Altus to help military personnel
New People New Places grant of $11,600 to Altus-First UMC is to be dedicated toward helping servicemen and women who have been exposed to "combat, disaster, and circumstances that cause injury to their souls," Pastor Dave Player said.
Members of the church will undergo training to learn how to help members of the military reintegrate into civilian life, Rev. Player said.
The city in far southwest Oklahoma is the home of Altus Air Force Base and has a large military population. Player said the church also hopes to help military veterans in nearby Wichita Falls and Lawton, as well as civilian first-responders.
The church hopes to create a safe place, to "talk, pray, and honor those who have served," he said.
The goal is to help them "leave behind that shadow of death."
The grant, which Player described as "seed money," also will help the church start a "modern service that will fit with young Air Force families."
— Chris Schutz
New People, New Places
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