Ministry of Presence
April 2, 2003

Pastor Chuck Roots has been called away from Ripon Free Methodist Church to active duty as a Navy chaplain to the U.S. Marines. Click here to see his photo album.

The cornerstone of being a chaplain, whether Navy, Army or Air Force, is what we call the "ministry of presence." Simply put, it describes the essence of our work. The mere physical presence of a chaplain often has a cathartic effect on the troops all up and down the chain of command.

I have been reminded of this most recently since the commencement of hostilities with Iraq. I have been invited to speak several times to small groups of Marines. They share their concerns about the war, which opens the opportunity to discuss in an informal manner the many aspects of serving in the military during a war. Of all the branches of the service, the Marines have the youngest average age at 22 years. Another way of looking at it, is a whole bunch of these Marines are between 17and 20. Have you looked into such a youthful face recently? My! How young they are! Yet, it is these very same folks who will carry the day in defeating the demented regime of Saddam Hussein.

If you could see them as I do every day, looking sharp, physically fit, respectful, maintaining proper military bearing, marching as only Marines do, and demonstrating a marvelous attitude, you'd want to shout out loud in pride. I walk among them as they go about their daily tasks, chatting in an easy manner, asking where they're from, about their families, and their job in the Corps.

So this past week there was a memorial service for four of our beloved Marines, killed when their helicopter crashed in Kuwait. What started out being a service for those in the 3rd Marine Air Wing became a base-wide event. Marines have such an affinity to one another that it doesn't matter what command you're with — you are still a Marine. The attendance was about five hundred, including two generals. The responsibility for such a service falls to the chaplain. This is when the "ministry of presence" plays a significant role. The chaplain's message was concise and to the point. He adroitly pointed the grieving assemblage to a loving God who longs to embrace the downcast soul.

Wednesday nights is "burn your own steak" night at the Officers Club, a weekly ritual I look forward to with great relish. It sure beats Cup O' Noodles out of the microwave in my room at the BOQ! [see "Home for the Holidays," Nov 27] So while in the process of burning my steak, I struck up a conversation with two lieutenants at another table who had already made sacrifice of their steaks. They informed me they were preparing to head over to Iraq in a couple of days. I looked at them sitting there enjoying their meal and the friendship of their fellow Marines, when I simply asked them if they would allow me to pray for them. We stood there for a solemn moment as I prayed, asking God to bless them and their families and that the Lord would bring them back home safe and soon.

I little care what your political stripe is, or your feelings about war, the president, or whatever it is that pushes your hot button. You should fall on your knees in gratitude to God for providing us with such wonderful men and women, who display all that is good in America.

And I am privileged to serve with such worthies, providing a ministry of God's presence.