Spiritual recharging available at National Prayer Breakfast, Feb. 3

  • Published
  • By Chaplain (Capt.) Dan Forman
  • 71st Flying Training Wing
VANCE AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --  Many, if not most, of life's challenges require us to reach outside of ourselves for help. Such help enables us to recharge and renew our spiritual fuel cells. Subsequently, we're able to get back out there and face life's challenges anew.

Vance's National Prayer Breakfast at 7:30 a.m., Thursday, Feb. 3, at the Vance Collocated Club, will be a good source of spiritual recharging.

The National Prayer Breakfast was established to recognize that we as private citizens, and corporately as a nation, need to call for help outside of ourselves to recharge and refuel. More specifically, the NPB was established to enable leaders from all areas of civic and military service to gather together and reflect on the importance of faith as perhaps the greatest source of guidance, inspiration and "outside" help.

In 1953, President Dwight Eisenhower presided over the first National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, D.C. Since then, each February, the president and congressional leaders gather over a morning meal to seek inspiration, spiritual strength, guidance and renewal in order to face the demands of leadership.

Over the years, local observances, with that same intent, have evolved. Chaplain (Brig. Gen.) David H. Cyr, deputy chief of the Air Force Chaplain Corps, will be the guest speaker at Vance's NPB this year.

Chaplain Cyr was commissioned as a chaplain in February 1979. He began his career right here at Vance where he served as a Protestant chaplain from 1979 to 1982. After Vance, he served as a senior Protestant chaplain and wing chaplain.

His special duty assignments included Chaplain School instructor and executive officer to the chief of chaplains. He also served as the joint staff chaplain at the Pentagon and command chaplain for both U. S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Combat Command.

Before assuming his current position, he served as the commandant of the U. S. Air Force Chaplain Service Institute, Maxwell AFB, Ala.

To attend the Vance National Prayer Breakfast, first RSVP to the electronic invitation. To pay cash in advance, come by the Chapel Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Cash and credit cards will be taken at the door between 7 and 7:25 a.m., Feb. 3, at the Club. However, all RSVPs must be completed no later than close of business Jan. 27.

For more information, contact the Chapel at 213-7211.