USO Canteen FReeper Style~ Sunday Chapel ~ December 15 2002

USO Canteen Chaplin grantswank

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

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The Canteen Chapel at Christmas

Although we are always aware
that the Canteen is operating
in Cyberspace, we want the troops
and anyone who is on the receiving end
of prayers at the Canteen,
to know that these prayers are very real.

I hope the troops and Canteeners
alike, will view this Canteen Chapel,
as a place where you might go in times of
trouble or times of joy to be with your God.

"Come unto me all ye who are weary and
burdened,and I shall give you rest." (Matt: 11:28).

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George W. Bush: A President of Faith

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A Man of Prayer

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A reporter on CNN was asked

"What did George W. Bush do
on his first morning as president-elect?"

This was Tony Clark's answer:

"He attended a prayer service with family,
friends and staff members."

George W Bush's priorities were established
on the first day of his Presidency.

The President Takes His Faith to Work

President George W. Bush looks over to Thomas Martello, 6,
during the signing ceremony of the Victims of Terrorism
Tax Relief Act in the East Room Jan. 23.
"We're joined today by families who have lost loved ones
in the great acts of evil," said the President.
"As you draw on faith and personal strength to cope with your grief,
I hope you'll also find comfort in the knowledge that
your nation stands with you and prays for you.
We mourn those whom we've lost, and we face the future together."

The President Lives his Faith

President Bush says he prays every day
in all kinds of situations,
and has been seen to quietly bow his head and pray
before news conferences and important meetings.
"I pray for guidance. I do not pray for earthly things
but for heavenly things, for wisdom
and patience and understanding."

"For strength and support, Bush turns to
the same things that have sustained
him for two decades: his faith and his family . . .
Bush prays and reads the Bible every day.
These days, aides say, they often spot
a Bible on his desk in the Oval Office.
In conversation or meetings, he often refers to
passages of Scripture that he has just read."

"There are prayers that help us last
through the day, or endure the night.
There are prayers of friends and strangers
that give us strength for the journey.
And there are prayers that yield
our will to a will greater than our own."

George W. Bush September 14, 2001
National Day of Prayer and Remembrance.

Listen to President George W Bush
in an Inspiring Song by Russ Lee

Don't miss this.

I'm Going To Live What I Believe

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Music for Christmas

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The Hallelujah Chorus (Mormon Tabernacle Choir) ......Ave Maria (Kiri Te Kawana)

God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen (Garth Brooks).....

Hark the Herald Angels Sing (Andy Williams)......What Child is This (Enya)

Joy to The World (Anne Murray).......When a Child is Born (The Mistletones)

Deck the Halls (Mormon Tabernacle Choir)........O Holy Night

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The Children's Corner

Click on child in prayer, to hear Veggie Tunes
(this is over half an hour of music)

"Angels We Have Heard on High"
sung by a Children's Chorus

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Hymns of the Military

Army Hymn: "God of Our Fathers"

Navy Hymn: "Eternal Father Strong to Save"

Air Force Hymn: "Lord Guard and Guide the Men Who Fly"

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We, at the Canteen, offer these prayers 
to those serving their country 
today. God Bless you all.

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Psalm 59:1,16&17
(Patti Vaillant)

"Deliver me from mine enemies,O my God:
Defend me from them that rise up against me.
But I will sing of thy power;yes I will sing
aloud of thy mercy in the morning; for thou
hast been my defence and refuge in the day
of my trouble. Unto thee, O my strength will
I sing: for God is my defence, and the God of 
my mercy."

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Our Prayer
(Celine Dion/Andrea Bocelli)

I pray you'll be our eyes, 
And watch us where we go.
And help us to be wise 
In times when we don't know.

Let this be our prayer, 
When we lose our way.
Lead us to a place, 
Guide us with your grace
To a place where we'll be safe. 

I pray we'll find your light,
And hold it in our hearts
When stars go out each night,
Remind us where you are.. 

Let this be our prayer
When shadows fill our day
Lead us to a place
Guide us with your grace 
Give us faith so we'll be safe.

