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RICH SQUARE – John Thompson has worked in ministry for about 15 years, but he had no idea that his journey would also lead him to becoming a first responder. It just naturally ended up as another way to support and care for people.

Thompson, who grew up in Chesterfield, VA, became the pastor of Rich Square Baptist Church three years ago. That remains his full-time job, but it hasn’t stopped him from branching out to try new things along the way too.

“I had no thoughts of ever being in emergency services in any way. But I wasn’t here long before I was asked to join the fire department by one of my deacons,” he explained. “It didn’t take me long to figure out that in Rich Square, ‘love your neighbor’ means ‘join the volunteer fire department.’”

The previous pastor at the church had been Rich Square VFD’s chaplain, but Thompson said he wanted to get to know the job better first before he took up that role. So he started learning the ins and outs of volunteer firefighting. The main thing he does on a fire call, he said, is run the pump, to make sure the others have the water they need to get the job done.

Thompson also works part-time as an EMT with Northampton County. He recalled coming across an accident one day while traveling to Ahoskie and he didn’t know exactly how to help out. That experience led him to sign up for an EMT class, which then later led to his part-time work.

“It’s been an eye-opening experience,” he said.

Eventually, he did take up the chaplaincy duties with Rich Square VFD, and considered doing the same for Northampton County’s Emergency Services. He partnered with Emergency Chaplains, an organization based in Durham, for training on how to work with first responders and families in that sort of role. And he recently entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the county to officially step into the role as an emergency chaplain.

In that position, Thompson reaches out to all of the county’s first responders to provide support when they need it. He regularly visits EMS stations across Northampton and, occasionally, he is invited to visit fire departments too. Law enforcement is a little harder to reach, he said, because they spend most of their shifts traveling around, but he still offers support when he can. And everyone has his phone number to get in touch if they want to talk.

If a call turns out to be something major, Thompson will reach out afterwards to check on the ones involved.

“They just appreciate that someone asks,” he said.

But it’s not only the local first responders that Thompson supports in his emergency chaplain work. He also assists families during emergency calls, particularly if there’s a CPR in progress or if someone is “dead on arrival.”

He’s able to sit with family members, offer support, and help facilitate communication between the first responders and the family about what’s happening.

“It benefits my first responders because they can focus on what they need to focus on and I can care for the family,” he explained. “And it benefits the family because I can walk in the door, and I get the privilege of saying, you have the best people in the county taking care of your loved one. I’m here for you.”

“It’s a joy to get to be able to care for people in difficult times,” he continued.

But it’s not easy work.

In addition to providing emotional support to the people he serves, Thompson also has to juggle his jobs along with making time for his family too. He and his wife have four children, and Thompson’s mother also lives with them. He said they’ve all been extremely supportive so far.

“My primary role is father and husband. And then, pastor. And then everything else,” he emphasized.

Despite the challenges, Thompson said it’s very ministry-focused since he’s able to care for both the church and the community.

“I wouldn’t do any of the other stuff if it wasn’t an extension of the ministry God’s called me to here,” he said.

He moved from an area of 350,000 people to Northampton County, where the population is roughly 17,000.

“I know more people around here than I knew in the area I grew up in. I’ve been able to build a lot of relationships and be there for a lot of people,” Thompson said.

He said the congregation of Rich Square Baptist Church has been very loving and welcoming, and it’s been a joy to serve them. The firefighting, EMT, and chaplain work is just a continuation of that same kind of work.

Thompson described courage as being willing to do things God calls you to do, even if it’s uncomfortable. And it’s also being willing to run towards hard situations when others run away. Telling someone that a loved one has died is a very difficult thing to do.

“But it’s an opportunity to be the one who stands alongside somebody when they go through the most difficult time in their life. When they feel like they’re walking into that valley of darkness, they don’t have to walk there alone,” he emphasized.

In the future, Thompson plans to help organize critical incident stress management trainings for the county, and he’d like to see the Emergency Chaplain program continue to expand.

Thompson doesn’t get paid for his emergency chaplain work, but he does accept donations to offset mileage costs. Those interested in donating can do so through the official Emergency Chaplains website: echap.org/northampton