Military

Illinois State Police Lt. Col. Jason Bradley (left) speaks with the Rev. Hannah Kardon, a United Methodist pastor who was among a group of clergy on Oct. 10 asking to bring Holy Communion to detainees in the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Broadview, near Chicago. The following day another group of clergy also made the same request. Both times Bradley reached out to ICE officials, who denied the clergy entry. Photo by the Rev. Britt Cox, First United Methodist Church in Evanston, Ill.

With warm faith, pastors seek to counter ICE

United Methodists in Chicago and Portland, Oregon, are striving to lead courageously by protecting neighbors, sharing their Christian witness and setting the record straight on what’s happening in their cities.

Faith Stories

Bishop Delores J. Williamston, who leads the Louisiana Conference, served in the military from 1982 to 2004, with most of those years in the Kansas Army National Guard. She retired with the rank of sergeant first class. Photo on left, courtesy of Williamston; photo on right, courtesy of the Louisiana Conference.

Three bishops once wore different kind of uniform

First-term Bishops Williamston, Plambeck and Bridgeforth all have a military background and believe they learned a lot from their service years.

Faith Stories

Only about 100 medivac pilots are in the Army, so being one means you will spend much time deployed. The Rev. Bryan Wendling spent all the 1990s in the service; that meant a lot of time in the desert, with Desert Storm and Desert Shield. Photo courtesy of the Missouri Conference.

Pastor flew Army medical missions

These days, the Rev. Bryan Wendling is pastor of New McKendree United Methodist. But he’s among the Missouri Conference clergy with a military background. Fred Koenig shares the story of Wendling’s years as an Army medivac pilot, including during Desert Storm and Desert Shield.

Faith Stories

Lifelong United Methodist and Vietnam veteran Tom Lough (pictured above left in Vietnam and above right in 2021) has composed a song as a tribute to Army veterans. Photos courtesy of Tom Lough.

'Ever Faithful' United Methodist pens Army hymn

A new hymn written for Army veterans, “Ever Faithful to the Call," exists because its author survived a close call during the Vietnam War.

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