Chaplain ASA Korea
JUNE 2009
The blessing for the Hanakah Menorah Lighting as recorded in my Jewish calendar: "Baruch A-tah Ado-nai E-lo-hei-nu Me-lech Ha-olam A-sher Ki-de-sha-nu B'mitz-vo-tav V'tzi-va-nu L'had-lik Ner Cha-nu-kah"...Mazel-tov to all, and to all, a good day....God bless you and yours.
Frances Gregory Pasch has written:
"Jesus, Our Savior
In fulfillment of the scriptures
Jesus came to earth,
Not as a man, but as a child,
His was a humble birth.
There were no crowds to greet Him,
No party nor fanfare,
Just a simple setting,
He entered unaware.
But the reason for His coming
Is one that must be told...
He's the key for our salvation,
Prophesied from days of old.
He took on human nature
So He could bear our sin
Upon the cross, in place of us,
Eternal life to win.
What greater gift could we receive
Than His abounding grace...
The Promise that we'll one day share
His presence face to face."
God bless all our friends in ASA Korea and elsewhere. It's a privilege to know you and to served with you...
Preacher
Some of us may have had a Father or close relative who served in World War One. I remember a couple of 'old' men in my home town who were veterans of the Civil War and the Spanish American. One of these gave me when I was about five an old squirrel rifle he used fighting for the Union in the 1860's.
Each year on Decoration Day (now Memorial Day), May 30, we would parade and gather at local cemeteries 'decorating' the graves of long gone veterans with flowers and markers.
Now, we are the Veterans of other wars. A few of our members served for a time in World War Two while most of us served in Korea, Vietnam and some 'peace-keeping' areas around the world. We were the United States Army Security Agency, a proud bunch of GI's chosen to be involved with Top Secret Cryptographic Intelligence, which included several 'military occupation specialties' (MOS). For the most part, we were the sons of the Great Depression, whether we were 'RA' or 'US", we were all the same.
We no longer as a nation observe Memorial Day on May 30, unless it falls on the last Monday of the month. Modern convenience has invaded our traditions.
No matter when we remember our fellow veterans, we can look to the Holy Scriptures, regardless of faith. For the Bible is non-denominational in many ways.
As we remember our fellow Army comrades, we can find solace in Joshua 1:9, "Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest."
For our friends who served in the Navy or the Coast Guard, read Psalm 95:5, "THe sea id HIS, and HE made it."
For those from the Air Force, Psalm 104:3, "Who maketh the clouds his chariot: who walketh upon the wings of the wind."
And, for our present day children in the military whether at home or in distant lands, let us pray for a 'Suffering World':
Our heavenly Father, we would associate ourselves with Thy children across the world in prayer on behalf of all men and women now under arms and in training, also for the wounded, for the dying, for the mourning, for those prisoners and missing, and for the refugees driven from their homes. Keep all these under Your protection, dear Lord, and bring to an end all racial and political strife wherever it exists in this, Thy world. Give Thy wisdom and power to all peace-lovers and apostles of reconciliation so they work toward the realiztion of a just, righteous and enduring peace.
Thy kingdom come, O God, in earth as it is in heaven.
"Our father's God , to thee,
Author of liberty, To Thee we sing;
Long may our land be bright
With freedom's holy light:
Protect us by Thy might,
Great God, our King. Amen."
God be with you all, and yours.
Rev. Charlie "Preacher" Knappenberger, Chaplain, ASA Korea
Submitted by Sal Corrado - ASA Korea Member
AMERICA
"God has been good to men. He gave
His Only Son their souls to save,
And then He made a second gift,
Which from their dreary lives should lift
The tyrant's yoke and set them free
From all who'd throttle liberty.
He gave America to men --
Fashioned this land we love, and then
Deep in her forest sowed the seed
Which was to serve man's earthly need....
America! the land we love!
God's second gift from Heaven above,
Builded and fashioned out of truth,
Sinwed by Him with splendid youth
For that great day when shall be furled
All tyrant flags throughout the world.
For this our banner holds the sky:
That liberty shall never die.
For this, America began:
To make a brotherhood of man."
And from our Soldier's Prayer Book, page 91...
"Let music swell the breeze,
And ring from all the trees
Sweet freedom's song;
Let mortal tongues awake,
Let all that breathe psrtake,
Let rocks their silence break,
The sound prolong.
Our fathers' God , to thee,
Author of liberty,
To thee we sing;
Long may our land be bright
With freedom's holy light;
Protect us by thy might,
Great God, our King. Amen."
Enjoy your Veterans' status! Love God, and love your family! Pray for PEACE!
Try to attend our 2006 reunion in October and meet old friends.....
God bless you all! Amen and Amen
CLICK .HERE
FAITH is an aptitude which can increase in strength and improve in quality when properly exercised. The greatest faith one can achieve is the ability to believe when God's voice is silent and His hand is still. A victim of the German Holocaust scratched these words into the crumbling wall of his home before his death: I BELIEVE IN THE SUN, EVEN WHEN IT DOES NOT SHINE; I BELEIVE IN LOVE, EVEN WHEN IT IS NOT SHOWN; I BELIEVE IN GOD, EVEN WHEN HE DOES NOT SPEAK.....
God and soldier, all men adore,
In times of war, and nevermore.
In time of peace, when all is righted,
God is forgotten, and the soldier
slighted.
For many years our battles in Korea were called "the forgotten war." During the past couple of decades that word 'forgotten' has taken on less sting, as Korean War Veterans Memorials have sprung up all over our "land of the free and home of the brave" not only in Washington, DC, but in states and counties and cities and towns throughout America.
But, all the memorials in the world will not ease the pain of Gold-Star Mothers and Wives, or return broken bodies to pre-war condition, nor relieve the unknown of those MIA.
To paraphrase the Duke of Wellington," If you have but seen one day of war, you would pray Almighty God never to see any such thing again."
We are at war again, and we have been involved in several wars since the "police action" of our youth. Let us pray Almighty God to intercede in the craziness of those peoples who wish to wage war and destruction on their neighbors and nations in other parts of their world. Let us be reminded of the word from the prophet Micah "He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?"
May those thoughts from God's Holy Word abide with us and with all members of God's Creation, through Christ Our Lord. Amen and Amen.
Eternal God, our Father, through whose mighty power our forefathers built this "land of the free and home of the brave", Grant, we beseech Thee, that all peoples of this land may have grace to maintain the liberties we enjoy in righteousness and peace. We pray, dear Lord of heaven and earth, that You will assist and protect all those who at home or abroad are serving this nation. Arm them with Thy defence when they face the terrible perils of war and loneliness. Fill them with the wisdom of Thy mercy and gird them with the strength of Thy mighty hand, so they may do their duty to Thy honor and glory.
Be with the ones who become wounded in body and soul; receive into Your eternal kingdom the souls of the fallen and comfort their families. In all we and they do, O God, grant us Your gift of loyalty to home and country (our "one nation under God"), and reverence and devotion for our Churches and Synagogues, ......... in everything, dear Lord, make us true to Thee, in the name of Jesus Christ.....Amen and Amen.
"Eternal Father of love and power, Our brethren shield in danger's hour; From rock and tempest, fire and foe, Protect them where-so-e'er they go, Thus ever let there rise to Thee Glad hymns of praise from land and sea."
God Bless ASA Veterans!
God Bless America!