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Tickets available for base’s National Prayer Luncheon

  • Published
  • By Kimberly Woodruff
  • Staff Writer
TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --  The National Prayer Luncheon will be held at 11:30 a.m. April 20 at the Tinker Club.
Air Force Materiel Command Chaplain (Col.) Jim Browning will be the guest speaker. The theme this year is, "Strengthening Your Core." Chaplain Browning will speak of inner resiliency and bouncing back from setbacks in our lives.

"One major point is our country is grounded in patriotism," said Chaplain (Capt.) Bill Mesaeh. "It has been from the beginning. The vast majority of our founding fathers were men of faith."

According to Chaplain (Maj.) Sam Tucker, this isn't a chapel program, they only serve to facilitate it. It is an all denominations, inner-faith event.

"This is a time we can gather and pray for our armed services, officials, and leadership," said Chaplain (Maj.) Ralph Elliott.
Chaplain Mesaeh said the event on April 20 was not planned on purpose, it just sort of happened.

"A lot of hate crimes happen around April 20, and a lot of hate groups use that day to spread hatred," he said. "It was Adolf Hitler's birthday, the day of the Columbine shootings, and the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah building in Oklahoma City happened on April 19."

To bolster esprit de corps during the opening of the National Prayer Luncheon, Chaplain Elliott said the national anthem will be sung by everyone collectively.
The Tinker Flying High Band will regale guests with patriotic music, including the songs representing each of the armed forces, Army, Air Force, Navy and Marines.

"The hope is that by having the event in a less than formal venue, more young people will come," said Chaplain Mesaeh. "The event is casual and the dress is the uniform of the day.

Additionally, there will be three giveaways for Airmen or Sailors E-4 and below.

To register for the event, call the chapel at 734-2111 or access

https://einvitations.afit.edu/inv/anim.cfm?i=234657&k=0062460F7E50.

The meal will be $5 per person and the deadline to sign up is April 17.