Photo By Tech. Sgt. Robert Barnett | The 376th Air Expeditionary Wing Chapel held a musical extravaganza event at Transit...... read more read more
MANAS, Kyrgzstan - They raised their hands in praise, expressing their faith through dance. The audience felt the emotion flowing from the dancer's movements and stood clapping their hands conveying thanks.
The dance was one part of a music extravaganza held by the 376th Air Expeditionary Wing chapel Oct. 4, in celebration of different Christian faith practices.
"Today we had all the different church services combined, doing different selections of music, poems and praise dancing," said Tech Sgt. Jocelyn Foster, event organizer and 376th Expeditionary Force Support Squadron lead nightshift contracting officer representative. "We wanted the opportunity to bind everyone together, to show that we can worship together in one accord, no matter what our religious background."
More than 60 people gathered at the event to dance, sing and celebrate their faith.
Senior Airman Jordyn Discenzo, 376 EFSS lodging staff, was one of those attendees. This would be one of her final church services prior to going home.
She said the chapel provided a place of peace and fellowship she needed during her deployment.
"It has really helped give me peace throughout the week," said Discenzo a Garfield Heights, Ohio native deployed from the Air National Guard 179th Airlift Wing in Mansfield, Ohio. "It reminds me of home, going to church with my mom. Chaplain just takes me back to being at home, it's hard to find that when you're deployed. This event was really moving and I think everyone enjoyed it."
Discenzo is not alone in her feeling towards chapel services.
"It's hard being away from home, I look forward to Sundays because I can come here and be myself," said Foster, a native of Macon, Ga., deployed from Robins Air Force Base, Ga. "I don't have to worry about being judged..., I can just be carefree in God."
Leaving judgment at the door allowed many to be carefree during the service.
Capt. Consuila Harris and Staff Sgt. Kevin Smith praise danced at the event. Harris, a native of Atlanta, Ga., said the dance is a form of worship that articulates the spirit of God through the body.
"I always wanted to praise dance, so it was in my heart to do it," said Harris, a 376th Expeditionary Medical Group clinical nurse, deployed from Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. "I was relaxed and totally focused on God."
Smith, the 376 EMDG NCO in charge of health services management, choreographed and merged miming as part of the dance. He said miming is another form of praising God without singing.
"When I mime it's like no one else is in the room and it's just me and God just dancing," said Smith, a Memphis, Tenn., native, deployed from Minot Air Force Base, N.D. "I feel that I gave the audience a different perspective on looking at ministry and praise."
The music extravaganza attracted new comers as well. Event contributors like Smith were excited to see new faces in the chapel.
"There were so many people packed in the chapel, and I know some of the people that came usually don't come to church events," he said. "To see the dynamics and the different talents that were brought to it was a success."
Chaplain (Lt. Col.) Michael Sproul, a Chandler, Ariz., native said he found joy in seeing the different services together.
"It was just a really unifying, fun, and enjoyable way to represent our commonalities in Christ," said Sproul, who is deployed from the Air National Guard 161st Air Refueling Wing in Phoenix, Ariz. "It's just a great thing for people that may not worship in that way to get a feel for a way someone else worships. It may not be the way you worship but you can still enjoy it."
| Date Taken: | 10.06.2013 |
| Date Posted: | 10.11.2013 01:07 |
| Story ID: | 115058 |
| Location: | TRANSIT CENTER AT MANAS, KG |
| Hometown: | ATLANTA, GEORGIA, US |
| Hometown: | MACON, GEORGIA, US |
| Hometown: | MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE, US |
| Web Views: | 61 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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