US Marines Praise God with “Days of Elijah”
It seems some US Marines praise God with a boldness and passion lacking in many American churches today.
A simple chapel service — and yet an inspirational one:
Tag Archives: chapel
USAFA’s “Epic” Cadet Chapel
Photographs of the US Air Force Academy’s cadet chapel frequent many collections of architectural wonder and general awe. The work of Christoph Morlinghaus was recently featured in Wired Magazine under the title “Divine photos of America’s most epic churches.” The USAFA cadet chapel was one of those featured.
In an interesting twist from the more common perspective, Morlinghaus took his photograph facing the rear, capturing the grand organ rather than the 50-foot cross at the front of the chapel.
See the article here, Morlinghaus’ website here, and the original photograph here. Read more
USAFA SPIRE Leaders Protect Religious Freedom under New Regulation
The US Air Force Academy recently met with all of its SPIRE volunteers — faith representatives who help USAFA with its spiritual support through the Special Program in Religious Education program [emphasis added]:
About 60 volunteers from Buddhist, Earth-Centered, Greek Orthodox, Jewish, Latter Day Saints, Catholic and Protestant groups gathered to review leadership guidelines and sign a SPIRE Memorandum of Agreement before working with cadets.
“The volunteers are like tentacles of the chapel,” said Chaplain Read more
West Point Trainees Worship Christ
More than 400 Christian West Point trainees join in worship during a break in their basic training.
UCC Church Sues to Perform Homosexual Weddings
The United Church of Christ has joined a lawsuit in North Carolina claiming its religious freedom is being infringed by a law and the state constitution, which define marriage as one between a man and a woman.
North Carolina criminalizes the act of marrying someone without a valid license — and since no license will be issued to same-gender couples, multiple-partners, or anyone else who isn’t one man and one woman, clergy who performed services for such “marriages” could theoretically be subject to criminal penalties. Since the UCC wants to perform homosexual weddings, they assert their religious exercise is being restricted:
Attorney Jake Sussman, who is representing the plaintiffs, says this is the only existing marriage equality case to make a First Amendment claim. It’s also the first case for marriage Read more
Archdiocese Offers Mass at Recruit Training Center
As noted in an official Navy article, Catholic Bishop Robert Coyle, the Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, recently visited the US Naval Recruit Training Center at Great Lakes, Illinois. He was able to meet with the Command’s leadership and celebrate communion with trainees at the Recruit Memorial Chapel. As every trainee of every branch knows, the ability to celebrate one’s faith during the intensity of basic training can provide the support and strength to persevere:
During Catholic services at RTC, recruits volunteer to sing in the choir or serve at the altars. Recruits can also offer prayers, read scripture and take Holy Communion. According to Seaman Recruit Katrina Biggs, taking Read more
US Air Force Academy Hosts Wiccan Priestess
While the US Air Force Academy is regularly accused of being dominated by Christianity, its support for other faith systems routinely goes unnoticed or unpublicized (even by its own Public Affairs, apparently):
Selena Fox, who calls herself a Wiccan priestess, was recently hosted by the USAFA chaplains. (She’s holding a chapel coin.) They took a hike with some local pagans up to Falcon Circle, formerly known as the LZ, an “outdoor chapel” area created with some intent to host earth-centered religious adherents a few years ago.
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Catholic Chaplain’s Lawsuit over Gov’t Shutdown Dismissed
Father Ray Leonard is a civilian contract chaplain who filed a lawsuit after the US military refused to allow him to perform services during the budget crisis known as the “government shutdown” last year.
Father Leonard’s lawsuit has been dismissed as moot (PDF), essentially because the government allowed him to return to work after it re-opened.
Legally, if a defendant reverses a policy in response to a lawsuit, the courts will not (necessarily) consider the claim moot. In this case, however, the judge decided the military did not change its mind because of his lawsuit, but because the government re-opened. Paraphrased, this “mootness” exception says Read more