Staff writer
chriscam@observer-reporter.com
The Rev. Brad Davis will speak about his four-and-a-half months spent in Iraq as a chaplain during the annual Spring Gathering of Presbyterian Women April 17.
This gathering also marks the 20th anniversary of the organization. It will be held at Hewitt Presbyterian Church, 1206 Crucible Road, Rices Landing. Registration begins at 9 a.m.
Davis has served as pastor at Hewitt Presbyterian since 1989.
A major with the 911th Air Lift Wing in Pittsburgh, Davis was stationed in the southern portion of Iraq near the Ephrates River between September 2006 and January 2007. The area is calmer than cities like Baghdad, but there were a number of rocket attacks during his time there.
Davis and another chaplain, a Roman Catholic, provided the religious programming, daily worship services, Mass, and Bible studies for the 680 men and women in the Air Force group.
A big part of his job was providing emotional assistance and support. That ranged from family problems back home to dealing with stress caused by the rocket attacks. On two or three occasions he was needed on a notification team to inform a serviceman or woman that a family member back in the United States had died.
The work was so demanding that Davis usually worked 14-hour days.
Davis leaves soon for another four-and-a-half-month deployment, this time in Afghanistan.
Presbyterian Women has been active as an organization since the 1700s, said Debbie Wilson, 2008 moderator of the PW in the Washington Presbytery. This 20th anniversary came following the merger of the United Presbyterian Church and Presbyterian Church in the United States - a union of the northern and southern "streams" of the church that created Presbyterian Church USA.
The theme for the day is "This Far by Faith." In recognition of the anniversary, Wilson said there will be a cake and mention of those involved in PW for 20 years.
PW's main focus has been on missions, and today the organization raises money to provide items such as mosquito nets to prevent malaria in portions of Africa to "Love in a Basket," which collects baby items for unwed teen mothers.
Other events planned for the day include election and installation of officers, lunch and special displays, including the book, "Overflowing with Hope," written by Mary Jean Bonar, a local author.
Linda Mankey, pastor at Muse Presbyterian Church, will lead the Bible study on the gospel of Luke.
The PW Synod Gathering is planned for June 12-14 at Waynesburg University.