Barry Black, 62
nd Chaplain of the United States Senate, will be speaking at 8:30 am and 10:30 am morning services at the Ocean City Tabernacle this Sunday, September 3
rd.
Black was raised by his mother, along with his seven siblings, in Baltimore public housing. His mother always told him “You will have a special destination in life and a life with God.” She believed this because she had asked God to do something special with his life. As a child, Black developed “a love for the music of language” that prompted him to study the prose of Longfellow, Emerson, Milton and Thoreau. Although he knew early that God had a calling on his life, he resisted until his junior year in college. Black ultimately accepted the call and entered the military when he discovered the Navy needed African-American chaplains. After 27 years of service, Black describes his time in the military as “a protracted honeymoon that went by very quickly.”
Black retired from the U.S. Navy in 2003 as the Chief of Navy Champlain’s to begin his appointment as U.S. Senate Chaplain. Black is responsible for opening the Senate each day in prayer and overseeing the spiritual care and counseling of senators, their families and staff, a combined constituency of over 6,000. Black holds seven degrees, one honorary, and has authored two books.
The Tabernacle hosts distinguished guest speakers and performers every Sunday morning through September 10
th. Keep up with the full list of events and speakers online at
www.octab.org.
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Located at 550 Wesley Avenue in Ocean City, NJ, the Ocean City Tabernacle is an inter-denominational Christian worship and event center open to all. The Tabernacle is the historic center of the City of Ocean City which was established as a “Christian Seashore retreat” in 1879. This year will mark the organization’s 138
th year of ministry.
