Photo By Janecze Wright | The 1st Cav. Div. Band, along with the PWOC Choir and the Comanche Chapel Choir,...... read more read more
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FORT HOOD, Texas -- The Fort Hood community came out to celebrate the resurrection of Christ during the Easter Sunrise Service early April 9, 2023, at the Spirit of Fort Hood Chapel.
The courtyard was filled with seats to accommodate guests who came out to enjoy the service.
Chaplain (Lt. Col.) George Tyger, deputy Garrison chaplain, helped organize the event and explained that the service allows worshippers to come together no matter their religious affiliation.
“It’s just one of those times when people who maybe don’t normally get together on a Sunday morning, can sit together and fellowship together and worship together in a way that is particularly special because of the way it celebrates Jesus’ life, Jesus’ death, but ultimately Jesus’ resurrection and the gifts that come to all of us through that,” the chaplain said.
The 1st Cavalry Division Band played a prelude to welcome the congregation and, along with the Protestant Women of the Chapel Choir and the Comanche Chapel Choir, offered musical accompaniments.
Chaplain (Col.) Darren Chester, Garrison chaplain, delivered the invocation. He explained that religion and faith can help Soldiers through the perils they face in defense of the nation.
“Soldiers are faced with life and death situations,” Chester said. “When they come into the Army, they’re sworn to defend and uphold the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic. So oftentimes, that requires violence and war, that often results in death and suffering. I think a Soldier needs to be thinking about those things regularly and make sure that they’re ready to face those things.”
After a congregational hymn, audience members heard readings from Jeremiah 31: 1-6 and 1 Peter 1: 3-9 before Chaplain (Col.) Doug Ball, III Armored Corps chaplain, delivered the message.
Ball said the motivation behind the message comes from his belief that individual stories in life are connected to the larger story of God’s work throughout history.
“There’s this cycle where there’s fallenness, there’s pain, there’s sin, there’s struggles, there’s weaknesses,” he said. “And then in the midst of that, God comes in with redemption and restoration and the changes that give us hope and a future. And to realize that once again, that cycle matches its overall cycle of God’s work, and it matches the cycle with the good news of Christianity is really a valid right.”
Ball encouraged parishioners to avoid feeling trapped and overwhelmed.
“It’s easy to be anxious and to worry and just be stuck there, or to find a place of sadness or despondency and apathy and find yourself stuck there,” he explained. “But to know that as we turn to God, he can bring us to a place of joy and hope and through that, we can begin to worship and have that relationship with our Creator.”
Vanessa Oliver attended the service with her three children. She said she wanted them to learn the importance of Easter and what it’s about, beyond the commercial aspect. She shared that faith plays a big role in her family and the service is a way to stay connected while her spouse is deployed.
“It brings us together, it makes me feel like I have a family,” she expressed. “My husband’s gone and being close to God and the community (is important). Fort Hood really comes together as a community for people that are deployed.”
Tyger said the service is just one way Fort Hood supports the community.
“I think it’s really important for everyone to understand that the most important job that we do as chaplains and as the religious support office here on Fort hood is assure the free expression of religion rights for every single person,” Tyger expressed. “And this (service) is one of the ways we do that. We enable all people to practice their faith in a way that’ s free for them and that’s what’s most important about being an Army chaplain for me.”
| Date Taken: | 04.13.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 09.01.2023 11:48 |
| Story ID: | 442806 |
| Location: | FORT HOOD, TEXAS, US |
| Web Views: | 38 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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