FORT SILL, Okla., Dec. 6, 2018 -- After nearly two years in closure, Grierson Hill Chapel on post opened to a packed crowd Dec. 2 and also the first Sunday of the Catholic-Christian's Christmas Advent season. Due to budget cuts during the previous U.S. president's tenure, Grierson was forced to close. Under the current U.S. presidential administration, the Defense Department received an increase in funding; therefore, Grierson reopened.
Before Dec. 2, the Fort Sill Catholic community shared space with basic trainees at Cache Creek Chapel. Though a conflict of interest, this Christian community had few options until recently.
New 434th Field Artillery Brigade and Garrison Catholic priest, Chaplain (Maj.) Jerry Sherbourne, presented a full mass at 9 a.m. This was followed by public recognition of three individuals instrumental in the chapel's renovation, then snacks and beverages afterward.
"The God who is in charge of everything, who brought us back to Grierson Hill Chapel, it's not quite on the same level as bringing the Israelites out of Egypt, but nevertheless, he is also the one who gave us perfect readings today. I think they tell about our own experience as a Catholic community and also point the way forward," Sherbourne said. "The first reading, for example, the day is coming when the first promise was fulfilled. It kind of feels like we had a big promise fulfilled."
Sherbourne went on to relate the readings to the reopening of Grierson Hill Chapel.
"The promise the scriptures were referring to (today) was the coming of our Savior for the redemption of the world," he said. "But derived from that we have other promises. For example, every good and perfect gift is from above. That's the promise I feel that's been fulfilled for you. You've worked so hard and worshiped here for so long.
"When I first came to post (last summer) and found out that we were going to move back to one of the historic chapels, I was excited," Sherbourne said. "I was thinking something along the lines of New Post Chapel -- historic, beautiful and wonderful. Then my friend Chaplain (Maj.) (Craig) Ludwig brought me here to this chapel and it was a wreck. I was so excited, and then I wasn't excited at all.
"There were no pews. It didn't look like pews would fit. There was junk and trash. I guess it would be better than Cache Creek, but still," he said. "Today my heart is thrilled. Let's give thanks to the Lord and bless him with a round of applause. It's a great home for us. It's no less a miracle because many of you took a part in making it happen.
"This move to Grierson Hill Chapel has been the main big thing we've had to plan for," Sherbourne said. "We've had some other big events in this community, but most of our efforts have been focused toward this. Now we're here. What's next? There's still some work to do." Sherbourne gave more details, but ended with "Advent is about getting ready for Christmas."
Sherbourne went on to explain the unlikely story of a chaplain friend of his who almost gave up on his chaplaincy and Army career. "He was highly qualified but close to being a below-the-zone-promotion-type of guy. Everyone says you'll never get promoted below the zone. He was coming up on his end-of-zone look. He didn't get promoted in the below-the-zone look.
"He's working long, hard hours, deployed, made sacrifices for his family. We all know the story," he continued. "In God's need and wisdom, the board days got shifted, and he fell one day outside the board. That means last year was his below-the-zone look. This year was also the below-zone look. As chaplains we're chaplains for a long time.
"With his particular family situation (promotion) made a difference about assignments. It made a difference about how long he's going to be where he is now and what comes next. It made a difference in schooling for the kids. He felt betrayed, felt used and abused, overlooked, not cared for. So we worked through that.
"He was really on the fence about giving up on the chaplain corp. 'I'm done with it. Let them have it. Then he got promoted below the zone. It was awesome. All that heartache, all that agony, it was totally unnecessary because God knew the whole time that he was going to get promoted. If only we had the foresight to trust him. It's the same with Grierson Hill Chapel. I wasn't here but I can guarantee there was some grumbling and complaining when this chapel got closed.
"Worse, there were feelings of betrayal, friendships that got strained. Shock, anger, outrage. bitterness, resentment," he said. "Yes, it's difficult to love your enemies when they're closing down your chapel, but we're called to. It makes it easier to do when we remember that God is large and in charge. "
Following mass, Sherbourne asked installation Chaplain (Col.) Jimmy Nichols; Chaplain (Maj.) Craig Ludwig, Army garrison chaplain resource manager; and Staff Sgt. Elijah Deloach, NCOIC for the religious support office; to walk to the front of the church to receive accolades for their involvement in the chapel's reopening.
"Chaplain Ludwig and Sgt. Deloach were the workhorses in making this happen," Nichols said.
Ludwig outlined what it cost to open the chapel. "Believe it or not, this started when we first walked on board here last July. There was a desire to reopen this chapel for the use of the brigades because they wanted a place to use. There was a debate about what chapel. Look around you. It was $42,000 for the pews and modesty rails. "The curtains were a little over $26,000," he continued. "When you look at the curtains, they're really nice. They're actually theater curtains."
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