Rev Pyle also spoke about the many Universalist Unitarian (UU) graves at Arlington. Each UU grave has a chalice on the headstone, the chalice being the symbol of the UU faith. There is nowhere else in the world where one will find more chalices than at Arlington. Several of the UUs interred there represent pioneers in many fields, including Laurel Clark, (March 10, 1961 – February 1, 2003) who was a medical doctor, a United States Navy Captain, a NASA Astronaut and a Shuttle mission specialist who died sadly in the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster in 2003..
There are 17 UU chaplains currently in the military. Rebecca Young is one who was named chaplain of the year. Three quarters of the chaplains are female.. The UU chaplains serve any and all service people. They are the bridge builders connecting other faiths.
Rev. Pyle also explained that chaplains are non-combatants, and has such has a guard assigned to him should he have to go into the field to minister to active duty troops. Rev. Pyle has much joy in performing these services for people of all faiths. As a UU, all people, all religions and belief systems are considered valid and worth respect without prejudice.
Rev. Pyle includes the facts that he is a Unitarian Universalist Minister who also serves as the District Executive of the Joseph Priestley District, which includes the 71 UU Congregations of Maryland, Delaware, Northern Virginia, Central and Eastern Pennsylvania, Southern New Jersey, and Washington DC. He is a member of the staff of the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations. Rev. Pyle holds degrees from East Tennessee State University and the Meadville Lombard Theological School in Chicago. He completed a Hospital Chaplaincy Residency at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, Illinois. Rev. Pyle has served as a minister for UU congregations in Illinois, Michigan, and California, and since 2007 has served as a member of the U.S. Army Reserve Chaplain Corps.
We were honored to have Rev. Pyle come to our Memorial Sunday service, and his visit was enjoyed by all. Please visit TowandaUniversalistUnitarianFellowship.org for more information on our Fellowship, and do drop in on Sundays at 3pm for what is always a very interesting service and enjoy our conversation. We welcome all. The coffee pot is always on.