FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. — More than 250 Fort Leonard Wood community members gathered on Tuesday in Pershing Community Center for the 2023 National Prayer Luncheon.
This year’s theme, “We the people, united in prayer,” is a fitting reminder of the diversity of faiths throughout the Fort Leonard Wood community, said U.S. Army Garrison Fort Leonard Wood Chaplain (Lt. Col.) Dave Stoner, who provided welcome remarks.
“In today’s observance, we recognize the diversity of our religious and our faith traditions,” Stoner said.
After Lt. Col. Kathryn Shaw, a representative of the Jewish community here, provided a blessing for the meal, Maneuver Support Center of Excellence Command Chaplain (Col.) Brad Godding explained a little about the origins and purpose of what is usually called the National Prayer Breakfast.
“What is now known and observed as the National Prayer Breakfast — or today on Fort Leonard Wood, lunch — began during World War II, with a small number of congressmen and senators, who met informally to give spiritual support and pray for each other during the trying times of war,” Godding said. “This began as a Christian-oriented event, but over time, expanded to include other religious traditions. Congressional leaders continued to meet informally until 1953, when President (Dwight) Eisenhower joined them. Since then, every president has attended and participated in the National Prayer Breakfast. Military installations and commands have followed that precedent of observing the National Prayer Breakfast event to improve spiritual fitness and invoke divine favor for our mission and our national security.”
Chaplains have served alongside military service members since the Revolutionary War, Godding said.
“Today, we celebrate both service and faith in the profession of arms,” he added.
While the attendees ate their meals, chaplains offered prayers for the nation, the community and families, and the guest speaker, retired Chaplain (Col.) Scott McChrystal, delivered remarks on the power of prayer.
When you pray, he said, ”all we have to do is ask, and to the best of our ability, believe.”
McChrystal, who served 31 years as an active-duty Soldier — including more than 20 as a chaplain — also provided some examples of individuals who believe their prayers were answered, including an executive officer he worked with, who had a five-year-old son with heart problems. The officer asked McChrystal if he would join a group of friends and loved ones at the hospital to pray before his son was to have open-heart surgery.
“It was time for me to pray — and that’s just a hard time — but as I was about to say, ‘Lord,’ (the child) raises his hand and he goes, ‘Can I pray?’” McChrystal said. “So, as we all sort of settled down, waiting for him to pray — it was almost over before he started. He goes, ‘Lord, I pray that I survive.’ That was it. He didn’t even say Amen.”
McChrystal said he called the executive officer the next day to inquire about how the surgery went, and was told the surgical team decided to run a scan of the child’s heart one more time before starting the procedure.
“And they did and there was no hole (in his heart), there was no reason for surgery,” McChrystal said.
McChrystal recommended everyone pray because prayers are answered.
“I’m going to highly recommend, certainly when you get in a crisis, but as much as you can, as much as you will, as much as your heart and mind will tell you, pray,” he said.
Closing out the event was Sgt. 1st Class Mohammed Kamel, an Islamic Community Distinctive Religious Group Leader, who offered a benediction in Arabic and English.
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