May 4 – “Pinning”

Big night last night.  I performed my first official duty as chaplain of Galveston Fire & Rescue Department.  I prayed.  Doesn’t sound like much, but as far as I’m concerned, what better place to start?  The event was a pinning ceremony for the new recruits and for those who have been promoted in the last eighteen months.  I was asked by the fire chief to pray the invocation, and when I got there and saw the program I was also listed for the benediction.  The invocation I was ready for, but I did a bit of scrambling to find an appropriate scripture to close out with.  I settled on Numbers 6:24-26.  It’s the verse at the end of the blog entry. 

There were quite a few bigwigs at the ceremony.  The mayor was there, but he refused the opportunity to say a few words.  I met him at the National Day of Prayer Thursday.  He shook my hand, but obviously didn’t remember me until he heard I was the chaplain.  The city manager was there as well.  He did remember me, but then he’s been coming to Seaside.  He did say a few brief things, and I told him afterwards that it was refreshing for me to be able to sit back and listen to him preach instead of the other way around.  I met the fire marshal.  I have been through his office several times, but he has never been there.  There were some other city officials there as well.  One of them read the oath of office for the fire fighters to repeat. 

The last fire chief was there.  He retired three years ago, but the department never appropriately honored him.  So last night he received a trophy shaped like one of those old megaphones.  Fire department tradition is that the one with the megaphone was the one in charge.  The trophy honored that.  The guest speaker was the guy in charge of the fire academy at College of the Mainland.  Most of the new recruits went through training there, so he saw them as “his guys.”  I liked his talk, though.  It centered on the family aspect of the fire service, and I have really seen that.  To go along with that theme, they allow the fire fighter to choose the one they want to do the pinning.  There were Moms and Dads and wives and kids and even one guy’s girlfriend.  Perhaps the most impressive award to me was the one they gave a guy who stepped up and coordinated efforts to take care of the families of the fire fighters from Bryan who were transferred to the burn unit here.  He arranged for transportation and flights for their family members as well as hotel accommodations while they were here.  Quite impressive.

I got a surprise as well.  The chief called me up and presented me with a framed copy of my completion certificate from the chaplain training.  The chaplain manual said I was supposed to send him a copy of any training certificates I had.  He printed it out and presented it to me.  He told me it would probably look better if I put the real one in there.  He also told me they had intended to pin a chaplain’s badge on me as well, but it didn’t come in in time.  Neither did my uniform.  Guess I have something to look forward to. 

I also had a point of parental pride to mention.  The department honor guard presented the colors to start the meeting, and Nathan is on the honor guard team.  He sure looked sharp in his dress uniform with all the honor paraphernalia on it.  All in all it was quite the memorable occasion.  Sure wish Chris could have been there to share it.

Numbers 6:24-26 says, “The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; 26 the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.”

Father, truly bless those guys who run into burning buildings.  Keep them safe.  Amen.