Topics: Space

Below are signatures by three American astronauts, including the first American to orbit the Earth and two of the 12 people to walk on the moon!

1) Photograph of the Mercury capsule on the U.S.S. Noa (Prime) recovery ship following John Glenn’s return to Earth after his Friendship 7 mission. This photograph is signed by John Glenn (1921-2016). Glenn was the first American to orbit the earth in February 1962 and later served as US Senator from Ohio (1974-1999).

2) Unused block of 10 cent Postage Stamps depicting Neil Armstrong’s first step on the moon, titled ‘First Man On the Moon.’ This block of stamps was signed by Alan Bean (1932-2018), member of the Apollo 12 mission in November 1962 who walked on the moon.

3) Brochure titled “Footprints On The Moon” (c. 1970s-1980s) that was signed by James Irwin on the cover: “Stella/Love of Jesus/Jim Irwin.” Irwin (1930-1991), walked on the moon in the Apollo 15 mission in July/August 1971.

Neil Armstrong (1930-2012) achieved international fame when he became the first person to set foot on the moon in July 1969 as part of the Apollo 11 mission. At the time this historic “giant leap for mankind” was shown on television, the viewing audience was estimated to be 650 million (see video of this first step on the moon).

Below, from WallBuilders’ collection is a Certificate of Confirmation (June 13, 1943) belonging to Neil Armstrong. At the time this certificate was issued, Neil was 13 years old.

Transcript:

Certificate of Confirmation

This Certifies That Neil Armstrong born August 5, 1930 having been duly instructed in the doctrines of the Christian Religion as confessed, taught, and believed by the Evangelical and Reformed Church and having formally professed faith in our Lord Jesus Christ and vowed obedience to His Gospel was received into full communion with Trinity Evangelical and Reformed Church, Upper Sandusky, Ohio by the solemn rite of CONFIRMATION on the 13th day of June in the year of our Lord one thousand nine hundred and 43.

H. C. Kellermeyer Pastor

“Ghosts of Christmas Past”

(from Charles Dickens “Christmas Carol” in 1843)

At Christmas, people all over the world pause to remember the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. We gather with family, exchange gifts, and hopefully read the Christmas story from the Bible (Luke 2:1-20). It’s a day of celebration! In 1950 during the Korean War, President Harry Truman reminded the nation of the importance of Christmas, and also urged them to remember those who served us in the military and would not be home for Christmas:

Many have forgotten the humble surroundings of the nativity and how, from a straw-littered stable, shone a light which for nearly 20 centuries has given men strength, comfort, and peace. At this Christmastime we should renew our faith in God. We celebrate the hour in which God came to man. It is fitting that we should turn to Him. Many of us are fortunate enough to celebrate Christmas at our own fireside. But there are many others who are away from their homes and loved ones on this day.

Our history abounds with examples of those who could not be home for Christmas. Usually this was because of an ongoing war, but there were other reasons as well. In fact, there have been times when they could not be home because they were not even on the planet!

The astronauts of Apollo 8 (the first manned mission to the moon) entered orbit around the moon on Christmas Eve, 1968. (Pictured here is one of the photos they took, showing Earth rising above the moon on Christmas Eve.) While circling the moon, the three astronauts hosted a live telecast in which all three read from Genesis 1 and then Frank Borman delivered a special Christmas greeting.

WallBuilders Collection includes a document signed by Frank Borman with the text of the Christmas Eve message. Also included is a prayer recorded by Borman on Christmas Day, 1968, which read in part:

Give us, O God, the vision

Which can see Thy love in the world

In spite of human failure.

This document is an amazing example of how Christmas has been celebrated not only here on Earth but also in space as well!

The astronauts of Apollo 8 (the first manned mission to the moon) entered orbit around the moon on Christmas Eve, 1968. While circling the moon, the three astronauts hosted a live telecast in which all three read from Genesis 1 and then Frank Borman delivered a special Christmas greeting.

WallBuilders Collection includes a document signed by Frank Borman with the text of the Christmas Eve message. Also included is a prayer recorded by Borman on Christmas Day, 1968. Below is a scan and transcript of this document from our collection.

A Christmas Eve Prayer From Lunar Orbit
December 24, 1968

“Give Us, O God, The Vision
Which Can See Thy Love In The World
In Spite of Human Failure.

“Give Us The Faith, The Trust
The Goodness In Spite Of
Our Ignorance And Weakness.

“Give Us The Knowledge
That We May Continue To Pray
With Understanding Hearts,
And Show Us What Each One Of Us
Can Do To Set Forth
The Coming Of The Day
Of Universal Peace. Amen.”
Frank Borman

As Apollo 8 began its last lunar orbit, Astronaut William Anders said, “We are not approaching the lunar sunrise and for all people back on earth the crew of Apollo 8 has a message we would like to send to you.” The television camera aboard the spacecraft panned the lunar surface as Anders and his fellow astronauts recited in a medley the first eight verses of Genesis.

William Anders
“In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters and God, let there be light. And there was light. And God saw the light and it was good, and God divided the light from the darkness.”

James Lovell
“And God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day. And God said, let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters. And let it divide the waters from the waters. And God made the firmament. And divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament. And it was so. And God called that firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day.”

Frank Borman
“And God said let the waters under the heavens be gathered together in one place. And let the dry land appear. And it was so. And God called the dry land earth. And the gathering together of the waters He called the seas. And God saw that it was good. And from the crew of Apollo 8, we close with good night, good luck, a merry Christmas and God bless all of you — all of you on the good earth.”

* Originally posted: Dec. 29, 2017.

Charlie Duke landed on the moon with the Apollo 16 mission in April 1972. He is one of only 12 people who have ever walked on the moon.

This handwritten letter from June 13, 2001 declares how his relationship with Christ was even more significant than his remarkable and momentous walk on the moon. (You can also listen an interview with Charlie Duke through WallBuilders Live.)

Transcript:

June 13, 2001

This is my God – the one who does not forget a single sparrow and tells us that we are each worth more than many sparrows. This is my God – the one who has numbered every hair on our head and the one who lovingly clothes the lilies of the filed (Luke 12:6-7, 28).

This is the Lord I love and serve. This is the Lord who transformed my life. This is the Lord who restored my marriage.

I used to say I could live ten thousand years and never have an experience as thrilling as walking on the moon. But the excitement and satisfaction of that walk doesn’t begin to compare with my walk with Jesus, a walk that lasts forever.

I thought that Apollo 16 would be my crowning glory but the crown that Jesus gives will not tarnish or fade away. This crown will last throughout all eternity (see 1 Corinthians 9:25).

Not everyone has the opportunity to walk on the moon, but everybody has the opportunity to walk with the Son. It costs billions of dollars to send us to the moon but walking with Jesus is free – this gift of God. “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourself, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9).

Charlie Duke

 Apollo 16 Moonwalker