IMCOM Holiday Devotional

The importance of faith and relationships during the holidays was the message of the IMCOM chaplains team Tuesday morning, when they led a group of Headquarters staff in a brief devotional gathering.

IMCOM Chaplain Col. David Smartt called the staff together for a prayer led by Chaplain Lt. Col. Gregory Tyree and a reading of the Christmas story by Chaplain COL Douglas Castle.

“Christmas is the anchor of the holiday season that begins with Thanksgiving,” said Deputy Chaplain Lt. Col. Brent Nelson in a brief message to the staff. “There are many important religious holidays this time of year – one, for example, is Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights, which began at sundown on December 11. The themes of these holidays are the same: peace, joy and love. But peace doesn’t come out of thin air – it comes out of faith.”

Chaplain Nelson noted that the holiday is a time to nurture both work and personal relationships. “Relationships are what make organizations like IMCOM work, and the important events of our lives are experienced in relationships with others,’ he said.

Chief of Staff Col. Rick Newton spoke to the staff about their value and the need for support in the often difficult environment in which IMCOM works to support Soldiers and Families. “We’re all here for a purpose. We do our work with lots of stress around us and with the hard work of a major transition ongoing,” he observed. “You should know that the Command Team is here for you – over the holidays, and any time – when you need us.”

Following the singing of several traditional carols, Chaplain Smartt closed the devotional by presenting staff members with a small gift – a ceramic angel tree ornament – as he said, “just to let everyone know that they have someone watching over them.”