Memorial Day

My Fellow Legionnaires,

As we come into this year's Memorial Day, I ask that we never forget the men and women who have served our country before us, those that served with us, and those who guard our land today.

Legionaries, lets support them with our prayers, our deeds, and our memories.

Enjoy Memorial Day with family and friends as you celebrate.

GOD BLESS THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA .

Here is a little prayer we can all share:

Lord, guard and guide the men who fly,
And those who on the ocean ply;
Be with our troops upon the land,
And all who for our country stand;
Please be with these guardians day and night,
And may their trust be in Thy might.

     Amen.

Author Unknown (1955)

God Bless you all, and God Bless America.

Also, join us at Silent Home Cemetery for our

Memorial Day remembrance.
May 25, 2018 at 6 p.m.
Silent Home Cemetery, 1576 Lancaster Ave.,
Reynoldsburg, Ohio

Carl Bradley
12th District Asst. Chaplain

Easter

Fellow Legionnaires,

I want to wish you good health and happiness.

With February―the month of candy and kisses―just past, and the Easter celebration of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ our Lord on April 1st, we ask you to take time to reflect on what Easter means to you. Count your blessings and thank God for them.

I want you to know what I have been up to. Besides helping to plan the District Four Chaplain’s program and making nursing home visits, I have been attending training classes at the VA clinic and working with District Chaplain Glasgow to start a chaplains training course.

As a post note, on the 28th of Feb, I took one of our post members to the Chalmers P. Wylie VA clinic and got him started on path to getting the benefits and help he needs.
God bless you and your families.

Chaplain Bradley

Please also read below: 

We have been busy calling our post chaplains to take part in a VA program that is called Community Outreach & Clergy Training.

Chaplain Glasgow and I attended the introductory meeting on December 18, 2017. At that time, the VA clinic chaplain Carla Cherry asked for our help and support to bring more hands, hearts, and helpers from The American Legion into the program.

I was able to attend the Feb 21st Community Outreach & Clergy Training. Although I am not an ordained minister, I was able to gain a wealth of knowledge and resources that has already lead me to help a fellow veteran in the 12th District to get the help he needs from VA.

In this training, some of the topics covered were Military Culture and the Wounds of War. Also covered were the differences between military and civilian culture, the impact of military service, defining spirituality and meaning, moral and soul injury, mental health referrals and services, and building community partners, just to give you an idea.
 

Ladies and Gentleman, we as Legion chaplains and members come in contact with our fellow veterans more than any other group, because we are veterans ourselves. Because we veterans are American Legion, VFW, 40/8, and DAV―you get the picture. The point is that at some time, we all need some help.

It is the belief of your district chaplain’s staff that our post chaplains and service officers should get involved.
The next training will be March 22nd, the location to be announced soon. I will send out a special announcement by e-mail.

You can sign up now and the VA will send you an e-mail confirmation.
 

TO ATTEND: contact VA Chaplain Carla Cherry (ph. 401-714-8944 or e-mail seventhsail@hotmail.com), or Debra Whittingham (ph. 614-257-5200, ext. 7345 or e-mail DebraWhittingham-Short@va.gov).

God Bless you and God Bless America.

Carl Bradley
12th District Asst. Chaplain

Holidays

Merry Christmas, Legionnaires!

“And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the Angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

And the Angel said unto them, ‘Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.’

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” (Luke 2:9-14)

Let us not forget that Christmas is truly about the day our Savior came to earth to fulfill God’s promises. At this time of year, let us praise God for His blessings, share the joy with family and friends that:

“For God loved the world so much that He gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not die, but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

Keep Christmas in your heart and mind all year through. Love your family, our Legion family, and the men and women in uniform who today stand in harm’s way to keep us safe.

I wish you all a safe, joyful, and Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year.

Post Chaplain Carl Bradley

Thanksgiving

Fellow Veterans:

I believe that most people in the United States and other parts of the world celebrate Thanksgiving, although the celebration has many different names and customs.

Many people in the United States believe that Thanksgiving was started by the Pilgrims. The reason for this idea is that they were thankful to have survived their first year in a new and harsh land. They were also thankful to be free to worship God in their own way, and not be oppressed by the government and by the Church of England. And they would be correct, except that this tradition of giving thanks actually began long before that.

Now let’s look back several thousand years ago; when Moses led the Israelites on the great exodus from Egypt and their bondage.
As we know, God spoke directly to Moses on many topics. And one of those topics was the harvest. God instructed Moses to create a new festival for the people.

Later, Moses entered this instruction into his record, and it became biblical scripture in Exodus 23: 16, which says: “Celebrate the festival of harvest with the first fruits of the crops you sow in your field.”

To understand the fitting goal of the harvest celebration, we need to acknowledge what God said to Noah right after the floodwaters had receded. God reminded Noah and his family of his provision for our flourishing existence on the earth. This includes us today. God said, “The earth will have seasons, daylight and darkness, seed time and harvest time.” This translates to our gratitude for the harvest, which sustains us and goes to God alone.

We should always be thankful for the blessings that God has given us each and every day, and we should thank Him in our prayers, not just on the day of Thanksgiving. So take the time to praise God for what He does for us.

Tonight when you say your prayers, you might include this:

Lord God, I thank you so much for the wondrous blessings You have given me, and for providing me with everything I need to exist in this world.

Please accept my gratitude.

In the name of your son Jesus Christ--Amen.

Post Chaplain Carl Bradley

Veterans Day

Good day fellow Veterans:

Their two questions that I would like to answer. The first is: ‘What is Veterans Day?” The second: “What is a Veteran?”

November 11th is the day when God and the government came together. That may sound odd, but God has always watched over those that protect our freedoms and to keep this country safe―This nation he has given us. And the government set aside November 11th to honor all that have served and that are now serving.

Veterans Day was originally known as Armistice Day, enacted in 1926 to commemorate the end of World War I. Unfortunately, we went through another world war a few years later, and so the day officially became Veterans Day on June 1, 1954. Congress struck the word ‘Armistice’ from the original decree and changed it to ‘Veterans,’ to honor American veterans of all wars. Veterans Day gives all Americans the opportunity to celebrate with veterans and honor their bravery and the sacrifices made by these few for the many.

So what is a veteran? There are two definitions, Mr. Webster of the famed Webster dictionary says, “a person who has long experience in a particular field.”

Of course we’re talking about military veterans, and the Federal government defines a veteran as “by Federal law, and moral code, and military service as a person who served for any length of time and in any branch of the military.”

It makes no difference to me if you were drafted or volunteered, or served two, four, six, or even 30 years. The fact is that you served.

Personally, I would not have any other way, because the skills we learned the bonds we formed with each other helped to prepare us for life after the military. At the time we may not have realized it but it installed self-pride, confidence, honesty, honor and duty. Our experiences changed each and every one of us.  We grew up.

When you say your prayers tonight you might add this….

“Heavenly Father, we thank thee for the men and women who have served this nation, and those that are serving now. Guide their hearts and hands to do thy work, and keep our nations safe.

We ask you Lord, the ruler of nations, to protect this great nation upon which thou hast showered thy blessings without numbers. Do Lord, sayeth right unto that which is wrong, and bring together what is divided, that we may live under one glorious flag, with charity towards all, and with malice towards none in a spirit of unity and a bond of peace.

Amen.

Post Chaplain Carl Bradley