A veterans memorial in Fort Wayne, Indiana just opened a new chapter. The Veterans National Memorial Shrine and Museum has launched weekly Sunday church services at its Sterling Chapel, a years-long project now finally coming to life. For the veterans behind this effort, it is not just worship. It is about healing bonds, shared faith, and the community so many of them desperately need after coming home.

Weekly Services Kick Off at Sterling Chapel

The Veterans National Memorial Shrine and Museum, located at 2122 O’Day Road in Fort Wayne, Indiana, opened its doors for Sunday worship this weekend. Every Sunday at 10 a.m., Sterling Chapel will welcome veterans, their families, and the broader community for a morning church service.

The worship experience will not follow a fixed format. Services will rotate between traditional and contemporary Christian styles, giving churchgoers a fresh and varied experience each week while keeping the spirit of the gathering consistent.

The Sterling Chapel itself carries a story worth knowing. The 1,200-square-foot facility was made possible through a generous bequest from DAR member Jeanette Thompson Sterling, and it was formally dedicated during Veterans Day weekend in November 2024. What began as a space for military memorial services and small ceremonies has now grown into a weekly house of worship serving the entire community.

Faith That Carries Veterans Through and Beyond Combat

Museum Chaplain Garrett Disinger has been the driving force behind this initiative. His words cut right to the heart of why this matters.

“We want to create a space that allows veterans to come together to fellowship,” Disinger said. “For a lot of us veterans, our faith is a big part of what got us through combat and what has allowed us to heal since returning home.”

That is not just personal testimony. It reflects a growing body of evidence on the link between spirituality and veteran wellbeing. The VA’s National Center for PTSD has documented that spiritual support is closely tied to better functioning after trauma. Veterans who lean on faith often find a sense of meaning and purpose that clinical care alone cannot fully provide.

The national conversation around this issue has only gotten louder. In early 2025, the VA Center for Faith was re-established by executive order, reflecting how central spiritual wellness has become to the broader effort of veteran mental health care. The approach is straightforward: heal the whole person, not just the symptoms.

Here is what the new Sunday offering provides:

• Weekly worship every Sunday at 10 a.m. inside Sterling Chapel
• Rotating traditional and contemporary Christian service formats
• A dedicated fellowship space built specifically for veterans and their families
• Direct access to the War History Museum right after each service
• A free, welcoming environment run entirely by volunteers

A Memorial Over 70 Years in the Making

This museum is not a recent creation. Its roots go back to World War I veteran Eric Scott, who alongside his wife Cleo turned their O’Day Road property into a tribute to all who served. The museum formally opened around 1950 and has grown steadily ever since.

Today, the 40-acre campus stands as one of the most impressive veterans memorials in the Midwest. The W. Paul Wolf War History Museum houses over 3,000 military artifacts spanning every American conflict from the Revolutionary War through Iraq and Afghanistan. The grounds also feature a 360-foot replica of the Traveling Vietnam Memorial Wall, honoring the 58,469 patriots who gave their lives, including eight women.

The museum is entirely volunteer-run and operates as a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization. Every dollar donated goes directly toward preserving the memory of those who served.

Earlier this year, the museum underwent a major refresh. After closing for renovations, the W. Paul Wolf War History Museum reopened on April 3, 2026, with updated displays, new exhibits, and a richer experience for every visitor who walks through the doors.

Plan Your Visit After the Morning Service

One of the most appealing aspects of this new Sunday program is what happens after worship. Churchgoers are invited to walk directly into the War History Museum, which opens at 11 a.m., right as the service wraps up.

Whether you are a lifelong church member or someone simply looking for a meaningful way to spend a Sunday morning, the combination of worship and military history makes this stop unlike anything else in northeast Indiana.

The museum campus is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week for visitors who want to walk the grounds, pay their respects at the Vietnam Memorial Wall, or simply take in the weight and meaning of a place built to ensure no veteran is ever forgotten.

For those who have never set foot on the memorial grounds, this Sunday service is a natural entry point. Come for worship at 10 a.m. Stay for history at 11 a.m. Leave with a deeper respect for the men and women whose service made every ordinary Sunday possible.

The Veterans National Memorial Shrine and Museum has long been sacred ground for those who served and those who remember them. Now, with weekly Sunday services added to everything it already offers, it has opened yet another door for veterans to find fellowship, purpose, and healing in a place they have always deserved. Chaplain Disinger and the entire all-volunteer team have built something genuinely rare: a space where the weight of service meets the warmth of community. If you live in or near Fort Wayne, Indiana, there is no better place to spend your Sunday morning than among the people who gave so much of themselves so others never had to. We would love to hear your thoughts on this initiative. Drop your thoughts in the comments below and let us know what this means to you.