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Collection 241 Ephemera of the Chapel of the Air

 Collection
Identifier: CN 241

Scope and Contents

One film of a Chapel of the Air telecast service held January 14, 1962, conducted by Chaplain Carl W. Mc Geehon; order of service includes hymns, prayer, choral music by Chapel choir, musical anthems, and sermon entitled "The Living Word of God" by Chaplain Ralph R. Pace, who later joined the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.

This collection consists of one film of a television broadcast on January 14, 1962. The order of service included a choral prelude to the Chapel Choir, "Lord, Guard and Guide the Men Who Fly," and an invitation to worship, followed by the hymn "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing." A prayer hymn, prayer, and choral response were next in order of service. After a greeting from the Chaplain, Carl W. Mc Geehon, presentation of offerings an offertory anthem, "Onward Ye Peoples," the morning message was delivered by Chaplain Ralph R. Pace, a major assigned to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona. Pace was a clergyman of the Baptist Church who, in 1978 after retirement from the Air Force, became a special assistant in the Office of Development for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.

Pace's sermon was titled "The Living Word of God," in which he preached about the uniqueness of the biblical record, which needs no apology or apologetics. Its unity, its answers to basic questions of life, and its introduction to the person of Christ all provide the power to overcome the darkness of the world, which he likens to that of the Carlsbad Caverns.

The service is approximately thirty minutes in length and has been filmed in black and white. The collection includes a printed order of service.

Dates

  • Created: 1962

Conditions Governing Access

There are no restrictions on the use of this collection.

Historical Information

Chapel of the Air was a service of the United States Air Force provided as a ministry of worship through its staff of chaplains. Services were broadcast from Washington, DC, as a public service of WTOP-TV in cooperation with the Protestant Chaplains of the United States Air Force. Supervision of the programs was under the direction of the Chief of Air Force Chaplains. Chapel services were prepared in Studio 12, Broadcast House, Washington, DC, to which studio audiences were invited. Kinescope recordings of the services were made available over Armed Forces stations, which included Alaska, Iceland, Greenland, Puerto Rico, Okinawa, Korea, the Philippines, and the Azores.

In 1962, the Chapel of the Air staff consisted of: Robert P. Taylor, deputy chief; Chaplain Carl W. Mc Geehon, permanent minister; Robert H. Harmon, director of music; James Smiley, organist; Master Sergeant Estelle Kauffman, head usher; Leo Pitts, television producer; and William Linden, television director. All offerings were used for special projects of the ministry.

Extent

1.00 Film

Language of Materials

English

Accruals and Additions

This film was received at the Billy Graham Center Archives from Colonel Ralph R. Pace in November 1980.

Accession 80-152

May 13, 1983

Frances L. Brocker

J. Nasgowitz

Title
Collection 241 Ephemera of the Chapel of the Air
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Roman Script

Repository Details

Part of the Evangelism & Missions Archives Repository

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