Chapel open house to celebrate renovations, improvements

  • Published
  • By Maj. Dwayne W. Keener
  • chaplain
MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. --  The Minot AFB Protestant Chapel community here will celebrate the first Sunday of Advent Nov. 30 with an open house, Sunday school, a unity service and a Thanksgiving pot-luck lunch. 

The purpose of the open house is to show the Minot AFB community recent improvements to the North Plains Chapel. One of the main improvements is the increased lighting in the Sanctuary. In addition to the lighting, the chapel has plans in progress to replace the old curtains behind the altar area which will greatly improve the appearance of the chapel sanctuary. 

In order to accommodate families with infants, we have a newly-equipped "cry room". It is two rooms, side by side, with connecting doors. The rooms will be equipped with gliders, changing tables, pack & plays, age appropriate toys and a TV monitor so parents may see and hear what is taking place in the Sanctuary. The new monitors, one in the cry room and one in the children's church area downstairs, are enhanced by a new sound system installed this month in the Sanctuary. 

We also have new tables and chairs in the basement of the chapel. In addition to the 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. services in the Sanctuary, we have Sunday school, young adults, a youth group, Mothers of Preschoolers, scout groups and a multitude of other programs that meet in the basement. Those who attend the service and/or open house this Sunday will have an opportunity to learn more about what the Chapel Corps offers here at Minot AFB, including the Gospel service which meets at 11:30 a.m. at the Northern Lights Chapel every Sunday. 

The celebration of Nov. 30 will begin with Sunday school at 9 a.m., then a combined Protestant service at 10 a.m. at the North Plains Chapel. That service will end at approximately 11:30 a.m., followed by a fellowship lunch in the basement. Everyone is invited to bring their Thanksgiving leftovers to share for this meal. Following the lunch we are hosting a drop-in open house from 1 to 3 p.m. for the base community to see the improvements to the chapel. The chapel will be decorated for Christmas and there will be light refreshments for those who attend. 

For more information, contact the Minot AFB Chapel Corps at 723-2456.