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Marine Corps Base Quantico welcomes Chaplain Steven Barstow, MCINCR-MCBQ command chaplain.

Photo by Photo by Deanne Barstow

Greetings!

4 Apr 2018 | Cmdr. Steven R. Barstow/MCINCR-MCBQ Command Chaplain Marine Corps Base Quantico

This is my first article for the Quantico community, as I have just reported aboard as Marine Corps Installations National Capital Region-Marine Corps Base Quantico command chaplain.  We just celebrated a huge Holy Week on the Christian calendar and we had record numbers of attendees at the various worship opportunities offered aboard base.  It is amazing when so many people seem to appear out of nowhere to attend church on holy days.  That being said, I would like to take this opportunity to encourage each of you reading this article to get out there and nurture your own spiritual growth, no matter what your particular faith background. 

If I had some crazy dream of being a martial arts expert, one of the first questions I would be asked is, “What discipline do you plan to study?”  I could answer, “Well, I don’t want to get tied down into one particular discipline, I just want to be a martial arts expert.”  If that was my starting point, I would never be an expert of any kind!  If I really want to be an expert, I will have to start down some path.  I could switch my path later, but I’ve got to start down some path.

People sometimes say they don’t want to get tied down into any one religion, or into any particular denomination, but the problem is, if you don’t start down some path pursuing spiritual growth, then you are not really growing/going anywhere at all.  If you want to be spiritually healthy and resilient, you’ve got to start journeying down some path and then you have to keep on keeping on!

So, consider this your “chaplain’s boot in the behind,” to get out there and exercise your faith!

We have multiple worship opportunities on base.  The worship times for base services are soon changing.  Beginning April 15, the Roman Catholics will meet at the Marine Corps Memorial Chapel Sundays at 9 a.m. and 12:15 p.m.  Protestant Christians have two worship opportunities as well.  A liturgical service will be conducted at 10:15 a.m. and a contemporary worship service will begin at 11:15 a.m., both also at the chapel.  Our Muslim community meets Fridays at 1:15 p.m. in the Religious and Family Services Center.  The Islamic Prayer Center is also open daily, with Dhuhr at 12:30 p.m., Monday through Thursday.

 


Marine Corps Base Quantico