGH Foundation.  Thank you for supporting our work and for supporting the spiritual and emotional needs of the patients, families and staff of ZSFG!

Feeling inspired?  You can also support the great work of Sojourn!  Gifts of all sizes are invaluable.  We are able to provide quality spiritual care and training for spiritual care providers because of donors like you.  Please give to Sojourn today.  All gifts are tax deductable.

Blessings and Gratitude.

ZSFG: The Heart of the City
                                                                       ZSFG: The Heart of the City