We ask that life be kind
And watch us from above.
We hope each soul will find
Another soul to love.

Let this be our prayer,
Just like every child,
Needs to find a place, 
Guide us with your grace
Give us faith so we'll be safe.

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Chap Grant's Christmas Greetings
to the Canteen.

BLESSINGS TO YOU AND YOURS. . .
GRANT AND PRISCILLA
CHRISTMASTIDE 2002

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The Chaplain's Corner

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J. Grant Swank, Jr.,
Pastor, New Hope Church

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AN INN FOR CHRISTMAS

"I'll bring you another blanket," I said.

"Greg, when you leave in the morning, make sure you turn out the lights."

Greg smiled, understanding that he did have a
habit of forgetting to turn out the lights in his
one-room shelter at the church.

How could parents put their child out at Christmas?

"How is it that they told you to leave?" I asked
him when he wandered into my living room that
desperately cold night.

"They said they had had it with my being a Christian."

"You can use the rest rooms -- shave, bathe. You
can use the church kitchen to make your meals.
Sometimes we'll invite you over for supper. How's
that?"

On the following Sunday I informed our
congregation of Greg's plight. After worship,
people needed no prodding to get heads and hearts
together.

"Do you have the box decorated?" someone
asked. I assured her that Marie had everything in
place.

"Good morning, Greg," I called to him as he
left his one-room abode to join the rest of us.

"Good morning, Pastor," he replied cheerily.

Greg had been invited to his parents' for Christmas
Day. He would go, he said, "to show them that I
love them in spite of what they've done to me."
Fine. Then go.

Our church fellowship meal was eaten with relish.
Such delicious tastes!

"Now?" Sally asked.

"Now," I whispered back.

The huge box was brought out into the center of
the fellowship hall.

"Greg."

It was not easy to get Greg's attention when he
was eating!

"Greg, we have something special for you today.
Here are some presents we wrapped up just for
you. May this be a blessed Christmas after all."

The young man--not all that tall--rose to extra
height with gladness as he sauntered over to the gifts.

"How can I say what's in my heart?" he asked,
hardly able to say much more.

"Greg?" I knocked on his door late Christmas night.
Loud music was blaring.

"Greg?" I knocked again.

"What are you listening to?" I asked whimsically.

Greg turned down the volume.

"I guess I was just trying to drown out something
inside with that noise," Greg said haltingly.

"That bad, was it?" I ventured.

"That bad."

"And what did your parents get you for
Christmas?" I asked.

"Nothing."

"Nothing? Nothing at all?"

Greg nodded. At the other side of the room were
all the gifts given by the church folk.

"My parents are not very happy people. I feel
sorry for them. I'm beginning to understand that
they really do need a lot of help."

"Their not giving me anything was really getting to
me tonight. I turned up the radio so that I could
drown out some of the hurt inside."

"No problem, Greg."

"Yet, Pastor, through this whole mess I've realized
one precious gift that stands out more than anything
else."

"What's that?"

"It's that I do have a family. They are more than I
have ever had in my whole life. They are all those
people who come into this church. They love me."

I left him and walked back home.

"How's he doing?" my wife asked as I walked
through the door.

"Not too well. But not too badly either. I mean, I
think this is one of the most precious Christmases
Greg will ever know. For some very important reasons,
this season will no doubt stand out in his memory as
one of the most meaningful times in his life."

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Click on banner above to listen to this song.

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Our Canteen Chaplain,Grant Swank,is pastor 
of the New Hope Church. He has pastored for 
40+ years, ministering in Calgary, Alberta;
Indianapolis; Kansas City; Manchester CT; 
Akron OH; Fishkill NY; Walpole MA and presently 
in Maine. 

Grant also finds ministry in writing for various 
Protestant and Catholic publications, including 
CHRISTIANITY TODAY, DECISION and THE PRIEST. 

