Blessings At The End Of A Letter

[mdfau]

I work for a major corporation that has a Chaplain. In his recent emails to me, he will start the letter with Dear.... and end it with Blessings

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Not sure what to make of the letter? I think he is using his title as Chaplain, on some of these and others he will just sign his name.?

Just wanted to know what it means to sign a letter with Blessings?

[KempsMama]

I would take it like a generic religious blessing, like God Bless, or Peace Be With You.  I sign all of my writings in the same way. 

[scottishmommy]

Every Pastor/Rabbi/Priest I have ever communicated with (I'm a church musician, so I work with a lot of clergy) sign their letters with a blessing of some sort. It's what they do.

[mdfau]

Even if the email is sent to my personal email address? I can understand when he is writing an email from the office, he needs to sign it that way. But when we are communicating after hours, is the right?

[Rani]

But for him, Chaplain is what he IS, not what he does for x hours a day.  Its very normal.  I know many people that are not offficiants that sign all their communications with Blessed Be or some such. 

[KempsMama]

For most clergy and other religious, there is no "off switch".  They are a chaplain, priest, pastor or whatever 24/7, in everything that they do, personal or not. 

[Purple Sage]

Originally Posted by mdfau 

Even if the email is sent to my personal email address? I can understand when he is writing an email from the office, he needs to sign it that way. But when we are communicating after hours, is the right?
 

I'm confused.  Why would it be wrong?

[scottishmommy]

What are you communicating about? Is this guy employed as a Chaplain or is he an accountant or something who happens to be a Chaplain?

[shanniesue2]

I agree.  I don't understand what's wrong with it.  He might as well have ended it with "have a nice day."  It would be one thing if he had said, "with the peace of Christ" or "with God's blessings" because that would be specifically religious.  But I think that, coming from someone who works in ministry, "blessings" is a perfectly normal closing.

And this post is coming from someone who isn't Christian and who is pretty sensitive to religious references in daily life.

[Panserbjorne]

Originally Posted by KempsMama 

For most clergy and other religious, there is no "off switch".  They are a chaplain, priest, pastor or whatever 24/7, in everything that they do, personal or not. 

yup.
 

Originally Posted by Purple Sage 

I'm confused.  Why would it be wrong?

I'm also on this page.

Originally Posted by shanniesue2 

I agree.  I don't understand what's wrong with it.  He might as well have ended it with "have a nice day."  It would be one thing if he had said, "with the peace of Christ" or "with God's blessings" because that would be specifically religious.  But I think that, coming from someone who works in ministry, "blessings" is a perfectly normal closing.

exactly.  I end all my correspondences (except the super cursory ones where we're going back and forth) the same way.  It would be odd for people to get something from me that didn't say it.  It's a well wishing, and though for me it does have religious connotations, it doesn't need to.  I'm perplexed as to why you are uncomfortable?

[_ktg_]

If its email - perhaps he has it built into his signature and the rules set for all new messages or responses will have the signature applied to them.

I have that set for work to include my contact info in the signature body, just incase it's a message which gets forwarded to me for response, the individual will know who to call with questions. 

I guess I'm scratching my head with trying to figure out if is it an actual "blessing" (May light shine upon your path ...) or just like this?

Blessings,

<<insert name>> the Chaplain ?