by Pastor Stan Lightfoot III
Rustic Hills Baptist Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado
Sunday November 12 was “Welcome Home Sunday” at Rustic Hills Baptist Church. We chose that day because of the Veterans Day remembrance and the arrival of the Second Heavy Brigade Combat Team back home from duty in Iraq. The 2nd HBCT is headquartered at Fort Carson here
in Colorado Springs, and the unit was rotated home in small groups during most of the preceding month. Among those serving in that unit are several members of our congregation: Chaplain (CPT) Bill Johnson (endorsed by the GARBC), Chaplain (CPT) Wayne Keast, Captain Steve Walker, and Staff Sergeant Tim Shaw. Duane Pope, a member of the church and owner of “Above & Beyond” Military Insignia Displays, decorated the church with military flags, uniforms, and memorabilia in honor of the occasion. Every soldier and veteran in attendance received a small gift; and Major Lance Kohler, battalion executive officer, presented the church with a certificate of appreciation along with a battalion coin. Chaplain Johnson sang a solo accompanied by a moving PowerPoint presentation of the tour of duty in Iraq, and the chaplains (Johnson and Keast) preached a joint message titled “Service Through Sacrifice” from Romans 12:1, 2. Following the service, the church family hosted a special dinner for our military guests of honor and finished with a panel discussion related to the challenges and opportunities of ministry in Iraq.
The service was a powerful reminder that many of our countrymen and women serve in very dangerous places around the world and they need our prayer and support.
