Mood in local church services is subdued

Mary Manning and Emily Richmond

Monday, March 24, 2003 | 9:47 a.m.

Members of University United Methodist Church honored their war casualties on Sunday, but it was an earlier war that was remembered during morning services.

The church accepted a flag on behalf of Green Beret Sgt. 1st Class Daniel Aaron Romero, grandson of members George and Maxine Cebula. Romero was killed in action near Kandahar, Afghanistan, during Operation Enduring Freedom. He was 30 years old.

Still the current war in Iraq was on most minds and subdued the mood in Las Vegas churches Saturday and Sunday. Pastors and priests said church attendance had been increasing steadily since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, and the military actions since.

"All churches are like an oasis," University United Methodist member Mary Scodwell said as she attended a memorial service on Saturday.

The Shrine of the Most Holy Redeemer, not far from the Tropicana, has had an average of 500 additional people at each daily service since the war with Iraq began last week, church usher Stephen Spair said.

"It doesn't matter if people are on vacation, church is church," said Spair, a 15-year resident of Las Vegas. "People want to take time out and reflect a little, and this is the place to do it."

Nearly 2,000 people worshipped at the 8 a.m. Mass on Sunday, seeking solace and comfort in a time of war.

At Community Lutheran Church on East Tropicana Avenue, Sunday services attracted many of the 3,000 members of the congregation.

An impromptu prayer service at United Methodist before war began last week attracted about 40 people, the Rev. David Devereaux said.

"They were anticipating it was going to happen," he said of the military action.

His congregation, like many other groups, is divided and confused over the U.S. military action, Devereaux said.

People of all faiths are witnessing a complex series of events as the war unfolds, which can bring about conflicting emotions, he said.

"We want it to be over soon, yet we think about Iraqi children and civilians," Devereaux said.

The Cebulas, though they were mourning the death of their grandson on April 15, 2002, in the war on terror, still said they support the war in Iraq.

"It was inevitable," Maxine Cebula said. "This has to be done."

Don Upton, a 10-year member of Community Lutheran Church and retired Air Force officer from Ohio, said he also supported the war.

"Absolutely," Upton said. "Not only that, it is the right thing to do."

But Debbie McGee was concerned about the war's effect on the children. Second grade students she teaches have asked, "Why do we want to kill them?"

And children worry that "they" will attack the United States, she said.

"That is a big question," McGee said.

Sylvia Ugarte, who crossed Las Vegas Boulevard from her room at the Excalibur to attend services at the Shrine of the Most Holy Redeemer, said she was praying for the soldiers and civilians facing the greatest risk.

"I worry about my own security here at home, but there are a lot of young lives that will be lost," said Ugarte, a resident of El Paso, Texas.

Gerald Moss, who served in the Air Force and now works as an armored car security guard in Las Vegas, also said his mind was on the soldiers Sunday.

"You know why they're there, and you respect that, but you just want to pray for those guys," Moss said. "The guys who are over there, they're just following orders. They don't have a choice."

In his homily, the Rev. Tom Langenfield urged people to ask themselves whether they follow their consciences and hearts when making decisions, rather than being led blindly. He also discussed the possibilities that open up for enlightenment when people mentally and physically prepare themselves and their surroundings for the presence of God.

Terry Strawhecter, visiting from Green Valley, Ariz., said he was pleased the service did not include any outright talk of the war.

"I think (the homily) probably meant something different to everybody," Strawhecter said. "To me it was about trying to be a better person."

At St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church during Saturday Mass, the Rev. Tim Wynn began his homily with a prayer: "We pray for all our men and women in the armed services each and every day; we pray the war is over very quickly."

Outside the downtown church a woman placed a single red rose in the hand of the white plaster statue of the Blessed Mother. She gazed upward with tears in her eyes, held the statue's hand for a moment, and walked toward Fremont Street.