Today in the Mission Yearbook - Memorial Day is a day to remember and a day to mourn

The cost of war is seen in Ukraine

May 27, 2024

From Psalm 29 (The Message):

 God’s thunder spits fire.
God thunders, the wilderness quakes;
He makes the desert of Kadesh shake.

 God’s thunder sets the oak trees dancing
A wild dance, whirling; the pelting rain strips their branches.
We fall to our knees—we call out, “Glory!”

 Above the floodwaters is God’s throne
    from which his power flows,
    from which he rules the world.

 God makes his people strong.
God gives his people peace.

Chaplain Kozachyn (provided)

War is neither necessary nor romantic. The deaths that come from war are needless and tragic. Those who give their lives in war may be remembered and honored for their selfless sacrifice, but the wars which brought their deaths are not glorious adventures. Our entry into war may at times be unavoidable but must never be sought. We mourn those killed in war on Memorial Day as we grieve the pain of loss and deprivation.

War in our world is a contradiction — we celebrate and rejoice in the redemption God has made available to all, the peace given through the love and grace of our Lord, and the strength we each can embody as we are filled by the precious Spirit. And yet, war remains even as we know sin and hatred are pervasive despite the very presence of God’s kingdom.

On this Memorial Day, we are reminded of the tragedy of war — we remember and give thanks for those who have given their lives in service to our nation. We have often advanced the cause of freedom and justice through taking up arms to defend and protect the oppressed.

But we are also reminded of the cost of war and the evil that produces it. We see in glaring detail the tragedy heaped on the people of Ukraine.

One loss in Ukraine not often mentioned is Maksym Anatolyovych Kozachyn, a military chaplain of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Ordained in 2000, Chaplain Kozachyn was leaving the Kyiv region when shot and killed by advancing Russian soldiers. The soldiers did not permit locals to remove his body from the car in which he was murdered.

The Ukrainian military has embraced chaplains and has made efforts to ensure all faiths are represented. Many chaplains of the United States and other nations have helped Ukraine develop a sense of chaplaincy. These servants play a critical role in ministering to the members of the besieged and outnumbered Ukrainian forces and have brought a palpable sense of the presence of God into the midst of great suffering and chaos. Chaplain Kozachyn gave his life seeking to be with his people.

Father Andriy Zelinskyy, SJ, the chief military chaplain of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, said in a recent interview, “We find ourselves at a time when the greatest gift we have is in danger, that is, our humanity. “ 

On this Memorial Day, may we remember and mourn those whose lives have been lost in the tragedy of war. May we also remember God makes us strong and gives us peace through the precious humanity and sacrificial obedience of the beloved child — our Savior and Redeemer. May we seek to redeem all our humanity.

A Litany for Ukraine (written by Father Tim Cole, a retired British Army chaplain who is currently the rector of Christ Church [Episcopal], Georgetown, District of Columbia) 

The Litanist says
God of justice and peace, in the face of unthinkable violence in Ukraine:
We pray for the Ukrainian people in their struggle to retain liberty.

Litanist  Lord, in your mercy,
People    hear our prayer.
We pray that they may be spared from trauma, violence and death.

Litanist  Lord, in your mercy,
People    hear our prayer.
We pray that global leaders will stand firm,
doing all in their power to protect innocent human life.

Litanist  Lord, in your mercy,
People     hear our prayer.
We pray for the peoples of Europe and of this nation,
that we may be united in our defense of liberty, justice and peace.

Litanist  Lord, in your mercy,
People     hear our prayer.
We pray for Russian soldiers,
that they may act with restraint and compassion.

Litanist  Lord, in your mercy,
People     hear our prayer.
We pray for the Russian people,
that they may reject aggression, violence and war.

Litanist  Lord, in your mercy,
People     hear our prayer.
We pray for the safety of non-combatants.

Litanist  Lord, in your mercy,
People     hear our prayer.
We pray for justice.

LitanistLord, in your mercy,
People     hear our prayer.
We pray for peace.

Litanist  Lord, in your mercy,
People     hear our prayer.

A period of silence is kept.

 Presbyterian Federal Chaplaincies supports more than 150 PC(USA) chaplains who minister in federal prisons, veteran administration hospitals, and as noncombatants in the military “that all may practice in peace.” Please visit our website at presfedchap.org or call (202) 630-6225 for more information.

Lyman Smith, Executive Director, Presbyterian Federal Chaplaincies

Today’s Focus: Memorial Day

Let us join in prayer for:

PC(USA) Agencies’ Staff
Sy Hughes, Ministry Engagement Advisor, Ministry Engagement & Support, Administrative Services Group, (A Corp)  
Lacey Hunter, Manager, Finance & Administration, Director’s Office, Compassion, Peace & Justice, Presbyterian Mission Agency 

Today in the Mission Yearbook - Memorial Day is a day to remember and a day to mourn

The cost of war is seen in Ukraine

May 30, 2022

Chaplain Kozachyn (provided)

From Psalm 29 (The Message):

 God’s thunder spits fire.
God thunders, the wilderness quakes;
He makes the desert of Kadesh shake.

