The following is Bill Donegan’s report on this year’s FIG event from the perspective of the German chaplin:
Report from FIG/GAP 2011
I was glad to have been at the GAP again this year. I am glad also that it was not too cold.
I wish to thank Pete and Kate Gentry, and Brad and Kami Wegner, who have included me once again as part of their group at the German Field Hospital. This was my second year doing my Chaplain’s impression at the Gap. I liked being in an old World War Two period building. Setting it up as they do as a hospital is really impressive. We do the same scenario at another venue in an old Revolutionary period barn in Maryland, which is a lot more rustic in atmosphere.
Brad had consented to my delivering a short message to the hospital staff this year. My role had been comforting the wounded by reading scripture and praying with them prior to and following surgery. Brad thought this might add something to Appell so I was ready to address the Hospital staff on Saturday. To my surprise there were about 707 Germans standing at attention listening to me teaching a bible lesson on the meaning of Matthew 1:23….God With Us ( If you are interested in seeing my sermon notes, they are attached separately). Read Colossians 1:13-17, Ephesians 1, and 2, John 8:24, Romans 8:1, and John 3:36. This was the high point of the event for me.
I enjoyed shopping with, and for my friends, visiting with old friends, meeting new ones, taking pictures, eating German food. Thank you Bob Lawrence, Commander of Gross Deutschland, who invited me to be a judge in the cook-off between 3rd Panzer and GD.
I think the Field Police did a great job this year keeping the place under control and all of us felt safe and secure.
The Friday night period church service was a little cold but with the church packed we soon warmed up. The Allied Chaplains did an admirable job.
The band at the dance was great, the vendors were well supplied (and we took advantage of that), and the period Christmas parties were a delight to visit. I Liked all the goodies.
Time travel back to 1944 was made easy by all the impressions and displays.
Enough words I will let the photographs, which are attached separately, speak for themselves.
God Bless All,
Bill Donegan
For the text of Bill’s sermon, click on:
Picture Gallery
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