MCAS BEAUFORT -- The Air Station Chapel held a special service for Fightertown bikers, April 28.
The service featured a blessing of the riders and their bikes, Roman Road Riders as guest speakers, special music by the Roman Road Riders and a free meal following the service for all bikers who attended.
"Roman Road Riders is a local chapter of the Christian Motorcycle Association," said Gunnery Sgt. Jeff Kaus, combat camera staff noncommissioned officer-in-charge and president of the Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron Motorcycle Club. "The CMA isn’t a typical motorcycle club, their intent and purpose is the same as missionaries, to go out and spread the gospel, but to a genre of people that highly get overlooked because of the stigma associated with motorcycle clubs."
The main reason the Chapel wanted to hold this event for Air Station bikers is because some bikers are very cognoscente about God’s presence in their lives, said Navy Cmdr. Dean Hoelz, the Air Station command chaplain.
"This is an ancient practice and it’s also one that has fallen out of use," said Hoelz. "It is important because rather you drive a car, a truck or a motorcycle, those that believe in God enjoy knowing that he is watching over them in every aspect of their lives."
Kaus believed that the service along with the guest speaker, tied together really well.
"The chaplain held a good service, he tied it in very neatly to the Christian Motorcycle Association and to that Sunday sermon," said Kaus. "It was impactful and it resonated with me."
According to Kaus, the only thing about the service that was different but also inspiring was the blessing of the bikes.
"The sermon is what you would have expected and the guest speaker came up and shared his life experience," said Kaus. "But, the most impactful part of the event was the bike blessing which I have never been a part of before."
Even though the bike blessing was the most impactful part of the Biker Sunday, the attendees also found out they can ride with the Roman Road Riders.
"I would totally attend this event again," said Kaus. "During the event we found out that every Friday at 7 p.m. the Roman Road Riders go out for a ride in which anyone can ride with them, there’s no club discrimination, no preferred bike, as long as it has two wheels you can ride with them."
For more information on the Air Station Chapel and the services it offers, call 228-7775.