 God’s thunder sets the oak trees dancing
A wild dance, whirling; the pelting rain strips their branches.
We fall to our knees—we call out, “Glory!”

 Above the floodwaters is God’s throne
    from which his power flows,
    from which he rules the world.

 God makes his people strong.
God gives his people peace.

War is neither necessary nor romantic. The deaths that come from war are needless and tragic. Those who give their lives in war may be remembered and honored for their selfless sacrifice, but the wars which brought their deaths are not glorious adventures. Our entry into war may at times be unavoidable but must never be sought. We mourn those killed in war on Memorial Day as we grieve the pain of loss and deprivation.

War in our world is a contradiction — we celebrate and rejoice in the redemption God has made available to all, the peace given through the love and grace of our Lord, and the strength we each can embody as we are filled by the precious Spirit. And yet, war remains even as we know sin and hatred are pervasive despite the very presence of God’s kingdom.

On this Memorial Day, we are reminded of the tragedy of war — we remember and give thanks for those who have given their lives in service to our nation. We have often advanced the cause of freedom and justice through taking up arms to defend and protect the oppressed.

But we are also reminded of the cost of war and the evil that produces it. We see in glaring detail the tragedy heaped on the people of Ukraine.

One loss in Ukraine not often mentioned is Maksym Anatolyovych Kozachyn, a military chaplain of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Ordained in 2000, Chaplain Kozachyn was leaving the Kyiv region when shot and killed by advancing Russian soldiers. The soldiers did not permit locals to remove his body from the car in which he was murdered.

The Ukrainian military has embraced chaplains and has made efforts to ensure all faiths are represented. Many chaplains of the United States and other nations have helped Ukraine develop a sense of chaplaincy. These servants play a critical role in ministering to the members of the besieged and outnumbered Ukrainian forces and have brought a palpable sense of the presence of God into the midst of great suffering and chaos. Chaplain Kozachyn gave his life seeking to be with his people.

Father Andriy Zelinskyy, SJ, the chief military chaplain of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, said in a recent interview, “We find ourselves at a time when the greatest gift we have is in danger, that is, our humanity. “ 

On this Memorial Day, may we remember and mourn those whose lives have been lost in the tragedy of war. May we also remember God makes us strong and gives us peace through the precious humanity and sacrificial obedience of the beloved child — our Savior and Redeemer. May we seek to redeem all our humanity.

A Litany for Ukraine (written by Father Tim Cole, a retired British Army chaplain who is currently the rector of Christ Church [Episcopal], Georgetown, District of Columbia) 

The Litanist says
God of justice and peace, in the face of unthinkable violence in Ukraine:
We pray for the Ukrainian people in their struggle to retain liberty.

Litanist  Lord, in your mercy,
People    hear our prayer.
We pray that they may be spared from trauma, violence and death.

Litanist  Lord, in your mercy,
People    hear our prayer.
We pray that global leaders will stand firm, doing all in their power to protect innocent human life.

Litanist  Lord, in your mercy,
People    hear our prayer.
We pray for the peoples of Europe and of this nation, that we may be united in our defense of liberty, justice and peace.

Litanist  Lord, in your mercy,
People    hear our prayer.
We pray for Russian soldiers, that they may act with restraint and compassion.

Litanist  Lord, in your mercy,
People    hear our prayer.
We pray for the Russian people, that they may reject aggression, violence and war.

Litanist  Lord, in your mercy,
People    hear our prayer.
We pray for the safety of non-combatants.

Litanist  Lord, in your mercy,
People    hear our prayer.
We pray for justice.

Litanist   Lord, in your mercy,
People    hear our prayer.
We pray for peace.

Litanist  Lord, in your mercy,
People    hear our prayer.

A period of silence is kept.

Presbyterian Federal Chaplaincies supports more than 150 PC(USA) chaplains who minister in federal prisons, veteran administration hospitals, and as noncombatants in the military “that all may practice in peace.” Please visit our website at presfedchap.org or call (202) 630-6225 for more information.

Lyman Smith, Executive Director, Presbyterian Federal Chaplaincies

Let us join in prayer for:

PC(USA) Agencies’ Staff
Roger Spalding, Prospect Research Analyst, Relationship & Development Operations, Mission Engagement & Support, Presbyterian Mission Agency
Frank Spencer, President, Board of Pensions

Today in the Mission Yearbook - Sept. 11 spurs minister to become military chaplain

Rev. Amy Hunt says Chaplain Corps is a guiding light through the darkness

September 11, 2020

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on. Raise your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea to divide the water so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground. — Exodus 14:15–16 (NIV)

Chaplain Amy Hunt ministers in Qatar.

