Chaplaincy Services
“I came to the session honestly expecting to be judged, or told that who I am and what I did was haram and that I was unfit to be a Muslim...the Chaplain completely undid these expectations and provided a judgment-free space where I felt safe to share my story and struggles and helped me re-connect with my faith.”
Chaplaincy Session Attendee
What is a Chaplain?
A chaplain is a spiritual professional with unique skillsets, connected to spiritual and emotional care. They often work in hospitals, prisons, and universities. Lately, more and more Muslim communities are expanding their care team to include chaplains as well! Muslim Space now offers our very own community chaplaincy practice, born out of a Field Education partnership with Hartford International University, staffed by our very own Resident Chaplain.
Under the supervision of the Muslim Space Executive Board, our chaplain provides weekly office hours, online programming, confidential and non-judgmental 1:1 sessions, support for incarcerated Muslims, spiritual connection groups for those seeking spiritual support, as well as as being present for the needs of community members and new members. Our chaplain also serves the community at large by representing Muslim Space in a variety of capacities and serving as a touchpoint for various other mosques, places/congregations of worship, interfaith initiatives, and other local organizations around Muslim Space.
Our chaplain is a member of the Association of Muslim Chaplains (AMC) and abides by their professional code of ethics. Scroll down to find out how you or someone you know may benefit from Muslim Space’s Chaplaincy Services!
To learn more about chaplaincy services or to get in touch with our Resident Chaplain, please email chaplain@muslimspace.org or click the button below!
Meet the Chaplains
Muslim Space is excited to be able to partner with our friends at Center DC to provide additional chaplaincy services for our respective communities, through pastoral care sessions, group facilitations, and forthcoming programming centering spiritual care and spiritual growth!
Questions or Concerns? Contact chaplain@muslimspace.org!
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Chaplain Usama Malik is an Austin area native, having resided within the 512 for his whole life. Usama completed his undergraduate studies from the University of Texas at Austin in 2015. After graduation, Usama attended Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary for study as a chaplain, and graduated in May 2020 earning his Master of Divinity along with completing a unit of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE). He is completed a Graduate Certificate in Islamic Chaplaincy from Hartford Seminary in 2021 and also serves as a chaplain for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice and Trinity University in San Antonio. Usama currently serves as the Program Coordinator for the Office of Student Affairs and Vocation at Austin Seminary, serving students from all backgrounds and helping them find their footing during seminary. Usama also currently serves as Secretary for the Association of Muslim Chaplains (AMC). Alongside his work and school, Usama specializes in the areas of organizational development and management, marketing, graphic design, and digital media. Outside of work and school, Usama has a passion for photography, traveling, hiking, and walking and is a proud parent along with his wife Sara to two rabbits, Raja and Truffles.
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Lauren Schreiber is the co-founder and executive director of Center DC, a Muslim third-space that that helps people practicing and/or exploring Islam grow authentic relationships with other seekers and with God in the metro-accessible D.C. area. Center DC serves over 600 individuals annually - primarily between the ages of 24-35 - and facilitates community through close to 300 events a year. In 2021, under her leadership, Center DC launched a community-based chaplaincy program to meet the spiritual needs of those they serve.
Lauren is currently pursuing her Masters of Arts in Chaplaincy with a focus on Islamic Chaplaincy from Hartford Seminary, and is completing her first unit of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) at MedStar Washington Hospital Center under the mentorship of Ch. Tahara Akmal. Prior to that, she studied the personal obligations (Fard al Ayn) according to the Shafi'i school of thought under Shaykha Ieasha Prime and Usted Athman Jilo. She is also the Vice President of Community Chaplaincy and Ethics Committee Chair at the Association of Muslim Chaplains (AMC). She lives for strategic planning & culture creation in community spaces. Her most important (and favorite!) job is being a mom. You can often find her facilitating groups, talking about restorative justice and/or grief/death/dying, reading a Brene Brown book, building systems, writing music and making pupusas. She is a convert to Islam and especially loves learning about the paths others take in their respective faith journeys. Lauren lives in P.G. County, Maryland with her spunky daughter, Youth Director husband, and mom.
