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Welcome to The Canteen Chapel
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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The Chaplain's Corner
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J. Grant Swank, Jr.,
Pastor, New Hope Church
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THE GIFT OF LONELINESS
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I live in Maine’s Lakes Region neighborhood where some neighbors come and go. There are those here in the summers; then they disappear for the winters.
There are others who are in small dwellings for a few months--summer or winter--and then they are gone.
My wife and I take welcome gifts to these new people. But sometimes we are not there to give them farewell gifts for they slip away without notice.
Then there are some steady neighbors whom we know to be lonely in that they have no one close to them. An elderly gentleman, for instance, rarely leaves his home because his life has practically imploded with aloneness. A younger woman leaves her home only to go to the store because she has no close relatives.
I have often wondered about the lonely hearts around me in this strikingly beautiful Lakes Region environs. Do these people find any solace in the God who has painted our outdoors? In their loneliness, can they ever discover God crafting a gift of loneliness?
If you think about it in the light of God's Word, loneliness can be one of the most precious and yet misunderstood gifts from heaven.
When one is lonely, one often cries out for fellowship--connection--somebody to care. Where is everybody? Why am I left here all alone? Who can hear me?
Where am I going to end up? Why doesn't anyone out there answer me?
Asking all those questions is normal and all right.
But one must go on beyond that questioning if one is to discover loneliness as a divine gift.
So. . .the obvious question is this: How can I understand loneliness as a present from God? Is this attempt neurotic thinking or wishful musing? Or is this truth yet to be experienced?
Hopefully for you it is truth yet to be experienced.
Loneliness is a divine opportunity when one considers the reverse situation, that is, surrounded daily--every moment--by all kinds of peoples and voices and noises and clamors. That would be suffocating.
However, to come upon pockets of loneliness is the chance to contemplate God. If one were elbowed on every hand by others, then one could become used to such an environs to the extent that that environs would become one's deity. Such would be most unfortunate.
However, when loneliness comes to sit alongside us, then we can choose to think on God. He waits in the silence. Scripture reminds us: "Be still and know that I am God." (Psalm 46:10)
But we do not like the quiet. (There were other ages that did in fact honor life's quiet; but today's noise infested sphere proclaims quiet to be sickness). We have sounds to the right and left of us, even when we are dropping off to sleep as well as when we awaken. Sounds must be there or we cry out that we have been robbed.
Yet quiet is one of the pleasant rooms in which God rests. He is there. He waits for you there. The Psalmist knew that and so he wrote: "When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up." (Psalm 27:10)
God has promised His own: "I will never leave thee nor forsake thee." (Hebrews 13:5)
Consequently, when you come upon the loneliness, you come upon the chance to open a door to God. Move then beyond the lonely emotion to the holy communication with God. He will talk with you once you wind down, quiet your soul and wait upon His Spirit.
In the Lakes Region area, we have invited various persons into our home in order to introduce them to God’s quiet. In this, we have discovered that their loneliness has become realized as a divine gift.
Yet realistically though these friends have found companionship in our home fellowship, they still must deal with their own pockets of loneliness. Such is one of life’s givens. However, these friends have shared that discovering pockets of loneliness as divine presents has become personal reality. For this they are grateful.
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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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Touch the photo to hear Michael Anthony sing:
"The Lord's Prayer"
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. A Prayer for the United States.
Translation:
He who gives victory to kings and dominion to
princes, whose reign is a reign for all eternity,
who saved David, his Servant, from the evil sword,
who made a road through the sea and a path through
mighty waters, may He bless, guard, protect,
aid, exalt, make great and raise on high
The President of the United States George W. Bush
May the King of all Kings in his mercy, keep him
alive and guard him from every distress, grief and
trouble.May he lead nations beneath his feet and
cause his enemies to fall down before him, and may
he have success in all that he shall undertake. May
the King of all kings in his mercy, place compassion
into his heart and into the hearts of all his
advisers and ministers, to deal kindly with us and
with all of Israel. In his days and in our days may
Judah be redeemed and Israel dwell securely, and may
the redeemer come to Zion, may this be His will, and
let us say, Amen.
Thank you Alouette
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Music from Israel
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A Sabbath Song..........May the Temple Be Built
Shalom Medley .........He That Keeps Israel
On The Sabbath Day ...........They Will Rejoice in Thy Kingdom
(You will need Windows Media Player for these songs)
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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
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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."
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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.
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Music for a Sunday
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Eternal Father (organ)....Joyful We Adore Thee (organ)
The Hallelujah Chorus ...... Ave Maria (Kiri Te Kawana)
How Great Thou Art (Elvis).....Just A Closer Walk (Anne Murray)......
Church in the Wildwood (Charlie Pride).....Faith Like That (Anchormen)
In The Garden (Loretta Lynn).......Our God is an Awesome God (Carman)
Take My Hand (Mahalia Jackson).....We Shall Behold Him (The Ruppes)
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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)
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Jesus Loves Me
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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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