Wars are declared between nations, but they are experienced by individuals. For the soldiers and survivors of wars, war is very personal, something more than can be captured in a single chapter in a history book; more than statistics, facts, maps, and figures; more than should be asked of any one person to experience and then simply move on with their lives.

War is much more than bullets and bombs, drones and dreadnaughts. War is fear and courage, loss and gain, and often, the displacement of emotion in the moment for re-experiencing at a later date. Time and time again. No one comes home from a war; they either die, or live with it for the remainder of their lives.

Join Tim Loya as he discusses some of the individual costs that war has, as well as costs to society and other victims you may not think about. He will share personal experiences and details that may not be comfortable to all congregants or listeners. It is highly recommended that you take the time to assess your comfortability with the subject matter, and feel free to leave the service at any time. Self-care is health care.

Tim Loya served as a US Marine from 1999 to 2005, experiencing both the peacetime, and war-time, military. He studied Political Science at Seattle Central College and Global Policy Studies at the LBJ School in Austin where he focused on the role US Special Operations have on foreign governmental policy. He has authored such papers as “Why CocaCola is more likely to be responsible for World War 3 than Nuclear Proliferation”, and “BRICS and the Recolonization of Africa and its impact on Global Stability”. He has contributed to reports to US Special Operations Command, US Army Futures Command, and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.

Please join us after the service for coffee and conversation. Doors are locked 10 minutes after the service begins for safety.

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Adult Religious Exploration: Join our Sunday morning adult discussion group at 10:10 a.m. in the Teal Room.

Sunday Offering the Easy Way: If you would like to make a Sunday plate offering from the convenience of your smartphone, download the free Vanco Mobile Faith Engagement app. Use the code GEJBC4 when asked.

Topics: Memorial Day, Veterans