The Rev. Amy Hunt is a minister of the Word and sacrament who serves in the United States Air Force as a chaplain. She began her service to the men and women of our nation as the world was confronted by a new era of war and suffering which continues to this day. The following is her recounting of how the events of 9/11 solidified God’s call in her life:

The morning of Sept. 11, 2001, dawned not as an ordinary day but a day on which my husband was traveling to Memphis for a job interview, so certainly a hopeful day. As a civilian pastor of two small congregations, with two small children I was in my routine of balancing motherhood and church work.

As I was helping my children ready themselves for school, I had the morning news on in the background. When my son, who was 4 years old at the time, told me that a plane had crashed into a building, I did not pay much attention. His continued insistence on my watching the news with him is, to my recollection, when it dawned on me that something horrific was occurring. Watching transfixed with him, it was the second plane crashing into the Twin Towers that confirmed that this was not accidental. From that point, the day became one of sadness, angst and suddenly full of uncertainty. I remember debating with my husband as to whether he should turn around and come home. 

My day was no different than many other people’s day. It began with routine and ended with daunting uncertainty. Questions, so many questions from my children, my congregations and me. While many of these questions were unanswered and left behind like so much dust on the road, the one question I could not shake was, “what am I going to do?” An odd question, at an even odder time, but the question kept rising every time I pushed it down; it popped back up to the surface, like bubbles rising from a lakebed.

How could I, a pastor of two small churches in Missouri, do anything that would in some way reconcile the outpouring of evil that we had just experienced? Was there some meaningful way to protect the good that I wanted for our children and all the children across our country? My father was a retired Army Colonel so perhaps it was his influence to pursue action — or perhaps the influence of Our Father?

I prayed, I listened to God and then joined the Air Force. Without hesitation, I put my civilian ministry to the side, and entered the Air Force as a chaplain. I knew that I could add value to the Chaplain Corps and put to rest the one question that had been so much like a thorn in my side, the question of what could I do?

To this day I cannot and will not forget Sept. 11, 2001. To this day I am ever thankful of the opportunity to serve as a chaplain, to minister to our Airmen and their families. To this day I continue to view the Chaplain Corps as a guiding light through so many shades of darkness.

Chaplain Hunt has served across the globe in her chaplaincy duties. From caring for women, men and families here in the United States to coming alongside service members and civilians deployed in the Middle East, Chaplain Hunt has taken the good news to those who might not have access to religious support for nearly two decades. In her current assignment as a recruiter, Chaplain Hunt has been instrumental in seeing nearly 400 religious ministry professionals become Air Force chaplains.

 The events of 9/11 caused immeasurable suffering and grief around the globe. But they also formed a new generation of servants such as Chaplain Hunt who continue to seek the good and ensure that all who serve may practice in peace.

Lyman Smith, Director of Presbyterian Federal Chaplaincies

Let us join in prayer for: 

PC(USA) Agencies’ Staff
Amy Mendez, Presbyterian Mission Agency
John Merten, Presbyterian Mission Agency

Let us pray:

Almighty God, on this day we remember the tragic events of Sept. 11, 2001. Events that resulted in the deaths of countless innocents and stoked fear and hatred around our globe. Now, 19 years later, we come before you, seeking your guidance and presence as we pursue your good for all people wherever they may live.

We thank you for your servant Amy Hunt and for all, who like her, have responded to your call to journey where sent to pursue righteousness and peace as ministers of your good news even when it may put them in harm’s way.

We pray for those who still remember 9/11 as the day their lives were upended by the loss of loved ones and those who continue to suffer from the consequences of that day.

Grantor of true peace, please guide the leaders of the nations around your globe to pursue peace and goodness as they exercise their authority. Permit them to look beyond themselves, setting aside prejudice and jealously to seek righteous equality as together we form a new reality in which all can prosper, enjoying security and love.

May your name be praised. Amen.

Today in the Mission Yearbook - There has been a more challenging July Fourth

This Independence Day, may we continue to pursue equality

July 4, 2020

I have heard the groaning of the children of Israel, wherewith the Egyptians have oppressed them, and I have remembered my covenant (Exodus 6:5).

Has there ever been a more challenging Fourth of July? With a worldwide pandemic, COVID-19 deaths well above 100,000, and a new realization that our nation remains a flawed and racist society, one can understand why we may not want to celebrate the red, white and blue this year.

But to answer the question, yes, there has been a more challenging July Fourth. When the sun rose over the Union on Independence Day 1863, it found a nation ripped apart by secessionists, with tens of thousands of citizens having been killed in the Civil War.

In Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, the bloodiest battle of the war had concluded the previous day, and Gen. Robert E. Lee’s army was on its way back to Virginia. But no one knew what lay ahead.

