New video details LCMS work with military, families

A new Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod video pays tribute to the men and women of the U.S. military and those who minister to them, including LCMS chaplains.

The 15-minute video, titled “Those Who Serve,” highlights LCMS chaplains and the troops with whom they live and work. It explains how the Synod and LCMS congregations are poised to show Christ’s mercy to heroes in our midst — both active-duty and veterans.

“Danger is no stranger to our soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines who serve on active duty around the world,” said Chaplain Mark J. Schreiber, director of LCMS Ministry to the Armed Forces. “In a war zone in the barren mountains of Afghanistan or the deserts of Iraq, on ships at sea, under the sea or in the air, the devotion to courage, honor and commitment remains the same for all on active duty. Our chaplains go where the troops go. They walk in the same danger zones. Their presence brings spiritual support in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The chaplain is a visible reminder to the troops of the things they fight for — namely family, God, country and the just cause of seeking a greater peace after war and to set the oppressed free. Of this you can be proud.”

The video includes interviews with veterans, such as Paul Cauley, who says he’s “proud to be a veteran” and “it means so much to me when people just give me a simple thank you, thank you for serving, and welcome home.”

Others share their memories and experiences, including Chaplain Connie Walker, who served in the Vietnam War where he often asked God to help him “practice what I pray and just do the best I can for my precious troops,” which included “being with them with Word and sacrament, and then helping some heal and help[ing] some get ready to see the Master face-to-face because they’re not going to make it.”

Also among those featured is LCMS Chaplain Steven Hokana, who says military members and veterans “want to tell their story. They want to find someone who’s just willing to listen.” Hokana also relates how important God’s Word is in helping military members find “peace and reconciliation.”

Congregations are encouraged to use the downloadable video as a way of reaching out to members about the Synod’s Ministry to the Armed Forces. That ministry includes Operation Barnabas, a network of care for the nation’s military members and their families (see www.lcms.org/operationbarnabas for more information).

The video was released in tandem with the August military-themed issue of The Lutheran Witness and can be found at www.lcms.org/thosewhoservevideo.

Posted Sept. 12, 2012