The Virgin Islands National Guard Unit ministry team in conjunction with its State Family Programs Office will conduct a “Service of Thanks” at 3:30 p.m., on Sunday, Oct. 18, at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Estate Castle Coakley on St. Croix (behind the Sion Farm gas station). This celebration is in thanksgiving for the preservation of the lives of guardsmen during deployments and other missions. The service gives thanks for families, loved ones and the community support throughout the past years, and in anticipation of more deployments to come, said Staff Sgt. Stedwart Lee, the chaplain’s assistant.