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An evening prayer service opened the annual International Association of Civil Aviation Chaplains conference at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral Sunday night.

The International Association of Civil Aviation Chaplains are in Phoenix this week for a conference. Sky Harbor's chaplaincy has been open for more than 20 years.

For more on their role in Phoenix including how some deacons help, see our archived feature article. The chaplaincy at Sky Harbor has been open for more than 20 years.

More than 70 people — 65 of them including Phoenix Deacon Ed Bolton are involved with airport chaplaincies throughout the U.S., Europe, Africa and Australia  — gathered for an all-faiths prayer service. Rabbi Robert Kravitz blew a shofar during the call to worship and the cathedral choir led the crowd in song including a hymn about clear vocations.

The service also included a psalm, a reading from the Qur’an, a reflection on the sacred space an airport chaplaincy can provide in the chapel or at the gate, and an interfaith prayer litany.

Contact Sky Harbor's Interfaith Chaplaincy

Rev. Jonathan Baldwin, president of the association and chaplain at the London-Gatwick Airport, led the litany and formally welcomed the chaplains to the conference. The service ended with a multi-faith blessing of “shalom, na’ma’ste, peace be with you and may almighty God bless you.”

The conference continues through Oct. 1 in Scottsdale. It includes a presentation from an air crash survivor, discussion on stress  management, disaster response and other breakout sessions.

The civil aviation chaplains have gathered for a conference in the U.S. in 2001, 2004 and 2007.