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CDR Bill Gasser, CHC, USNR is part of the Navy Reserve component, and currently deployed to Kuwait, which is known as “The Gateway” because of the steady flow of military personnel that move through Kuwait headed to Iraq and back home again. Ch Gasser works primarily with sailors who are out-processing, participating in the debriefing of troops as part of the effort to assist with re-entry to life back in the U.S. Chaplains are also standing by at home working with the families and preparing to help the returning troops reintegrate. A large number of the sailors Ch Gasser interviews have been under attack, many have lost a buddy in the violence, and some are conflicted about what is waiting for them back home. As opportunities present themselves, as well as in chapel services, Ch Gasser has the joy of sharing Christ with these men and women, and has seen several of them come to a personal relationship with the Savior.

On 31 October the twenty-seven year active duty military career of Chaplain (COL) & Mrs. James E. May concluded as Ch May retired from the United States Army. God has used Jim and Ellen in a powerful way in their varied assignments. Over the years the Mays have represented the Lord and our Fellowship faithfully as they have touched lives through their message, music and hospitality. Their children have also served the Lord in the military, and their sons and son-in-law have all been deployed to Iraq in the Global War on Terror. Jim and Ellen, we thank you for your service to God and Country. May the Lord bless you as you continue to serve Him in your retirement.

31 October also marked the conclusion of the twenty-one year military career of Chaplain (COL) and Mrs. Allen Douglas Ferry as Doug retired from the New York Army National Guard. As a National Guard chaplain, Doug has also had full-time civilian ministry, serving first in the pastorate and now as a full-time chaplain at the Auburn Correctional Facility in Auburn, New York. His duty assignments with the New York Army National Guard have included working at Ground Zero following 9/11/01, a deployment to Bosnia, and two deployments to Iraq in the Global War on Terror. Doug and Theresa’s son is a pastor in our Fellowship, and their daughter is actively involved in the ministries of her local church. The Ferrys have steadfastly represented the Lord and our Fellowship, and we thank them for their service. May the Lord bless you as you continue to serve Him.

ARLINGTON, Va.—Several GARBC chaplains participated in the Veterans Day National Ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery on Nov. 11, an event hosted by the Military Chaplains Association. Following the Presidential Wreath Ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknowns, Vice President Cheney addressed the audience in the amphitheater.

“No single military power in history has done greater good, shown greater courage, liberated more people, or upheld higher standards of decency and valor than the armed forces of the United States of America,” Cheney said. “That is a legacy to be proud of, and those who contributed to it must never be taken for granted.” (more…)

Left to right: CH (CPT) Mike Crawford, TSGT Jacob Getzelman, Senator Daryl Beall, MAJ Todd Essign (Battalion XO), CH (COL) John Murdoch, CAP

On 28 September 08 Faith Baptist Church of Fort Dodge, Iowa, held a Military Appreciation Service and welcomed home the Iowa Army National Guard unit and Chaplain, (CAPT) Michael Crawford, who is their pastor. For the past year he and his unit have been in Kosovo as part of the peace keeping mission there. After the service the church hosted a catered dinner for all who attended. Iowa State Senator Daryl Beall was among the dignitaries who attended and spoke. It was a joy to hear the Senator share how a member of Faith Baptist brought him to church there when he was a student and that it was there he placed his faith in the Lord for salvation. Several unit members gave testimony to what God did in their lives through the ministry of Ch Crawford. The Crawford family and unit members are grateful for the prayer and support they received through the year of their deployment.

Commander Tom Webber, CHC, USN is assigned to the 8th District Coast Guard and is stationed in New Orleans, LA. He writes: “Southern LA evacuated during both hurricanes and NOLA (GUSTAV) and Houston and Galveston (IKE) once each. Even though we evacuated our people, they were the first back into the area - even before power. The personal price that many of our fine Americans face is the recovery of their own property, homes, cars, and personal memorabilia lost during the flooding. These USCG patriots drove past their own homes to meet the needs of a community and nation, even leaving their belongings to rot and families elsewhere to answer our nation’s call to duty. They truly are SEMPER PARATUS - Always Ready!”

On 29 September 2008 the United States Air Force Auxiliary, Civil Air Patrol, announced that Chaplain Whit Woodard was named the new Chief of the Chaplain Service and has been promoted to the rank of Colonel. Chaplain Woodard is only the second Regular Baptist chaplain to hold this position. He will be leading the CAP’s Chaplain Service, which consists of over 900 personnel nationwide. Please be in prayer for Chaplain Woodard as he begins this new phase of his chaplaincy ministry.

Chaplain (1LT) Mark Worrell graduated from the Army Chaplain School located at Fort Jackson in Columbia, South Carolina on Thursday 4 September 2008.  Mark is to report to his first duty assignment at Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas, on September 11, and has been told he should be planning to deploy with his unit early next year. Please be in prayer for Mark and Shelly as they travel, begin their ministry, and prepare their unit and themselves for a deployment.

Christopher and Amanda Anderson

Chris Anderson has received his commission as a chaplain with the US Army Reserves and has been assigned to a reserve unit in central New York. He has been pastor of the Hunts Corners Baptist Church in Marathon, NY since October of 2005. This past May he graduated from Baptist Bible Seminary (Clarks Summit, PA) with his Master of Divinity degree. Chris and Amanda are the parents of Nathaniel (almost 7), Kate (4 ½), and Robbie (1). We are happy to welcome them to our GARBC chaplaincy family!

On December 5th, 2007, eight people were killed in shootings by a young gunman at the Von Maur clothing store in Omaha, NE. Six others were wounded by his ak47 rifle. As a police chaplain I was called out with about 20 other chaplains to minister to the survivors and their families. I was the only one assigned to University Medical Center, where I visited and prayed with two shooting victims and several of their family and friends in ER and outside emergency surgery. The next day I was on duty and was summoned early to counsel with a suicidal person. It was the mother of the shooter. I praise the Lord our time together went well. Two days later she was on national television telling her story on the Good Morning America program. The Omaha Police Department, in a debriefing afterwards, commended all of the chaplains for their excellent work during the crisis. To the best of my knowledge I am the only fundamental Baptist in the OPD Chaplain Corps at this time, and I was grateful for this opportunity to be a witness for Christ.

Pastor Greg Ubbens
Grace Baptist Church
Omaha, NE

Pastor Ubbens is a volunteer police chaplain in Omaha, NE. He is “on call” one or more times each month for 24 hours and goes to emergency situations, makes death notifications with an officer, and does “ride alongs.” He has also been assigned to the Special Victims Unit and Domestic Violence Unit and helps in those difficult situations.

Cortland, N.Y.—Chaplain Norm Stitzel, a GARBC endorsed lay chaplain and member of Faith Baptist Church of Cortland, New York, received the Meritorious Service Award this year for his service as Commandant and Chaplain of the United States Marine Corps League Detachment #221.

The award reads: “In appreciation and gratitude for meritorious service in the interests of the United States of America, the United States Marine Corps and the Marine Corps League, for the period of May 2004 to Nov. 10, 2007.”

Cortland’s Mayor and Chief of Police were present during the presentation of this award.

Along with this award, the local newspaper, the Cortland Standard ran two large articles with pictures of Norm heading up the local Toys for Tots program. Faith Baptist Church donated DVDs that shared the story of the nativity. These DVDs, including the church’s contact information, went to 118 families. A total of 1053 gifts were given to 351 children.