Operation Inasmuch Troop Care Celebration

          On May 9, 2009, Trinity United Methodist Church, Chesaning, MI, is welcoming several other congregations in their community in their second Operation Inasmuch.  Trinity is the first OIAM church in Michigan, and now, with their efforts to include other churches, many other churches in the state will join the Inasmuch family.  At their invitation, David Crocker went to Chesaning to train about 10 other churches in how to conduct an Inasmuch event earlier this year.
            Part of the fruit born of that training session is a new project entitled Operation Inasmuch Troop Care Celebration in which Trinity folk along with believers from other congregations will honor fallen military personnel in Iraq and Afghanistan and support their families as well as write letters of encouragement and support to active duty military personnel from throughout Michigan.
            Dick Rider, himself a veteran of the Vietnam War, is spearheading this project.  With the support and encouragement of the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars, Rider has organized an Inasmuch project that will include two (morning and afternoon) memorial services for fallen soldiers and their families including a 21-gun salute and Taps in each service.  He has identified and issued invitations to families from throughout Michigan for this event.  The Governor and Lt. Governor in Michigan as well as other dignitaries have been invited. 
            Rider has enlisted the assistance of Blue Star Mothers in Michigan to organize the writing of personal letters and notes to active duty military personnel.  “This will be done,” says Rider, “without violating their personal information or compromising their safety following strict guidelines for correspondence to military personnel.” 
            The day will include a meal served to the families of all military personnel who are on hand for these celebrations, prepared and served by Inasmuch volunteers from churches in Chesaning.  Each of the services will include the recitation of a special prayer from the Baghdad Prayer Patrol, a portion of which reads as follows:

Lord, we ask that today would be a day of divine intervention and deliverances from death for our troops around the world.  Surround them with Your favor as a shield, and guard their lives today as they guard the lives of others.  Bless them Lord in the land where they serve, and do no surrender them to the desire of their foes. Consider their lives precious in Your sight, and extend Your hand of grace, mercy and protection to them.

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