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CHAPTER 6: THE TRANSITION
Although it had looked bleak for some time, other Federal agencies and departments with compatible interests were invited and accepted the invitation of NASA to relocate to the National Space Technology Laboratories. Moreover, NASA determined that the Space Shuttle Main Engines would be static tested there and the Space Shuttle External Tanks would be manufactured at the Michoud plant. These announcements rejuvenated spirits which had been sagging, and efforts continued to obtain other Federal and State relocations to this installation, with aperiodic releases of the successes achieved, such as with the U.S. Navy.
Families even began to locate or relocate to this area. As has been noted, the Ling family was one that had soon returned to the Bay area, as did the McPhails, while the Johnston and Roberts families moved here, too. As did the Covodes, Schroeders, Plowdens and Montgomeries, albeit Scotty Thomson would suffer ill-health and be relocated to Houston, Texas by his sons. Others had relocated only as far as required to obtain other employment, like Mac Canaga, who found an excellent position with Ingalls, as did a number of the aerospace engineers and administrators brought to this area by the space program.
The year began with the so-called "coffee and fellowship" hour on Sunday morning being discontinued --for lack of interest again. Also, in March, the pastor's office was relocated from behind the sanctuary to its present location, which, up to then, had been an adult classroom. This was also the year in which Colonel-Chaplain Jerry R. Rice of the Keesler Air Force Base first "filled in" for the minister. He would later do so