Issue link: http://maconmagazine.uberflip.com/i/1544361
April/May 2026 | maconmagazine.com 105 In a city with houses of faith on nearly every corner, Rev. Dr. Erin Robinson Hall's column explores the interconnectedness of Macon's faith communities and the diverse ways Maconites nourish their spiritual health and the wellbeing of those around them, inspired by "On Being" podcast host Krista Tippet's idea that "religion is as cup; spirituality is as water." inward and toward stillness." Human moments of grief, death, and care require presence in the most raw and vulnerable spaces. In Central Georgia, women are showing up to those spaces. Chaplains accompany people through deeply challenging moments, offering support and care through a lens of faith. For nine years, Robins Air Force Base Chaplain Captain Amelia Barton has conducted religious ceremonies and services. She accompanies service members through life challenges. "I get invited into some of the most important moments in a service member's life with promotions, marriages, crises, loss, doubts, and new beginnings. That space is sacred. It's challenging, but it's also one of the greatest callings of my life," said Barton. Her calling to what chaplains call a "ministry of presence" means walking directly into spaces of struggle. A song, "Beautiful Things," guides Barton's practice. "When I am helping a service member working through a difficult time in their life, I reflect back on this song for the perspective that out of dust, beautiful things are grown. When life is difficult, we have a chance to learn who we are in that space and who we lean on for support. We have the opportunity to use a valley season to grow and later on help others. We are the author of our stories," said Barton, "Hard seasons can teach us a lot about ourselves. They can grow our faith. They can show us how strong we really are. I don't pretend that pain is easy or that it's automatically good. But I do believe that growth o en happens in those uncertain spaces." Barton offers presence to her community. "We are a good first door to walk into for service members to figure out what to do next. Many just need someone to slow down with them and help them sort through what's going on." Barton and other military chaplains can cultivate a space where service members sort through their experiences with a sense of reassurance. "One of the most unique services we provide is 100% confidentiality. When someone sits in my office, they can speak freely. There's a safety in that." Barton says her strength is in her Christian faith and in knowing she is not alone. She wants her presence to be connection that offers assurance. "When life feels heavy, people don't want to walk alone. Chaplains are present for both the joys and the sorrows." medical and hospice care." Her role is called "doula" because she comes alongside dying people to prepare them for the process of death. "We are not taught what the dying process looks like, so it can be confusing and scary," said Torres-Young, "I o en explain that dying is a lot like birth, we even call it the 'labor of death' — there are clear stages and signs, and the body knows what to do." The prospect of death can disorient people, but a death doula holds out light in what feels like darkness. "I help people slow down, understand what's happening, and help bring the lights back on. I o en think of it like helping someone put their hands back on the steering wheel a er everything has spun out of control." In these moments, certainty is not the aim. Remaining present is the way she stands on strong ground. "When I'm with someone at the end of life, I notice a deeper presence come forward in me. I feel more connected to my inner wisdom, to something larger than myself, and to the simple act of being there. That is what steadies me, even when the work is emotionally complex." Across our city, houses of worship will invite people to participate in rituals that name a complexity we all face at some point: struggle, doubt, longing, and loss are part of life. There are riddles we will not solve and mysteries that call us to strong ground. Darkness does not have to feel defeating. What lies behind stars can actually open our hearts to a new spiritual depth. Theologian Rev. Dr. Mihee Kim-Kort reminds us, "Mystery is not the opposite of clarity; it is the doorway to a deeper kind of belonging in God." Chaplains and doulas are leading us to be present and open to hope in all of our struggles. May we listen well to the women who are standing in that doorway. "I often explain that dying is a lot like birth, we even call it the 'labor of death' — there are clear stages and signs, and the body knows what to do." Read more about Torres-Young's practice at livingwholestudio.com Amelia Torres-Young knows how to hold the tension of joy and sorrow. She is a certified death doula, a practitioner who accompanies clients and their families as they face the realities of death. Through her Living Whole Studio, Torres-Young works with people who are in many ways. She guides clients with advanced care planning and offers a presence that fills the "emotional gap that can exist alongside Photo by Mike Young.