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Home > News > News Detail
Written: 10/8/2009
Rev. Don Storey - Houston Hospice
This article is part of a series offering a snapshot of extension ministries of the By Brant Mills, Web Content Manager Rev. Don Storey said he was unsure about where he was headed when he received his calling. “Freshman year in college I was struggling with what I wanted to do. I wanted to go into the military, but it was during the During that time he became actively involved at Wesley UMC in Clute where he said the congregation nurtured him and he gained practical experience in ministry. Storey made the decision to follow his calling in 1972 after a process of praying and talking with his family. He noted that at the time he was married and had 2 children. He had to finish his undergraduate degree and then went to seminary at Perkins School of Theology in While in school he worked as a student pastor, but his first taste of working as a chaplain was during his time in seminary as an intern in clinical pastoral education (CPE) at Storey said that though hospital chaplaincy and CPE had been around for a long time, the idea of hospital chaplaincy as a vocation was new to him. “I had always focused on local church ministry. In seminary, a part of the curriculum was an Internship. Since I already had some local church experience, I was to take a look at other forms of ministry. I chose to do my Internship for seminary through CPE at He later went to work in the local church, and after serving in other appointments, again had the opportunity to return to the chaplaincy. Storey said after several years he felt the need to do something else as he “began experiencing burnout as a pastor.” He recalled an appointment where he had developed a relationship with an organization that is now called Houston Hospice. “When I was at FUMC in Wharton, I would visit patients and families in the area who did not have a pastor and would report spiritual care needs to the hospice team.” He asked to be appointed as and extension minister and began working with them full-time. Rev. Storey has now been a chaplain with Houston Hospice for almost 7 years. When asked about his ministry’s focus, Storey said he has always had compassion for people. “I’ve always enjoyed providing spiritual care. Even as a lay person I enjoyed visiting with church members who were considered home bound… Pastoral care and counseling were always my strengths.” Storey works with an interdisciplinary team consisting of a medical director, nurses, social workers, and, at times, volunteers. “This team provides end of life care for persons who have decided to discontinue curative treatment, and who generally have six months or less to live.” He said much of their work is based around helping people with what he called a ‘life review.’ “We evaluate where they are in their spiritual journey. We use active listening and spiritual counseling, scriptures and prayers. One of the things we try to do in spiritual care assessment is determine if they have pastoral spiritual support from a faith community. That’s how I assess needs. I seek patients who don’t have that kind of support more often than those who do have an affiliation somewhere.”
“I feel like I’m doing what I was called to do and be in a ministry that is vital for end of life,” he said. He added that he gets opportunities to preach from other pastors in his service area and enjoys filling in for them when they need him. “I would say I’ve been a UM pastor for thirty-seven years now and the last 7 years have been the most meaningful years of my ministry. I’m glad to be doing what I do.” Rev. Storey provides periodic workshops on spiritual care at the end of life for pastors, Stephen Ministers and other groups. For more information on this workshop or other aspects of this ministry, contact: Rev. Don Storey 979-578-0314 See More Articles in This Series
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