Spirituality and Spaceflight

Ekklesia Campus Ministry and the Kirksville Church of Christ will sponsor Spirituality and Spaceflight at 7 p.m. Sept. 22 in Baldwin Auditorium.

Mike O’Neal worked for NASA at the Kennedy Space Center for more than 31 years where he was awarded the agency’s Outstanding Leadership Medal and two Exceptional Service Medals. Prior to his retirement he completed a special assignment in which he investigated mechanisms to provide spiritual support for astronauts.

O’Neal’s multimedia presentation looks into the role spirituality has played in human space flight. Stories will be shared on how astronauts have spiritually prepared themselves to go into space, how they practiced their faith while in space and how space has impacted their spirituality. The presentation will also feature Apollo-era audio and a video of an astronaut joining his church for worship via a live video feed while on the International Space Station.

Along with his engineering degrees, O’Neal has a Master of Arts in Christian Ministry from the Harding School of Theology. He is the author of three books, “An Angel’s View: Encountering God through the Stories of the Heavenly Hosts,” “Created for Good Deeds” and “Holy God, Holy People.”

Admission is free. Partial funding provided by the Funds Allotment Council.