(U.S. Army 1^st Special Forces group ODA-144 with Afghan trainees. SFC Miller, (far left) is an E.L.S. member.

Bethany Lutheran Church Supports its Members Overseas

Bethany Lutheran Church has a very strong connection to the United States military. Located just across an inlet from Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, twenty miles from a Trident (ballistic nuclear missile) submarine base and forty miles from both McChord Air Force Base and Fort Lewis Army post, Bethany Lutheran Church in Port Orchard, Washington has many members connected with the Armed Forces. Active duty Navy, Army, and Coast Guard personnel make up part of Bethany’s membership, as do citizen soldiers from the Marine Reserves, National Guard, Army Reserve, and Navy Reserve. In addition, Bethany has members who are veterans from WWII and later wars, Navy families in her elementary school, and many members who work in the Naval Shipyard.

In times of war those connections grow stronger as family and friends are placed in harms way to provide us with safety. Bethany has been very busy these past few years, keeping our service personnel in her prayers, supporting the families back home, and providing for care—spiritual and physical—for those who are deployed.

Bethany’s Ladies Bible study group helps prepare care packages to be sent to those members and friends who are on deployment. The weekly sermon, along with either the Hymnary’s Prime or Compline service, is sent out every week—either via regular mail or email, depending on what facilities the recipient has. When the war with Iraq first started, Bethany had a Marine Reservist serving at a six-man refueling post somewhere between Kuwait and Baghdad. When back home he commented on the difficulty of trying to fall asleep in the middle of the desert during war with only five buddies there to help defend him, he added that the Compline prayer “preserve us O Lord while waking and guard us while sleeping, that awake we may watch with Christ and asleep we may rest in peace” was of great comfort to Him.

One of Bethany’s members, Specialist Brandon Kraut, serves with the 81^st infantry brigade. Brandon left for Iraq in February of 2004 and, God willing, will be home with his wife and son before you read this article. Last fall the church and elementary school packed shoe-boxes full of school supplies, hygiene items, toys, and candies. Over eighty of these “Christmas Presents for Iraq” were sent to Brandon’s battalion chaplain. On Christmas day 2004 the chaplain distributed the boxes in a small village near Baghdad. Pray that God would bless the work of our men and women in Iraq that one day soon the Gospel can be spread to these people.

Another Bethany member, Sergeant First Class Chad Miller, serves with the 1^st Special Forces Group in Afghanistan. Bethany sent boxes of candies, school supplies, and toys for SFC Miller’s team to hand out as they move through the villages seeking information on terrorists. Here is a photo of him doing that.

Bethany Lutheran Church recently received certificates of appreciation from both Spc. Kraut’s and SFC Miller’s units. Pictured along with Pastor Pittenger are the families of these two men accepting these certificates on behalf of Bethany: Rachel Miller along with Katie and Ashton Kraut.

Please keep our service men & women and their families in your prayers.

Anthony Pittenger is pastor of Bethany Lutheran Church in Port Orchard, Washington