MINISTERING WITHIN THE CHALLENGES OF MOTHER NATURE BY BISHOP F. RICHARD SPENCER
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very diverse spring season of ministry presented itself this year! We all have experienced Mother Nature in her very best and in her present very dangerous pandemic moments these past months. Yet the ministry of Jesus Christ continued within our military chapels. We were blessed with surprises of joy and hope in the journey of ministry, as well as, confronting the reality that nature can cause much destruction and sadness. Even though confirmation Masses had been suspended on most military installations, I still continued my weekly visits to our military chapel communities and experienced many blessings in return during these difficult quarantine times. However, some moments of sadness touched me while observing the lingering damage of tornados that affected military locations such as Tyndall Air Force Base in Panama City, Florida, as well as Fort Stewart, Georgia, where I celebrated Holy Week and Easter.
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These two pictures below, the first of a chapel with blue plastic covering protecting the damaged chapel roof; and the other showing the destruction to the neighborhood trees and property from the wind damage, are just two examples of
the lingering effects from these spring storms. There were also moments of beauty within nature that generated hope as I witnessed
