European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - July 8, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse Bringing heavenly messages Down to Earth via airwave by Rosemary Sawyer staff write broadcast chaplain goofy Moran will Trade in his microphone for a conventional pulpit this week and with it hell give up zingers from zealots Burger King fans and the five message a week grind. The Media ministers smooth voice and inspirational words have provided an to listeners tooth brushing accompaniment for three years. He a being replaced by chaplain David Rapske an army preacher who tuned into broadcasting in Pusan Korea where he recorded a daily 90-second devotional for an an affiliate. Moran 43, will serve As pastor of Frankfurt West Germany scentral Chapel for about six months then move to Wurzburg to become the 3rd inf div chaplain. Quot it was a really really Good assignment a probably the most unique and maybe the Best pulpit for a chaplain or a minister a said Moran of his time at an s Headquarters in Frankfurt. The broadcasting Biz is not without its pressures however. Every year the an broadcast minister has to churn out 260 Sermon ettes for the weekday word in the world series. He also has to record the weekly 50-minute Potpourri of words and Christian contemporary music called sounds of sunday. Quot that a a pretty constant grind Quot Moran said. Quot i be been trying to build Dave Rapske up for it. Once that starts that s a pretty heavy pressure in front of you. Ever time i get five done there a always another five staring me in the face. It s like it never goes away Quot under Ideal conditions a meaning locked up at Home away from the Telephone a Moran can write a week s Worth of the min messages in one Day. But normally it takes three to four hours to write each one of the four minute shows the army lieutenant colonel said. Quot sometimes it really comes easily and other times its like pulling Teeth. The next one in t there Quot Moran said. Not every listener appreciates the fruits of his labor either he said. One letter writer complained that Moran put too much world and not enough word in word in the world he went on to write that Moran should Start out with god s word and then make an application to the world not vice versa. Another accused the Salt Lake City native of not preaching the gospel enough. In fact All three negative letters that Moran received in three years came from christians who Felt he had diluted his message. Quot the three real zingers were from real zealots who wanted a lot lot lot More Quot Moran said. Quot you know really let pm have such an aggressive approach does not fit with Moran s ministry philosophy however. Quot i m disappointed that they kind of missed the Point that. You usually Aren t very effective by cramming something Down somebody a Throat. If you can gel them to discover for themselves that s the Best kind of such negative feedback is unusual for the radio minister however. Most letters he receives confirm the effectiveness of his ministry. Moran found one recent letter particularly touching he said. A amps t to mall Juwil Jolt. Col. Geoff Moran right outgoing broadcast chaplain hands a tape to broadcast producer Rita Andrisen As the incoming chaplain maj. Dave Rapske looks on. A dear chaplain Moran Quot the woman wrote. Quot get off my Case it seems like you be been speaking to me directly so i Don t want to turn the radio on and Tjien i go and turn the radio As a result of her tuning in to a particular series of messages the woman went for counselling for a problem she was struggling with said Moran his voice cracking. In closing she wrote Quot when i say please get off my Case that s the Way i feel sometimes but Don t really do it. Keep it chaplain Moran is Quot a very Down to Earth person who has a Way of putting things in terms people understand Quot said Rita Andrisen a producer who has worked with Moran about a year and a half. Quot i have heard a lot of positive comments from people you would t expect to listen to a broadcast and they must be listening closely Moran found out one Day at the local Burger King. The disciples of Christ minister was at the counter ordering his meal when a person standing behind him in line said Quot i know that voice. Are you chaplain Moran Quot Quot i was amazed that there a that voice recognition but there Moran said. Starting at 6 10 a m. Tomorrow the Burger King customer with the Good ears will have to adjust to a new voice. With this edition of word in the world Rapske begins the Treadmill lifestyle of a daily radio personality. A i think the biggest difference is going to be in the voice Quot the 40-year-old major said. Quot i think his approach and my approach Are fairly similar. I Don t think that there s going to be a big a. The North american Baptist minister said he Hopes to gently provoke people to think about things they Don t normally that no about. Rapske does t feel it s his Job to browbeat people into going to Church. Instead he Hopes to help people understand their needs. Quot i know that there Are some people who like to go to Church to be whipped from the pulpit i guess i be never seen that As my role from the pulpit and i have no intention of doing that behind the broadcast ministers must know their audiences Rapske said Quot use the language. Learn to communicate and Deal with people s needs in their Lingo. Quot we May not use redemption and Sanctification and All those words but to sure have it tucked away there somewhere where they can Rapske began recording devotional spots in Korea in an Effort to find a Way to reach those people who did no to Grace the pews on sunday mornings he said. Quot and things kind of snowballed from there Quot Rapske said Quot the More i did it the More i enjoyed Thal kind of thing. And then the Opportunity came to go to come Over Here to try to fill chaplain Moran s the army sent Rapske to Wheaton College near Chicago for a graduate degree in communications before he moved to West Germany in Early june while at Wheaton Rapske was a disc jockey with the College radio station went. Rapske s wife and three children Ages 14,12 and 9, will join him in August. The self described Quot disguised hockey puck from the Canadian holds dual Canad an u s citizenship. Some of the Canadian listeners probably will hear his Subtle Canadian Quot about Quot come out once in a while Rapske said referring 1o the Canadian pronunciation of Quot but in be lost a lot of it Quot Rapske said Quot i think canadians talk funny now too Quot sunday. July 8, 1990 to plus c Page 3
