The Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland (PCI), Right Reverend Dr Trevor Gribben, has returned from England where he visited PCI chaplains serving in the Royal Air Force, praising them for their ‘invaluable pastoral role in both peacetime and in times of war.’
Accompanied by the Convener of PCI’s Armed Forces’ Panel, Very Reverend Dr Rob Craig, the two-day visit included meeting senior personnel at RAF Benson in Oxfordshire and RAF High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire, and came just a week after RAF fighters were deployed over Poland in response to Russian incursions of Polish airspace. The two senior Presbyterians also visited the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom, which is also in Oxfordshire.
“One of the privileges of being Moderator for a year is getting to visit places you would never have visited, and meeting people you wouldn’t normally get to meet. This is especially true of colleagues who have been obedient to the call of God on their lives and serve Him in very different areas of ministry, which includes our Forces Chaplains,” Dr Gribben said.
“As a denomination, we have a long pastoral association with the UK’s three services and are one of the recognised ‘Sending Churches’, having ‘sent’, or provided chaplains, or padres, to the military for over 100 years. Today, PCI has 11 full-time and part-time forces chaplains, many of whom have supported their comrades on active service overseas.”
During his visit the Moderator spent time with PCI’s three Royal Air Force chaplains, Rev Dr (Wing Commander) Philip Wilson, Rev (Squadron Leader) Jonathan Newell and Rev (Squadron Leader) Michael McCormick, who have a joint service record of some 23 years. It was also an opportunity to find out more about the work of the RAF and the pastoral care and welfare support available to service personnel. During his visit, Dr Gribben also met with Rev (Group Captain) Al Nicoll, the Deputy Chaplain-in-Chief of the Royal Air Force.
To become a padre, ministers go through the same selection and rigorous training as other serving personnel. Deploying overseas when necessary, they often leave their families behind for long periods of time. Chaplains also wear service uniform, but unlike their colleagues do not carry weapons.
Speaking about Forces Chaplaincy, Dr Gribben continued, “As our chaplains support personnel and families in all three services, one of my predecessors described Forces Chaplaincy as ‘a unique kind of ministry’ and it is. Meeting our padres, hearing their experiences, and learning more about their pastoral role was important, and I valued our time together, which included a time of prayer.
“In their special calling, like their comrades in the other services, they play an invaluable pastoral role in both peacetime and in times of war. As they support service personnel of faith and no faith in these uncertain times, they are deserving of our prayers,” Dr Gribben said.
Following the visit, Rev Michael McCormick said that, “being sent by PCI to be a chaplain to the forces is a wonderful privilege. In our various roles, we find ourselves in all sorts of unique and interesting places, as we serve alongside other service personnel in this particular ministry. We very much welcomed the visit by Dr Gribben, and having the support and encouragement of a visit by the Moderator enables us to stay connected to our denomination, which at times can be challenging, given the roles that we have and the places that we may be sent to.”
Having joined the Moderator in England, Dr Craig said that visiting PCI’s chaplains was always of mutual benefit. “Since Forces Chaplains spend most of the ministry outside of Ireland they can be easily overlooked by the wider denomination. For this reason, a visit from the Moderator is always appreciated, as it is a recognition of their service.”
The former Moderator continued, “Equally, through such visits every Moderator, and it was certainly true for me, enters into a world beyond their normal experience and, through these visits, they gain a valuable insight into the missional opportunities and pastoral duties which are part and parcel of Forces Chaplaincy, something that PCI is proud of and very much committed to.”
During their time in England, the Moderator and Dr Craig also spent time at Beckett House, the Armed Forces Chaplaincy Centre, which is part of the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom, where they met senior personnel. The Academy delivers defence and security education to the UK’s armed forces, government, and industry, along with personnel from overseas.
