European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 4, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Pago 14 the stars and stripes religion 1 saturday december 4,1993 . Military enlisting its 1st Muslim chaplain by the los Angeles time Washington a the military is about to get its first islamic chaplain. Abdul Rasheed Muhammad of Buffalo ., was to be sworn in As a first lieutenant Friday morning and As signed to the army a Basic chaplaincy course the Pentagon said thursday. Upon graduation in april he will be stationed at fort Bragg  officials said the appointment was made following High level review of the defense departments Chap Lains corps in Light of recent changes in military demographics. Today there Are about 2500 muslims in the armed forces a up from a relative few a decade ago. The establishment of an islamic chaplaincy is a Milestone for the military. There Are 3,152 chaplains on a live duty in the armed services but they All Are from various Christian and jewish religious denominations or sects. _. An army spokesman said that the service was considering appointing a Buddhist chaplain a possibly sometime next year or the year after. But he declined to provide specifics. Officials of the army chaplain corps were not available for comment. There was no indication whether the Navy or at Force might follow the army a Lead in establishing islamic chaplaincies. About 1,300 of the muslims in the armed forces Are in the army. The Navy and Marine corps have 647, and the air Force has 520. Muhammad 40, has been serving As a Counselor in upstate new York. A graduate of new York state University he has masters degrees in counselling and social work from san Diego state University and the University of Michigan. He is a certified a Imam a or. Religious Leader. Thursdays announcement was welcomed by the american Muslim Council which serves As an adviser to the defense department in endorsing islamic clergymen for duty with the armed forces. Although Muhammad a primary Job will be to minister to the religious needs of muslims he also May be called upon occasionally to conduct religious services for protestants catholics or jews in line with traditional practice in the armed forces. Crystal Lyons of London Texas preaches at the 1993 Bull Creek Cowboy Camp meeting near Gall Texas a we want to Roll with the pigs and not get Muddy a she said in a tirade against sin. Texans flock to Sermon on the pasture Gail Texas apr pickup trucks rumbled up to the Banks of Bull Creek just As the september Sun began its Blaze Over the Cactus slipped pasture. Boys were catching frogs in the stagnant Brown water. Women were donning wide brimmed hats and the men a Well their sweat stained Cowboy hats this sunday morning looked As if they a been worn forever. The Dusty ranch land air carried a Medley of children s chatter Fly buzzes and pop Christian tunes from an electric keyboard. Nothing seemed organized until Doyle Newton bellowed his invitation from a Shady Cluster of folding chairs grab your Bible and take a seat. And with that the 1993 Bull Creek Cowboy Camp meeting got under Way. Families from West Texas spots Tike rot an Monahans and Perryton heeded newtons Call to a crude tent of poles wire and Cedar branches. There the prayers testimonies preaching and singing a lots of singing a took Over. A we just wanted to do something for the lord a explained Newton who for the last four years has moved off his cattle for a weekend and opened the ranch Gates for a revival about 60 Miles Southeast of Lubbock. A this is gods building right Here a he said glancing across the red Earth and spindly Mesquite. It s not Many a. You feel closer to god  Alvin Davis executive vice president of the ranching heritage association in Lubbock said such Camp meetings got their Start in the 1800s. Preachers rare visits to Remote areas would lure the cowboys from surrounding ranches for an intense spiritual session. A some went on As Long As two weeks because this was their whole dose for their year a Davis said. Quot now its mainly just carrying on a  Davis knows of about a dozen Camp meetings still conducted in Texas new Mexico and Oklahoma. Some 200 people heard Crystal Lyons preach at this years Bull Creek gathering. Lyons summoned the stamina from her Bull Riding Days to Pace the tents aisle. She wore boots red Denim jeans and a big Belt buckle a we want to Roll with the pigs and not get Muddy a she said in a tirade on sin that Drew frequent chuckles from the crowd. V Lyons used big gestures to help explain a parable about salvation. Her dog a spuds Mckenzie look alike named Nicodemus curled underneath the keyboard  she said she her husband and two Young sons travel about 10 months a year from their Home in London Texas to evangelize at rodeos and ranches. Such places reach people no ordinarily wont go to Church she said. A a it san atmosphere More free earthy open. Bring your dog and come on a Lyons said. Christianity was not meant to stay within stained Glass  she pointed out that Jesus often taught from a fishing boat or Mountaintop rather than in a Temple. A hymns to clap to dominated the morning session. Some worshippers raised their arms and swayed dropping an occasional and spontaneous a amen. The Little girls danced in groups while the boys chased one another and Slung pebbles into the Creek. It lacked order but no one minded. It Chance to assist at mass from wire reports Baden a. A three roman Catholic High school students say becoming eucharistic ministers. Has Given them an Opportunity to be closer to god. Eucharistic ministers help serve communion at mass. There Are 10,000 such ministers in the Catholic diocese of Pittsburgh and less than 5 percent Are younger than 20. Tie three Are Hope Meinert Gina Pietropola and Kelly Navoney. They recently became _ eucharistic ministers at Quigley  school in Baden Beaver county. A it takes a lot of courage to stand up in front of their Peers and say a i believe in Jesus a a said Lora. Manz the Campus minister at Quigley. Pietropola said the decision helps her a to be closer to  Quot i have received my values from my parents and they got theirs from their parents and so on a she said. A no matter How Busy my schedule is i have always found time for Jesus in my  the women wrote essays about their motivations for becoming ministers and obtained recommendations from their principal and priest they said their religious education encourages moral behaviour in an immoral society. A there at school we Are reminded of god and that helps you to do Good a Navoney  safety cuts out tre Auburn  A plans to put up a 14-foot Christmas tree in a Church Sanctuary have been cancelled after City officials said the Evergreen posed a fire Hazard. The first presbyterian Church received a fire safety notice last week from the Auburn fire department said the Rev. Dennis Haines pastor of the 400-member Church about 35 Miles West of Syracuse. For years City firefighters enforced the Law Only when someone filed a complaint assistant fire chief Patsy Dinonno said. But this year after a training session in which Christmas safety was. Discussed firefighters decided to remind the Public about the Law be said. Live Trees inside a building Are particularly dangerous Dinonno  initiative assailed Boise Idaho a episcopal Church Leaden have joined the Campaign against a proposed initiative that says sexual orientation is not a basis for civil rights Protection. J the episcopal diocese of Idaho recently passed a Resolution that opposes the Idaho citizens alliances proposed ballot measure. 1 the diocesan Council Resolution says the initiative a promotes a climate of divisiveness alienation and disunity among  the Church the Resolution adds has a no  the Oregon Idaho conference of the United methodist Church also has issued a statement. Against the initiative which would prevent the state from extending civil rights protections based on _ sexual  Appeal rejected Provo Utah a Brigham Young University has rejected the Appeal of an anthropologist who had been denied tenure at the mormon Church owned school. David c. Knowlton had maintained that a tenure committee misrepresented his Scholastic record and that he was singled out because of scholarship that offended some Church leaders. One of Knowlton a papers on terrorism in latin America was criticized by mormon Church leaders who said it could place the faiths missionaries in jeopardy. He wrote that there is a popular ,4>ereeption in the Region that the Church serves .  the University said an earlier recommendation from the academic vice presidents Council of a no candidacy for Knowlton was upheld by by president Rex e. Lee and Provost Bruce Hafen. A a Slother pro Messori Cecilia Konchar Farr withdrew her Appeal and will seek employment elsewhere after completing the 1993-94 school year. Farr an English professor had come under fire for her outspoken feminism. The University and Farr issued a statement saying they had a agreed to resolve their  University officials said Knowlton and fan were denied tenure because of inadequate scholarship