Hurtling through the dark but missile-streaked skies over Hanoi in 1972 after his B-52 bomber was shot down, Robert Certain was pretty sure he was going to die, just like three of the men in his plane had, and remembers praying for his parachute not to open rather than dying in captivity.
Then a 25-year-old Air Force navigator, the Rev. Certain is now the 63-year-old senior priest of St. Peter and St. Paul Episcopal Church in east Cobb, but war is still very much on the mind of the retired colonel.
Now, though, he thinks more about helping the military personnel returning from wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Fr. Certain is our rector, and he is a wonderful person and an inspirational speaker. Our 14-year-old son adores him because Fr. Certain always goes out of his way to talk to him. We are very fortunate to have him.
I am the co-chairman of the Board of Directors of CarefortheTroops, that Fr. Robert started out of our Brotherhood of St Andrew men’s group here at St Peter & St Paul 4 years ago. It has grown beyond our imagination to cover the entrie State of GA. We anticipate a chapter starting in OH very soon. If anyone would like to explore starting chapters in your diocese (though it began as an Episcopal project, it is now interfaith), please feel free to get in touch with me off line at bharrison1946[at]earthlink[dot]net.
I could not agree with Alli B more. Since Fr. Robert came to us on Easter Sunday, 2007, our church has grown in ASA from @ 370 to @ 550. We are still growing and our service to the surrounding community and our diocese has never been stronger. We are truly lucky to have him as our rector.