The Frontline Faith Project organizes moment of silent remembrance, thanksgiving and prayer for soldiers past and present
Contact: Susana J. Garza, 512-965-4449, info@frontlinefaithproject.org; www.frontlinefaithproject.org
AUSTIN, Texas, Oct. 5, 2015 /Christian Newswire/ -- Across generations spanning parts of two centuries, the 11th day of the 11th month – known since 1954 as Veterans Day – has given Americans everywhere pause … to remember and say thank you. Thank you to the U.S. men and women who served in the military during two world wars, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan. Americans pause to thank those serving around the world today – and their families, who wait, hope and pray for their safe return.
On Wednesday Nov. 11th, the Frontline Faith Project calls every American to show their gratitude and their patriotism during An American Moment at noon local time wherever they are. "We want everyone, everywhere, to observe a moment of silence – An American Moment – on this Veterans Day and those to follow," said Frontline Faith Project founder Cheri Lomonte.
Frontline Faith Project believes that An American Moment is a simple, yet powerful action for individuals, families and groups to partake in to show solidarity on Veteran's Day – the day reserved for Americans to remember with special thanksgiving those brave men and women who paid the ultimate price for country, freedom and safety.
"It is our hope," Lomonte said, "that this collective moment of silent prayer – lifted all over the world on a single day – will fortify the men and women of our Armed Forces and also enkindle the spirit of unity in our nation, a nation now fractured by politics and distracted by worldly pursuits. I believe it is time for us to come together as one people who together love our God and our country, serving each to the best of our abilities."
Lomonte founded Frontline Faith Project to support the spiritual needs of the United States Military and knows that over the past three years, the thousands of faith-filled MP3 players Frontline Faith Project has distributed from Camp Pendleton to Kandahar have provided critical spiritual nourishment for U.S. men and women soldiers. She hopes An American Moment will do that – and much more.
"We want to honor the men and women of our Armed Forces, past and present," said Executive Director Susana J. Garza. "We hope everyone will offer a silent moment of prayer at noon wherever they are to thank our military for their service past and present."
No matter where you are – at home with your family, gathered with your friends, your church group, civic organization, on bases at home or abroad, or anywhere else, Frontline Faith Project calls all Americans to gather with those they are with at noon and join An American Moment to recognize, thank and pray for our military and our country.
"Let us remember our troops on the front lines," said Fr. Jim Evans, a chaplain serving with the Texas Army National Guard. "Indeed, let us remember all of our veterans, and let us pray for all of our military who have made the ultimate sacrifice."
"At noon wherever we are," he added, "let us pause for a moment to honor, to pray for and to thank those men and women who now serve and have served, that we might live in freedom. We are one nation; let us show our patriotism as one nation under God."
About Veterans Day
World War I fighting ended Nov. 11, 1918, when Allied nations and Germany signed an armistice – a temporary cessation of hostilities. The war officially ended June 19, 1919, with the signing of the Treaty of Versailles. President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed the first commemoration of what was then known as Armistice Day in November 1919. It became a legal holiday in 1938, and was amended to become Veterans Day in 1954. The Uniform Holiday Bill of 1968 included Veterans Day in a group of four national holidays to be celebrated on Mondays – regardless of date – in order to provide long weekends for observance and activities. It became apparent quickly that most Americans preferred to observe Veterans Day on the specific annual date of Nov. 11, and President Gerald Ford returned the holiday to its original date by signing Public Law 94-97 in September 1975. That law officially returned Veterans Day to Nov. 11 beginning in 1978, where it remains.
About Frontline Faith Project
Founded in 2009, Frontline Faith Project produces MP3 players packed with prayers and inspirational material for Christian U.S. military serving around the globe. Each programming package includes features exclusive to its target audience (Catholic or Protestant) and common features like letters from children and inspirational music. Catholics will find a full Mass recorded at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C.; Rosary meditations; and a variety of prayers. Protestants will find faith-filled commentaries and messages from pastors, chaplains and troops.
Frontline Faith Project has distributed more than 47,000 MP3 players to date, but its task remains daunting. According to numbers from the Department of Defense, reflecting active-duty troops are more than 960,000 self-identify as Christian. Frontline Faith Project receives emails from our military thanking us for the players we send to them and what the players mean to them, we are humbled, blessed and feel very small compared to what they are doing for our country. We are all in this together. So when one of us hurts, we all hurt. Our troops need our spiritual support. It is our duty to help our troops with prayer and players.
That duty – helping – can take a variety of forms in addition to making An American Moment a priority on Nov. 11th:
- Donating as little as $24 to produce and distribute a Frontline Faith Project MP3 player;
- Sharing news of the project in church communities to help spread the word about Frontline Faith Project;
- Sharing personal stories from the front, or those of family members deployed;
- Connecting Frontline Faith Project to online social communities:
-- Like and share the Frontline Faith Project Facebook page –
www.facebook.com/pages/The-FRONTLINE-FAITH-Project/135818756434815;
-- Follow Frontline Faith Project on Twitter – @FrontlineFaith.
For more information or to request a sample MP3 player and/or an interview, please contact info@frontlinefaithproject.org
