Gol Lutheran Dedicates Veterans Wall

Gol Lutheran Church in Kenyon invited me to services Sunday to see the dedication of a veterans wall at their church.

It's called Gol's Wall of Glory and the dedication service was in a word, fantastic.

During the service in the church established in 1864 we sang "O Beautiful for Spacious Skies" and "God Bless America."

The Hymn of the Day was "All My Hope on God is Founded."

Members of the Kenyon Color Guard were at the entrance before the service.

Gol member Dorothy Wolkenhauer spearheaded the effort to get pictures for the Gol salute to veterans.

The wall includes 33 soldier pictures and a picture frame with the names of 36 other known church members who were veterans with no pictures.

Pastor Marv Kormann delivered a sermon about the origins of the word veteran dating back to the days of the Roman empire.

The Gol Lutheran Pastor said along with the meaning "old soldier," a veteran is supposed to be humble and trustworthy, open-minded and not judgmental.

After the service we went to the fellowship hall where the wall is located and Wolkenhauer read the names of those included on the wall.

Kenyon Color Guard member Mac McDonald noted the military branch flags brought to the dedication and presided over a flag dedication to the church followed by the playing of taps.

The veterans tribute was a terrific idea and I was told while eating delicious homemade vegetable beef soup and meatballs and potatoes the church did have a World War II tribute many years ago with names of members who served and they didn't know what happened to it.

Also included on the wall are current church members serving in the military.

God bless America and God bless Gol Lutheran!