Flag Presentation Service Featuring Sergeant Major (Ret.) James McGruder

Steven Schetrom • Jun 27, 2022

Celebrating Independence Day--July 4, 2022

Bethel Assembly of God (111 Totten Lane, Front Royal, VA 22630) was honored to host Sergeant Major (US Army Retired) James McGruder on Sunday, June 26^th, 2022 for a very memorable flag presentation service. The service was arranged by Tim Wolfe, a church member and Warren County resident, and was planned to coincide with the church’s annual Independence Day celebrations.

SGM McGruder entered the U.S. Army in February 1983 and attended Basic and Advanced Individual Training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. He was awarded the MOS 13B Field Artillery. After basic training, he was assigned to Fort Hood, Texas as part of the 1st 92nd Field Artillery, 8 Inch Battalion (BN).

SGM McGruder deployed to Iraq with Alpha Battery 5-18 Field Artillery as part of Desert Shield/Storm in November 1990. While in Iraq, he risked his life to extinguish a fire in a M548 ammunition carrier in order to save the M110 Howitzer’s combat ammunition load; he took this action selflessly, without hesitation and without formal recognition of his heroism.

SGM McGruder is passionate about mentorship and ensuring the future success of the NCO Corps. In 2003, as the Senior Professional Development NCO for the Field Artillery Branch in the Human Resources Command (HRC), SGM McGruder managed over 24,000 Soldiers and expertly advised the Branch Chief and Sergeant Major on military education requirements, career progression and Military Occupational Specialty structure. While assigned to HRC, SGM McGruder was selected over more than 26 NCOs to serve as the President of the Human Resources Command, Sergeant Audie Murphy Club.

SGM McGruder has also been instrumental in developing young Officers. In July of 2009, SGM McGruder was selected by the Cadet Command CSM to serve as the Deputy Chief of Staff, G-3, United States Army Cadet Command, Fort Monroe, Virginia. His selfless service and devotion to mission accomplishment made lasting impacts in training operations and opportunities throughout the command.

SGM McGruder on August 7, 2014 had the distinct privilege of introducing former president Barrack Obama prior to him signing The Veterans Affairs Overhaul Bill. This bill signed into law a 16.3 billion dollar measure to help overhaul the Department of Veterans Affairs, the agency that in recent months had faced intense criticism for long wait time for health care and manipulation of records. This was the first time in American history that an active duty Sergeant Major had ever introduced a sitting president.

SGM McGruder’s last assignment was at Fort Belvoir Garrison operations, where he served as an Enlisted Advisor to the Garrison Commander. After more than 32 years of military service, SGM McGruder retired on February 28, 2015. SGM McGruder is married to the former Tammy Buerl and they have been married for 34 years. They have two children, daughter Jamecia and son James.

The Flag Presentation Service honored Pastor Steven A. Schetrom II for his dedication to the community. Bethel Assembly of God is a growing and community-minded church working to positively impact the Front Royal-Warren County community with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. As an example of its dedication to the community, the church is currently working to distribute gift bags to community agency employees and volunteers to show their appreciation and support for the hard work those individuals do in the community.

Weekly services are held at Bethel Assembly of God each Sunday at 10:30am. The church also hosts or sponsors several small groups each week. The church’s mission is “to be a vital community of loving disciples committed to building one another up so that each reaches their full potential.” More information about the church can be found online at www.bethellife.org or by emailing info@bethellife.org.

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We had a very successful Relaunch Service yesterday. This service was made possible by years of work by our Leadership Team and Congregation. We believe it is imperative that we continue to move forward in these efforts. The reasoning behind our relaunch effort is expressed below, in the Executive Summary of our Five-Year Strategic Plan. Bethel Assembly of God believes that worldwide events over the last couple of years warrant the establishment of a re-launch effort. The culture in which the church exists is experiencing a rapid decline, with many experiencing confusion regarding the correct posture of the church in the world. The proposed re-launch effort will help clarify the church’s position related to its members as well as the broader community. The re-launch effort will be made up of key components. These include: 1) A new Mission Statement; 2) A five year Strategic Plan; 3) The establishment of Key Measurables which will provide a Feedback Loop so that ongoing and regular adjustments can be made. These components will provide value to the organization. First, they will inform both current and prospective members about where the church has actively chosen to place its attention, resources, and focus over the next five years. Second, they will allow for new members to more readily see how they can contribute to the church’s mission, as focus areas will be highlighted continuously. Finally, they will allow decision-makers to more easily evaluate the viability of all ministry ideas that come before them. If a proposed idea doesn’t pass inspection when evaluated against the Strategic Plan, it will need to be dismissed, at least in the near term. The commencement of the re-launch effort is immensely important to the long-term viability of Bethel Assembly of God. This ongoing effort will force the organization, in a positive way, to become a more lean and well-run organization, and will lead to long-term health and vitality. To see our complete Five-Year Strategic Plan, please visit here . Please consider joining our congregation, to work together with us to impact our community, nation, and world. Blessings to you and yours!

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End-Of-Year Update

By Steven Schetrom • 20 Dec, 2022

Our church wants to take this opportunity to wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year! As we come to the end of 2022, I am very proud to report one of our best years at Bethel Life Church. Here are some of the projects we have completed during the final months of this year: - Adopted four children for Christmas. Our Helping Hands Ministry donated $633.94 in Christmas gifts to these children, in hopes they will experience the joy of Christmas this year. - Delivered 46 shoeboxes to needy children through Operation Christmas Child. - Donated $3,000 to help repair a roof for a church in South Africa. - Established a non-profit, called Bethel Life Solutions, Inc., so that we can do more to help our community in 2023 and the years ahead. See photos attached. These are just some of the recent projects we have completed. We have plans for much more in 2023. If possible, would you help us out by going to the following link, so that we can finish the year strong, and be prepared to complete important projects in 2023: https://bethellife.breezechms.com/give/online Donations can also be mailed to the church at: 111 Totten Lane, Front Royal, VA 22630. **UPDATE: Some have already given through our online giving page. THANK YOU for your generosity! Your gift will help us reach important goals for 2023! PLEASE NOTE: Our Christmas Service this-coming Sunday will be virtual-only. Please check out our virtual Christmas Service on Facebook @bethelassemblyfrontroyal, and on our YouTube channel at Bethellife Church.