Chaplain's Corner
Post 43 Chaplain Donna Callaway
Dear Legion Family,
How are you?
If you regularly read the newsletter, you may have seen most of this article a few weeks ago. It is worth resharing since we will be honoring the four chaplains this Tuesday at the business meeting, as well as a few other reasons at our recent and upcoming meetings that this may speak to you. I hope you will re-read if you've already seen it, reflect, and let the message sink in.
Friday, February 3, was Four Chaplains Day.
If you're not familiar with this day, it is the day Congress designated to honor four military chaplains who gave their life vests to other service members as their ship sank during World War 2. They stayed on the ship to pray, comfort, and sing hymns for everyone and went down with the ship. They sacrificed their lives to save the lives of others and served until they passed away.
We honor these four chaplains and their sacrifice on Four Chaplains Day, February 3. All four chaplains served in the army: Lt. George Fox, a Methodist; Lt. Alexander Goode, a Jewish Rabbi; Lt. John Washington, a Roman Catholic Priest; and Lt. Clark Poling, a Dutch Reformed minister.
This story, and the chaplains, are important to remember and honor because of their honorable and heroic sacrifice, but also because of the unity and selflessness these chaplains exemplified. Reflecting on everything about the four chaplains story is relevant to our society, but specifically to the American Legion, and even more specifically, our post.
We will be doing our annual Four Chaplains program at the Tuesday, February 21 meeting, but perhaps it is a good idea to take a moment in contemplation of this story and what it can teach us before then.
These chaplains did what was best for others rather than themselves. They literally gave their lives for others. They were not self seeking, but rather looking at how they could serve and put others first. How can we, in our communities, and in our post, be more selfless and put others first? We may not be going to the extent of being willing to die so that others can live like the four chaplains did, but what can we do? How can we adjust our actions and thoughts to look at the ways we can serve our community and each other rather than how things serve us or bother us individually? After all, the whole point of the American Legion is to serve veterans, to care for veterans, be a place of community, and about serving our community, state, and nation. How can we get back to that- in the broader picture, in our post community, and in our one on one interactions with each other?
I ask you to take some time to reflect on that.
Difficult topics come up, and it is ok and necessary to have opinions, voices, actions, and thoughts on those things. However, if we take some time to reflect on the why- why are we doing this in the first place, and whom we are interacting with (at the post, our own brothers and sisters in the legion family)- it can shift the atmosphere and the interactions, even in the difficult conversations and topics.
What would it look like if we thought about how things affect others first- putting the well-being of others before ourselves- as leaders, as legionnaires, as members of our community, in our families, at our workplaces, even on social media?
As military members, signing on the dotted line was in many ways saying we were willing to lay down our lives for the sake of our brothers and sisters, as well as our country and the greater good. At some point a large number of us at the post did just that. How do we get back to that mindset? For most of us, we are not joining the military right now or going to war, but there is still a war at home for many- whether it's a battle individually, or amongst our community and the post, or in our society. As we fight and get angry with how things affect us personally at our post and in our communities, albeit sometimes about important matters or wrongdoings, we may overlook those who are hurting that we could be serving (possibly even saving their lives- sometimes one simple response or action can be what saves our fellow brothers and sisters!), vilify or attack people without any form of grace or understanding, and let our own emotions and perspectives rule over how we interact and respond.
Why are we here? How can we be better at being a refuge and safe place that serves veterans and SEES them and helps lift them up, serves our communities, and each other? How can we be better in our interactions, our duties and business, and our responses?
As we honor the four chaplains this month, let us take time to think on how we can put others first, how we can be the calm amongst the storm and chaos, and how we can better serve, love, and see each other.
My prayer is that this story will stir things within us, and that God will continue to work in us and through us well beyond this week's newsletter and the program on Tuesday. I pray that hearts are changed and moved in this post, greatly impacting our post community, and that the impact extends well beyond the walls of our post and community. May there be a mighty move of God stirred and started within post 43 that revives our post family, and brings great love and impact to Los Angeles and beyond!
Philippians 2:3-4
Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Four Chaplains Program
The 2023 Post 43 Four Chaplains program will be at the business meeting, TUESDAY, February 21. We hope that we will see many of you there! We may have a special surprise for you too!
Prayer Requests
Jere Romano- Jere is our Department Commander and many of you know him. Please pray for his health to be completely well and restored.
Please pray for our post and leaders.
Please continue to pray for our members who may have silent or anonymous prayer requests, as well as those who may be mourning, struggling, or suffering at this time. There’s probably more people going through things than most of us know-and it’s important we include them in our prayers! And if you notice someone may be struggling in some way, be the person who sees and helps support them.
Prayer is powerful and God hears!
As always, if you need prayer or support, please know there are several ways to reach your chaplain. There is a prayer request form you can fill out here: https://form.jotform.com/ChaplainAL43/prayerrequest
You can input as little or as much information as you are comfortable with.
You can also reach out directly to chaplain@post43.org if you'd rather do that.
There are also chaplains for the sons, auxiliary, and riders that are available as well.
If you want to pray but are not sure how to pray, please reach out too. We are happy to guide you to pray alone also!
It's ok to not be ok. You are not alone.
The Suicide and Crisis Hotline is also available 24/7: dial or text 988
“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Romans 12:21
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” Romans 15:13
May peace and comfort surround you. May you and your families be well physically, mentally, spiritually, and emotionally. May God make His presence and love felt in your life, now and always. Shalom, and many blessings to you all! May God do a mighty work in and through us!
Blessings and Gratitude,
Your Chaplain, Donna Callaway and Chaplain Team