Lost at Sea

Today is Palm Sunday.  After getting home & searching on YouTube for Palm Sunday hymns, I came across this wonderful video of the Ohio State Marching Band playing the Navy Hymn "Eternal Father".  Military hymns are awesome (in the true meaning of the word, not the casual "that's awesome!" we hear too often when someone can't think of anything specific to say).  And this performance is fascinating to me because the band members actually sing the hymn themselves - so cool!!!

It makes me think about our family heritage, having Maine seafaring families including ship captains on the Rivers side (Rivers, Davis and others which I'm not remembering).  Walking through a cemetery near Port Clyde, ME, Dad and I found gravestones from these families years ago.  Sadly, we also saw many graves/memorials for young men (especially) drowned or lost at sea.  Oceans are probably the most wonderful and terrifying things we can know.

It also made me think of a ship lost during my lifetime, that had sailed out of Philadelphia's port next to Gloria Dei Church were I grew up.  You can read more about the sad story here, including some interesting theories about what happened to the ship:  The Disappearance of the SS Poet.

You'll notice the article includes a photo of a memorial placque, which is at the back of the church.  Grandad held a memorial service for the men who were lost, which was attended by family members from all over the country.  This is one of the very meaningful things Grandad did at Gloria Dei - you can read a bit more at the church website:  David Buchanan Rivers.

Well, having shared a bit of history with you I hope you will enjoy this video as much as I do !!  We need to remember to be grateful to all those families that have loved ones working on the coast or out at sea.