The Chaplain's Corner

Chaplain, Tony Pike

Assistant Chaplain, Gary Pike

Chaplain’s Notes

Hi, everyone. Hope everything is well. It’s a cold winter day and I thought it would be a good time to renew my page.

I would like to talk to you about the Honor & Color Guard. I would really like to see people get more interested in this type of service. This is a type of service that honors a fallen firefighter. It is also a service to help the family in their time of loss.

This past September I got the opportunity to go to the Bowling Green Fire Department Honor Guard Basic Camp training. I was there for five days of training and I really enjoyed it. The first day I was there I got gout in my foot. It was really painful to do the marching and other movements that they wanted me to do. So that night I called my mom and told her to pray and to call others to pray for me that this pain would go away. Tuesday morning when I woke up, my pain was gone. I really believe in prayer. God is good.

My training started and ended each day with formation. Everyday we had different types of training. Training consisted of basic drills, like stationary movements, steps and marching, formations and movements. Also, we did advanced drills like manual of arms. Color Guard training consisted of wear and appearance of uniform, manual of colors, posting of colors and Color Guard movements. We also trained on flag etiquette, flag low, casket watch and movement, ringing of the last alarm, the bell ceremony and flag folding.

Monday thru Wednesday we trained hard. Thursday and Friday we put it to the test. Thursday we did a Color Guard presentation in front of an audience and Friday we did a Full Honors Funeral Ceremony. It all was a great learning experience. I was grateful to have the opportunity to learn and bring back what I have learned to you and help the Bole County Fire Department form a great Honor and Color Guard. In reality, a week is not long to master the skills of a fully developed Honor Guard team, but together we can form an Honor Guard team that is the best of the best.

            I believe that my calling in life is helping others. Through Honor Guard is one way I hope I can make someone’s day brighter. Also, my Class A uniform is an honor and privilege to wear to represent the Boyle County Fire Department.

            A fully developed Honor Guard team takes at least 18 dedicated people. Everyone will be cross trained. Our training is the last Thursday of every month. If you make 6 months of training and you are interested in staying, you are eligible for a Class A uniform.

            Like any other class or training you may have attended in the past, you will get out of it exactly what you put into it. So bring a positive attitude and keep an open mind. I realize that everyone attending will not be of the same rank structure or on the same experience level. Just remember one thing and it is this: the best of the best, honoring the best. So, let’s all have fun and get started.

            If you have any questions please contact me at (859) 319-1907 or by email at bcfdchaplaintpike@yahoo.com.  

Thanks,

Chaplain, Tony R. Pike

Bible Verse 

This is My command: love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this, that someone would lay down his life for his friends.
John 15:12-13

Thought for the Month 

If you are not as close to God as you used to be, who moved?

Prayer Requests 

Ervin Pike—Alzheimer’s (my father)

Donna Webb—Lung Cancer (Gary Pike’s sister)
 

E-mail me if you have any prayer requests. Also let me let me know if you are helped by Chaplains Corner. bcfdchaplaintpike@yahoo.com

Yours friend,

Chaplain Tony Pike