2025 Witherspoon
Award

As DESRON 9 Deputy and Command Chaplain over the last twenty-four months, LT Kurtis Matheny has had the opportunity to serve as the Chaplain on five different DDG’s while underway or deployed. He currently serves as the Installation Command Chaplain onboard Naval Station Everett.

No matter what command, deployment or location God has placed Chaplain Matheny in, there has always been a deep conviction to study the Bible with those around him, allowing the word of God to saturate and enable them to live out God’s truths with him. Prior to his deployment, Chaplain Matheny felt the Holy Spirit leading him toward a theme and once deployed, every service seemed to seamlessly connect to this theme: “Love God, Love Others, Love Lived.”

He would venture across the deck plates with a laptop case and gear in one hand, a box of Bibles in the other and a guitar on his back to set up “Church.” There, through worship, preaching, and studying the Bible, he and his crew would encounter God together. Almost every night of the week Chaplain Matheny was leading an event to bring people together and build relationships with each other and the Lord through God’s word and truth.

One night would be a movie night and discussion group centered on God’s truth. The next night would focus on directly studying God’s word together, and another night’s focus would be on a certain Bible Study curriculum (Experiencing God, Thy Kingdom Come, The Lord’s Prayer, Case for Christ, etc.). The final night of the week would be set aside for the Alpha Study and an introduction to Christianity.

During his under ways at sea, it became a norm for the “Plan of the Day” to advertise some sort of worship service/Bible Study while LT Matheny offered as many opportunities to study the Bible together as possible.

One of the first questions Chaplain Matheny asked when he assumed the billet of Naval Station Everett Command Chaplain in December 2024 was, “How are we spiritually reaching Sailors?” With his deep devotion to the word of God and a passion to help others read, study and apply the Bible’s principles to their lives, Chaplain Matheny kicked off the Lenten season with an Ash Wednesday observance and a weekly Bible study. As well, he is planning and conducting events for the upcoming Holy Week while incorporating the truth of God’s word.

Chaplain Matheny states, “It has been amazing looking back and seeing that something as simple as studying the Word together has led to such incredible worship and baptism services that have occurred on ships.” He reflects on one of his favorite verses found in Ephesians 3:20–21:

“Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine,
according to his power that is at work within us, to Him be the glory in the church
and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever, amen.”

LT Matheny has experienced wonderful changes in the lives of Sailors as he has faithfully led others to read, study and apply the Bible’s principles to their lives. I enthusiastically nominate him for the 2025 Witherspoon Award.