Presently, Grant is providing columns for 
websites such as CHALCEDON, INTELLECTUAL.
CONSERVATIVE, 
MENSNEWSDAILY, MICHNEWS and WOUNDEDSHEPHERDS. 

He also writes a weekly column, "Lakes 
Religion," for the PORTLAND PRESS HERALD 
newspaper, Portland ME. 

He and his wife, Priscilla, have traveled 
extensively, including the Middle East, Europe 
and South America. The Swanks have three adult 
children: Crystal, Jay and 
Heidi Jo.

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[radu]

The Wright brothers, Orville and Wilbur, followed the precepts of Chanute, Lilienthal, Pilcher and others by experimenting with kites and gliders before building a powered plane. In 1899 they began construction of a glider in their bicucle shop at Dayton, Ohio. After determining from the Weather Bureau that steady winds were likely to prevail at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, they took time off from their business in September 1900 and began their glider operations in North Carolina. For the next three years they divided their time between Kitty Hawk and Dayton.

The Wrights went about their work scientifically, even designing (in 1901) a wind tunnel equipped with balances for measuring the magnitude and direction of forces on airplane wings. They made useful measurements of lift and drag and of the travel of the center of pressure, and compiled tables of statistics which would aid in designing an airplane capable of flight.

(Photos/Information courtesy of the U.S. Air Force Museum)

(my words)
As we come up on the Centennial of the Wright brothers' flight, we should keep in mind that it's because of these two men that we now have wonders such as this B-52 Stratofortress

(photo by Senior Airman Amanda Cervetti)

and so many others for our military to use in the fight for freedom!

[radu]

A pile of blankets, coming up! LOL!! There should plenty here for everyone.

[radu]

Hi Cote!! It's wonderful to see you!!!

Are you going to go on the sleigh ride with us tonight? It's a perfect evening for it and we'll even have some hot chocolate and other goodies to warm up with afterwards.

[tomkow6]

Sure, NOW that, for all intents & purposes, the BEARS' season is over, they start palying decent! Sheesh!

[Aura Of The Blade]

How's my favorite lady in Alaska doing?

Have a great evening!

[TEXOKIE]

Thanks for the blankets, rad! Sedate sounds good today! (Believe it or not!!) Here are some hats and mittens to go with the blankets!

[radu]

LOL!! Hearing "Tequila" makes me want to jump up and dance!!

[radu]

Oh goodie! With all these hats and mittens, plus the blankets, we should be nice and toasty during the sleigh ride.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Hot chocolate is good today. It is in the teens. A little chilly for the body, but good for keeping snow. Yippee!! Thanks, Meek.

[TEXOKIE]

I hope we can stay toasty, Rad, I sure do! Kinda tired this evening. I had the opportunity to play my music today, and my synapses arent synapsing very quick right now! In fact, a quick turn from here to the creek oughta do me fine! Then, I'd like some of that hot chocolate I heard rumors about!

[Kathy in Alaska]

Thanks Radical Poet, and cote, for the lovely poems this fine Sunday. I'm sure the troops will enjoy them.

[TEXOKIE]

Hi Ms Kathy! That hot chocolate sounds really great...unfortunately, I'm being pulled offline for a while...I will try to check back later!

God bless all troops and veterans!

[radu]

Some hot treats to nibble on after the sleigh ride:

and some hot chocolate or hot spiced tea, your preference.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Here ya go, Tex. Hot chocolate will hit the spot tonight.

[radu]

Transfering files all night? Oh no! I feel for you!

I'm not going to get to ride very long myself. I have one more stained glass panel to finish and I need to get to work on it shortly.

Sunday modes of transportation are always nice and sedate....and much needed after some of the wild rides Tonk sends us on during the week! LOL!!! Those are fun, though.

If you need a break from transferring, I'm sure the sleigh will be going out on runs several times tonight. :-))

[RadioAstronomer]

Hi! I hope everyone had a wonderful Sunday. :-)

[Kathy in Alaska]

Welcome home from Tuesday. Hope it was better than Monday. A better drive to work; no power outages; no more fence down. *HUG* Nice people on the phone.