Apollo 8 Flight

On December 21, 1968 at 7:51:00 a.m. EST, Apollo 8 launched from Kennedy Space Center, Florida on a trans lunar orbit mission. As a precursor to a manned landing on the moon, this mission was pushed up because there was a very real fear that the Soviets would launch such a mission before us.
On board were Frank Borman, commander, James Lovell, command module pilot, and William Anders, lunar module pilot.
One of the more notable achievements was this photograph of the earth taken from lunar orbit.
But, the most remembered part of this mission was the Christmas eve message to earth.
Apollo 8 entered lunar orbit on Christmas Eve, December 24, 1968. That evening, the astronauts; Commander Frank Borman, Command Module Pilot Jim Lovell, and Lunar Module Pilot William Anders did a live television broadcast from lunar orbit, in which they showed pictures of the Earth and Moon seen from Apollo 8. Lovell said, "The vast loneliness is awe-inspiring and it makes you realize just what you have back there on Earth." They ended the broadcast with the crew taking turns reading from the book of Genesis.

William Anders:

"For all the people on Earth the crew of Apollo 8 has a message we would like to send you".

"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 said, Let there be light: and there was light.
And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness."

Jim 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 the 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 unto 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 called he Seas: and God saw that it was good."

Borman then added, "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.

Tonight, my in laws and my family and I have been to Elmbrook Church for the candle light Christmas eve service. As we reflect on the anticipation of the birth of Christ that night many years ago, when the prophesies of the Old Testament were fulfilled, "God bless all of you - all of you on the good Earth."