🚀 Stuck in space, singing “Amazing Grace.” 🚀

A Houston-area church took a moment to pray for two members who could not be there. Barry “Butch” Wilmore and Tracy Dyson are not going to show up at Providence Baptist Church this Sunday. Because, they’re NASA astronauts in space, orbiting the planet.

Tracy Dyson’s six-month mission is scheduled to end in September, but Barry Wilmore and his fellow NASA test pilot, Suni Williams, should have been back weeks ago. Now, they are not expected to return until February 2025.

Tracy Dyson NASA — Tracy Dyson *Photo Credit*

“God uses all of us in pretty neat ways, and I think I get the most joy from what I do thinking about it in those terms.” | Tracy Dyson

Tracy said this while working on the “Bible Project” podcast ahead of her March launch on a Russian Soyuz spacecraft. Despite the distance, the women in the church arranged a care package of sorts — notes of encouragement — for Dyson. Tracy Dyson worships as a newer member whereas Wilmore is a longtime elder.

With Wilmore’s mission delayed, his pastor Tommy Dahn claims the congregation’s worries have subsided for now since they are safe aboard the space station.

It’s the launch and returns that really elevate their anxiety… and prayers.

NASA claims they are staying longer than expected due to thruster failures and helium leaks on Boeing’s inaugural crew flight for its Starliner capsule. Wilmore and Williams have said they are confident the capsule will return them home safely, but engineers are still poring over Starliner test data.

Barry "Butch" Wilmore and Suni Williams NASA — Suni Williams and Barry “Butch” Wilmore *Photo Credit*

Barry Wilmore paused before boarding the Starliner on each launch attempt, huddling in prayer with technicians and Williams. He acknowledged the risks of spaceflight — especially on a test flight like his.

After Wilmore arrived at the space station in early June, he and Tracy Dyson appeared live via video at a Providence Baptist Sunday service and gave the congregation a tour of the station. Wilmore taught a lesson before he and others aboard the space station led the congregation in singing “Amazing Grace.”

“Our families have been a part of this from the beginning. … As far as preparing them, they’re prepared. We trust in a sovereign God. Whatever the plan is, we’re ready for it, whatever that might be.” | Barry “Butch” Wilmore

Wilmore and Dyson are not the first to take their faith out of this world. The three astronauts aboard Apollo 8 broadcasted their reading from Genesis on Christmas Eve as they flew around the moon, starting with “In the beginning, God created the heaven and the Earth.”

“Barry, he ministers to us,” Tommy Dahn said, noting how Wilmore makes encouraging calls to congregants while in space. It’s pretty awesome that he can connect with his church and minister to others when he’s literally not even in the same atmosphere.

Barry’s wife Deanna shares that her husband’s faith that God is in control gives their family great peace.

“We’re not saying this means that nothing bad will happen or the Starliner will bring Barry home safely, but whatever the Lord does, will be for our good and for His glory, even if they don’t fully understand it.” | Deanna Wilmore

Information from: AP News, Holly Meyer

Isn’t it incredible that these astronauts can stay connected with their church families and be supported by them while they travel around the planet? That is powerful. It is crazy to have complete peace in a literal life-or-death mission delay. But to Barry, it’s not rocket science to trust in God.

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