OP_030917

opprairie.com life & arts
The orland park prairie | March 9, 2017 | 21
OP pastor discusses ‘crisis’ that led to award
Brittany Kapa, Assistant Editor
Stone Church recently
welcomed a new pastor, who
this past year was awarded
for actions that came with a
bit of controversy.
This past December, the
Rev. Wes Modder, a retired
Navy chaplain, was honored
by the Freedom Alliance
in Washington, D.C.,
from which he received the
2016 Defender of Freedom
Award.
The Freedom Alliance bestows
the award upon an individual
who, “in the face of
adversity, exemplifies faith,
courage and fidelity to the
Constitution and the principles
of freedom,” according
to the Freedom Alliance’s
description of the award.
Modder had been counseling
individuals within
the Navy, but his methods
did not coincide with those
laid out by the United States
Navy. Modder entered into
a long legal battle after the
Navy tried to fire him and
strip him of his retirement.
Tom Kilgannon, the president
of the Freedom Alliance,
said that the organization gets
roughly 25-30 suggestions a
year for who should be selected
to receive the award.
Kilgannon added that Modder’s
particular ordeal was
one that they wanted to recognize
from the start.
“We are doing a lot of
work in this area of religious
liberty in the military,
and ensuring service members
have the ability to practice
their faith,” he said.
In a struggle of changing
societal views, and the acceptance
of transgendered
and homosexual individuals
in the armed forces, Modder
was tasked with counseling
these individuals.
“I’m the first military
chaplain in the history of
our country to be fired for
doing my job,” Modder
said, noting he ultimately
retired in good standing.
Modder added that the
counseling sessions he had
with individuals in the Navy
always revolved around his
religious beliefs, as he states
was his job.
“I don’t mind following
policy, cutting my hair
short and deploying,” said
Modder, who has served
nine deployments between
his time in the Marines and
the Navy. “It eventually got
down to the chaplain level,
where policies and procedures
were then contradicting
scripture. I found myself
in a precarious position;
I was either serving my creator
or my commander.”
Modder said he was not
preaching intolerance to
these individuals but simply
carrying out beliefs in
the words of his religious
leader.
“We were very impressed
with his courage and his
strength of character that he
showed throughout the process,”
Kilgannon said about
the decision to choose Modder
for the award. “We’re
very impressed with his
desire to stand up for principle,
and the character and
integrity with which he did
that. We wanted to recognize
that, and bring it to the
public’s attention.”
Modder admitted outright
that compared to past winners
he does not believe
he deserves the award, but
is “humbled and honored”
nonetheless.
“The crisis has made me
better,” Modder said. “It
has made me a better minister;
it has made me a better
husband. I cry easier and I
preach better.”
Meet the Modders
After his departure from
The Rev. Wes Modder. Photo submitted
the Navy, Modder said he
decided to let God lead
him this time. He sent out
multiple letters to different
churches who were looking
for a pastor. And after
multiple rejections, Modder
finally found a place to call
home.
“[Stone Church] actually
turned us down, and I
was like, ‘OK, another turn
down. No problem,’” Modder
said of the church’s initial
rejection of his services.
“I think people didn’t know
what to do with me.”
Modder said that he received
another letter from
Stone Church that said the
congregation had reconsidered
and offered Modder
the position of pastor.
Modder and his family
touched down in Illinois
this past October. Wes, his
wife, Beth, and the couple’s
four children — James, Julia,
Joy and Jana — were
welcomed with a small
party thrown by the church
upon their arrival.
Modder talked about the
generosity of the congregation
and the church board
members upon the family’s
arrival. His youngest,
Jana, turned 6 the day the
family arrived in the area,
and Modder said they were
welcomed with a feast that
looked similar to what one
would find on Thanksgiving.
The welcome party did
not forget the cake for the
youngest Modder, and that
spoke volumes to Wes.
“I have never been treated
in all my years in the military,
anywhere in my life, as
well as I have been treated
here at this church,” Modder
said.
The Modders closed on
a house in Orland Park on
Dec. 30 and officially became
residents. But the
family already has started
extending its reach far beyond
the village limits of
Orland Park.
“One of our goals is to be
an outward-reaching church
to the community, not just
right here in Orland Park,”
Beth said. “We support
the Chicago City Church.
So, we go there once a
month and serve meals to
whoever comes and give a
message.”
Both Beth and Wes are
not blind to the problems
plaguing Chicago. They believe
that with outreach and
faith in God, they can help
others.
“We can change it,” Wes
said. “We can change the
messaging.”
Beth said she wants her
family’s influence to “increase
their footprint”
throughout the community
and the city. Beth said she
plans on doing outreach
through a variety of programs
in association with
the church. Trunk-or-treats
for the children, and establishing
a women’s group are
just a few of her ideas.
“I think a great thing we
can do is acknowledge people,”
Wes said. “I think the
church has forgotten how to
talk to people. Look at their
face, even if they don’t look
at you.”
The couple is also planning
to stay for the long
haul and hopes to one day
build Stone Church outward
to include a school or perhaps
a sanctuary.
“I don’t think heroes see
themselves as heroes,” Wes
said about receiving the Defender
of Freedom Award.
“I just saw myself as being
faithful to being a good
chaplain.”
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