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NOTE: Chaplain Lauren’s 1:1 schedule is closed from now until 2024, as she works to finish her graduate studies!
Chaplaincy Services Inquiry & Appointment Request
Whether you would like to just say hello or have something weighing on your heart, the chaplain is here for you. The space that the chaplain provides is one that is confidential, judgment-free, and one that you are given full permission to mold as you are comfortable and to utilize as you like. The chaplain helps navigate that which may be on your heart and mind in a manner that helps you feel supported.
Don’t hesitate to reach out to chaplain@muslimspace.org if you have any questions or concerns!
Note: The Chaplain is not an Imam or a Therapist/Counselor. Pastoral care sessions are confidential and not intended to be guidance counseling or mental health counseling/therapy sessions, but rather open, judgment-free spaces for you to be able to share your story or emotions, with the Chaplain serving to help navigate through these alongside you. Sessions which may require anything additional in resource, whether appropriate therapy or more in-depth religious insight and opinion will be referred out.
Chaplaincy Services & Programs Offered
NEW: Convert / Revert Support
Coming to Islam / becoming a Muslim can oftentimes feel or be made to feel like a very overwhelming experience, but it does not have to be. Our chaplain is here to walk alongside you in your spiritual journey and to help you as you need, at your own pace, in a way that helps you connect to Islam as you best see fit.
Muslim Prisoner Support & Education
Our chaplain serves as a volunteer chaplain for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) and conducts weekly classes and support circles with Muslim inmates at the Travis State Jail in Austin Texas.
Monthly Friday Sermon
Our chaplain is part of the Muslim Space Friday Sermon rotation, and delivers the sermon every last Friday of the month on topics such as spiritual care, Islamic spirituality, and other relevant topics.
Faith Reflections Blog
The Faith Reflections Blog is a space created to help put faith and life into conversation with one another, not siloed off as they usually are. Follow along this journey as Chaplain Usama and other contributors share their thoughts on keeping faith relevant through real life experiences and stories.
1:1 Pastoral Sessions
Scheduled, confidential sessions with the chaplain by any member or members of the community who would just like to have someone provide a listening ear, and if appropriate, spiritual care and resource.
Chaplaincy and Islamic/Spiritual Education & Awareness
Along with the education initiatives and courses Muslim Space provides, as well as with the relevant social media platforms, the chaplain helps provide educational support and promotes awareness for relevant Islamic topics as well as education around chaplaincy, and serves as a Religious Life Advisor to Muslim student at Trinity University in San Antonio.
Public/Event Speaking Engagements
Our chaplain is available for a variety of public speaking engagements and events, from graduations to interfaith panels to guest speaking at any setting. In order to book the chaplain for your event, please fill out the form below!
Spiritual Connection Groups
Small groups which meet together regularly for the purpose of encouraging the fostering and development of spirituality as well as a sense of companionship, or suhba - through sharing of stories and narratives which are process together as a group in a safe, judgment-free space.
Community Member Visitations
The chaplain serves as a point of connection and resource for Muslim Space and those members who may need assistance or visitation, whether an elderly person, sick, hospitalized, or just in need of a home visit for a check in. Additionally, being present and a companion to new members especially.
Du’a / Prayer Requests
Have a request for prayers? Our community is here for you. Submit your prayer request to us to share with our community as you are comfortable. This form is for any prayer / du'a requests you would like to have lifted up at the end of our Friday Khutbas or in another manner, as you specify. We will keep all requests private unless indicated to share with the community. Please provide as much detail as you can below with your requests and preferences.
Nikkah & Marriage Ceremony Officiating
Our chaplain is available to officiate Nikkah and Islamic marriage ceremonies for interested couples in a fun, open, and inclusive way. If a couple is interested in having their Nikkah performed, the chaplain can provide the Khutba (Sermon) for the Nikkah, as well as personalized contracts for the ceremony. For more information, please fill out the form below!
Chaplaincy 101
