Congregation Welcomes Colonel Back to Pulpit

Steve Chisolm returned to the pulpit at Central Christian Church on Sunday.
Steve Chisolm returned to the pulpit at Central Christian Church on Sunday.

Here’s a unique and heartwarming local story to help celebrate Veterans Day, for which we offer our salute to our troops serving everywhere. It comes courtesy of Shelia Huffman, who relays the following:

If you drove past Central Christian Church on Westside Drive on Sunday morning, you likely saw a tree tied with 100 yellow ribbons.

Although not an “ole oak tree” like the lyrics in the 1970s song, the huge bois d’arc sprawling the church’s front lawn sent the same message — Welcome Home Steve!

The church welcomed its senior co-pastor, Col. Steve Chisolm, back home on Sunday at morning worship.

Steve and Debbie Chisolm are co-pastors of Central, but Steve has been in Washington, D.C., for the past three years serving as director of the Air National Guard Chaplain Corps.

“In this capacity, Chaplain Chisolm supported the commander of the ANG Readiness Center, advising on all matters pertaining to the religious and moral welfare of the Air National Guard,” Debbie Chisolm said.

Steve Chisolm was also responsible for a directorate that recruits, trains, and maintains programs to meet the religious needs of Air National Guard members and their families. He also implemented plans and programs of the ANG Chaplain Corps and supervised forces serving in the United States and overseas.

Steve joined the military in 1976 and has served in many capacities, including Security Policeman, Commander of Services, and Chief of Social Actions.

He served as wing chaplain for six years at Carswell Joint Reserve Base in Fort Worth, and was then promoted to full-bird colonel and became the ANG Assistant to the Commandant at the USAF Chaplain Corps College in Fort Jackson, S.C.

Steve was recently selected as the next ANG Assistant to the United States Air Force Chief of Chaplains. In this capacity, he will work to ensure deployment readiness and mission capability of the 600-plus members of the ANG Chaplain Corps. The new position comes with a nomination for promotion to brigadier general.

Although he has visited Central during the last several years, Nov. 9 was his first day permanently back in the pulpit.

The congregation, along with Debbie, was thrilled to have him back home. After worship, a potluck dinner was held in the church’s fellowship hall to celebrate.

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