And Vicksburg, Mississippi, the fortified city that kept supply routes open for secessionist states, had resisted conquest for over six months.

President Abraham Lincoln was so concerned for the Union on that July Fourth, he declined any public appearances. Instead, he awaited news of the battles that were critical to the survival of our nation.

Finally, on July 7, the news of Vicksburg’s surrender arrived in Washington, D.C., and the extent of the victory at Gettysburg was becoming clear.

Ulysses S. Grant

That evening, the president emerged from the White House and addressed the crowd that had gathered, buoyed by new hope and seeking his appearance. Lincoln stated: “I do most sincerely thank Almighty God for the occasion on which you have called. How long ago is it — eighty odd years — since on the Fourth of July for the first time in the history of the world a nation by its representatives, assembled and declared as a self-evident truth that ‘all men are created equal.’”

Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, having presided over the fall of Vicksburg and then hearing of the victory at Gettysburg, remarked that he now knew the Union would be preserved. The war slogged on for many more months, but eventually our nation was preserved, and the institution of chattel slavery was abolished within our borders.

Later, in a passage in his memoirs, Grant commented on the victory for the preservation of the Union and the abolition of slavery: “The justice of the cause which in the end prevailed, will, I doubt not, come to be acknowledged by every citizen of the land, in time. For the present, and so long as there are living witnesses of the great war of sections, there will be people who will not be consoled for the loss of a cause which they believed to be holy. As time passes, people, even of the South, will begin to wonder how it was possible that their ancestors ever fought for or justified institutions which acknowledged the right of property in man.”

 On this July 4, 2020, both Grant and Lincoln would be dismayed by the institutions that remain that conspire to deny the equality of all. More than 100 years after that challenging July Fourth, may we pursue their vision until this nation manifests the Godly truth that all people are created equal in all that we think, say and do.

Lyman Smith, CAPT, CHC, USN, Retired, Director, Presbyterian Federal Chaplaincies

Let us join in prayer for: 

PC(USA) Agencies’ Staff

Anisha Hackney, Administrative Services Group (A Corp)
Maggie Harmon, Presbyterian Foundation

Let us pray:

Lord, as we remember Independence Day 2020, we give thanks to you for the noble efforts of those who have sought not only to preserve our union but to make it better. With your help, may we pursue a society in which all people are not only created equal but permitted and encouraged to live in the freedom and peace that you so desire.

As we are imperfect people, encourage us by the actions of imperfect people who years ago made a commitment to provide opportunity, peace and freedom for all.

Guide us through the current challenges and encourage us to seize the opportunities before us. May we give thanks always that we engage in these struggles as we faithfully serve through your grace and love. Amen.

Today in the Mission Yearbook - Pursuing peace in the midst of chaos and fear

This Memorial Day, we give thanks for those who gave their lives for our country

May 25, 2020

Chaplain (CDR) Walter (Sonny) Dinkins, SOTF-SE Afghanistan leads a memorial service

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:27 NIV).

Memorial Day calls us as individuals and as a nation to remember all who have died in military service to our country. Our Memorial Day dates to the Civil War, as mothers and widows, both north and south, decorated the graves of their loved ones who had perished. The 30th of May became the traditional date for remembrance. Now we remember our fallen on the final Monday of May.

Presbyterians pursue peace between and among all people in our communities and across the globe — a lasting peace, not as the world knows, but as God has given and called us to seek and to share.

As we observe Memorial Day this year during the COVID-19 pandemic, let us remember and be thankful for those throughout history who have sacrificed their lives in response to our nation’s call. During the 1918 flu pandemic, more military members died from disease than from combat in World War I. Even today, because of their dedication and service with honor, we continue to enjoy freedom to celebrate life, act freely, pursue justice and proclaim the Good News of the Gospel.

Informed by the selfless service of those we remember, may we increase our actions and efforts to bring unity and trust between and among all people regardless of our differences. Let us unite in Matthew 25-inspired ministries and use our gifts to complement the sacrifice of those who purchased and preserved our freedom.

May your Memorial Day 2020 be both a day of challenge and thanksgiving as together we pray for our leaders, engage the travails of these times and look forward to the promised peace of our Lord.

Lyman Smith, CAPT, CHC, USN, Retired, Director, Presbyterian Federal Chaplaincies

Let us join in prayer for: 

PC(USA) Agencies’ Staff

Dawn Diggs, Presbyterian Foundation
Rebecca Dimon, Presbyterian Mission Agency

Let us pray:

Gracious God, we are grateful for those who gave their lives in hope of worldly peace and unity among humanity. Their service came not only at the cost of their future, but dramatically changed the lives of their families and loved ones as well.  With thankful hearts, we ask that you inspire each of us to use our gifts, our time, our talents and treasure to bring unity in the midst of diversity, and to proclaim and live out your peace that transcends the challenges of this current age. Amen.