18 May (Tues)
I wanted to share about our "new" chapel facility. I am currently serving on two separate chapel staffs here on this base: one service is on Sunday morning in a B-hut structure (Warrior Chapel), and the other is a Sunday night service that used to meet in this big warehouse (East Side ChapelNext). Not very conducive to great worship services, but it was all we had. Yet all that changed last weekend. They ordered us what is commonly called a "chapel-in-a-box" around here, and it arrived a few weeks ago. The construction crew set it up (well, most of it, anyway), and we moved out service into this new facility this past weekend... in the rain. It was not a great night to make a major move, and because it came as a surprise to most of us (including the Chaplain staff) many people did not even know we moved. But that did not stop us from holding both Catholic Mass and Protestant Worship in the new building that night. It's a tent, actually. See the pictures. I had the privilege of being the preaching Chaplain this past weekend as we opened and "dedicated" the new chapel. And I spoke on the "Storms of Life" and showed a Rob Bell, NOOMA video called "Rain." How appropriate considering the weather that night. We still had about 25 in attendance, which was not too bad. These chapel tents are about 70 feet long and about 25 feet wide. Depending on how many chairs you have, you can probably seat close to 75 or more people in there. That would be a great thing if/when we do that! Keep us in your prayers are we try to meet the religious needs of our Soldiers over here. Even if we have to do it in a small wooden shack or a tent!
I wanted to share about our "new" chapel facility. I am currently serving on two separate chapel staffs here on this base: one service is on Sunday morning in a B-hut structure (Warrior Chapel), and the other is a Sunday night service that used to meet in this big warehouse (East Side ChapelNext). Not very conducive to great worship services, but it was all we had. Yet all that changed last weekend. They ordered us what is commonly called a "chapel-in-a-box" around here, and it arrived a few weeks ago. The construction crew set it up (well, most of it, anyway), and we moved out service into this new facility this past weekend... in the rain. It was not a great night to make a major move, and because it came as a surprise to most of us (including the Chaplain staff) many people did not even know we moved. But that did not stop us from holding both Catholic Mass and Protestant Worship in the new building that night. It's a tent, actually. See the pictures. I had the privilege of being the preaching Chaplain this past weekend as we opened and "dedicated" the new chapel. And I spoke on the "Storms of Life" and showed a Rob Bell, NOOMA video called "Rain." How appropriate considering the weather that night. We still had about 25 in attendance, which was not too bad. These chapel tents are about 70 feet long and about 25 feet wide. Depending on how many chairs you have, you can probably seat close to 75 or more people in there. That would be a great thing if/when we do that! Keep us in your prayers are we try to meet the religious needs of our Soldiers over here. Even if we have to do it in a small wooden shack or a tent!
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