Army chaplains mark royal centenary

ON 22 February 1919, King George V bestowed the prefix ‘Royal’ on the then Army Chaplains’ Department in recognition of its outstanding service and sacrifice during the First World War.

100 years later to the day, the Queen, King George’s granddaughter, attended a special service marking the anniversary with the Army chaplaincy community, in the Royal Military Chapel at Wellington Barracks in London.

The service reflected upon the sacrifice and service of military chaplains, linking their work in the past to their function today and reflecting on the enduring need for chaplaincy in the future.

It culminated in an Act of Dedication, in which the new Chaplain General, the Ven Clinton Langston, asked all serving Royal Army Chaplains’ Department (RAChD) Chaplains to reaffirm their commitment before God and to rededicate themselves to the Service of soldiers in the presence of their Royal Patron and the Commander Field Army Lieutenant General Patrick Sanders. Army Chaplains across the world who for operational reasons could not attend the service also paused, at this hour, for a moment’s prayer and reflection in a global act of unity and re-dedication.

The event was attended by many Church of Scotland chaplains. The Rev Dr Marjory MacLean, Convener of the Chaplains to Her Majesty’s Forces Committee and a former Royal Naval Reserve chaplain, said:

“In the presence of the Queen and representatives of the sending churches, 100 years of faithful and sacrificial service by Army chaplains - regular, reserve and cadet, and past and present - was wonderfully celebrated.

Their aim, to be Prayerful, Positive and Professional, infused the service.” During the service a new Book of Remembrance and Roll of Honour detailing the 315 Army chaplains who have died in service was blessed. This Book of Remembrance contains the first complete RAChD Roll of Honour spanning the beginning of the Great War to the present day. The Book will subsequently be laid up in the Royal Memorial Chapel Sandhurst, where its pages will be regularly turned.

In this year of the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings, the processional cross used in the service was that fashioned by Canadian Engineers from German Copper in Normandy in June 1944 so that the then Chaplain to the Forces, Reverend A (Sandy) Reynolds TD could conduct services for soldiers fighting at the front. The cross which normally resides in his parish of Brown Candover in Hampshire, was used by the Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance on the 40th and 50th Anniversaries of D-Day and was lent for this centenary service with the permission of the Rev Reynolds’ daughter, Georgina Spencer.

The Royal Army Chaplains’ Department is unique as the only part of the Army solely dedicated to the moral component of fighting power. Chaplains are all ordained professional clergy drawn from a range of Sending Churches. Last year’s report to the General Assembly by the Committee on Chaplains to HM Forces recorded that 22 Church of Scotland ministers were serving as either regular or reserve Army Chaplains – as well as others with the Navy and RAF

PRAYER INVITATION

Congregations and members of the Church of Scotland are to join Christians from 114 countries coming together in prayer from May 30 – June 9 as part of the Thy Kingdom Come movement.

The worldwide event, which covers the period from Ascension to Pentecost, includes round-the-clock-prayers, special walks, prayer stations and family activities. Last year the Moderator of the General Assembly, the Rt Rev Susan Brown, formally signed the Church of Scotland up to the Thy Kingdom Come.

In a letter sent to ministers, Mrs Brown urged the Church of Scotland to participate in the event, saying it would help church members to “be eff ective in our witness” and “spread the Gospel in Scotland”.

“In my own ministry at Dornoch Cathedral we have actively participated in Thy Kingdom Come in previous years,” she wrote. “So, when I signed the joint statement to state that: ‘The Church of Scotland now commits to encouraging all its parishes and people to join in Thy Kingdom Come in 2019 and beyond’, I found myself affirming what I had previously sensed God calling us to do in the place of my own ministry.

“Equally, in seeking to encourage every parish in the Church of Scotland to consider participating in Thy Kingdom Come in 2019, I am commending a Global Prayer Initiative that I know has touched the lives of many.” Those who wish to join Thy Kingdom Come can ‘Pledge2Pray’ via: www.thykingdomcome.globa

Canterbury, the Most Rev Justin Welby, launching the Church of Scotland’s involvement in Thy Kingdom Come.

CONFERENCE MARKS REVIVAL ANNIVERSARY

A conference for young people will take place on the island of Lewis this summer to mark the 70th anniversary of Hebrides Revival.

The ‘Awakening’ conference from May 31 to June 1 is being run by Martin’s Memorial Church with their youth group, The Shed, in Stornoway.

“We live in a rural and island part of Scotland we are very used to having travel to our diff erent cities to attend such events,” says minister, the Rev Thomas MacNeil.

“We’re happy to do that and the whole experience is always enjoyable. A crucial part of our work in recent years has been our work among young people. This is true both of church youth work, and community/schools youth work. Towards the end of 2018 the youth team at The Shed spoke to me about us hosting a youth conference with a nationwide reach, so as to encourage young people from across Scotland to come to Stornoway and Lewis for a weekend of great worship, encouraging teaching, and to make new friendships.

“When our youth go on a mainland trip they benefit from every part of it, even the experience of travelling together. Why not aff ord youth from across Scotland the same opportunity in coming to Lewis for a weekend?” This year is the 70th anniversary of the beginning of the start of the Hebrides Revival (1949-53).

“The tie in with the Hebrides Revival is two-fold,” says Tommy.

“We believe in our hearts that God wants to move in the hearts and lives of young people so they come to know Him and His love for them. They face so many challenges in their lives and in wider society. The vision behind the Awakening Youth Conference is to gather young people together in worship and around God’s word so they might have a greater and better understanding of whose they are.

“The main impact of the revival in terms

of lives transformed was among the youth of their day.” He added: “We believe that such are the needs around us today, and in particular the challenges that face young people, that we don’t just want to see them coming to church, we want them to be the church. God coming and meeting with them in worship and in His word will lead to that happening.”

Tickets are available from www.awakeningyouthconference

SOUPER SUNDAYS PASS £500,000 MILESTONE

The Church of Scotland has raised more than £500,000 to tackle HIV and AIDS by serving hundreds of thousands of bowls of soup. Volunteers in congregations across the

UK and further afield are using their culinary skills to literally change the world for people living with the virus “one spoonful at a time”. Souper Sunday, part of the Church’s ground-breaking HIV Programme, celebrated its 10th anniversary in January.

It is a special act of worship led by church elders to raise awareness of the many issues around HIV, followed by a simple lunch of delicious hot soup and bread. Diners donate what they can to the HIV Programme, which was established by an act of the General Assembly in 2002 and currently supports 17 projects in 13 diff erent countries including Scotland.

Carol Finlay of the World Mission Council, which runs the project on behalf of the Kirk, said: “No-one should die of AIDS but we know a million people a year still do.

“The tools to end the epidemic in our lifetime are available but not yet accessible to all. “The Church of Scotland HIV Programme supports our partners in Scotland and around the world as they continue to work towards an AIDS free generation.

“With much hard work on the part of soup-makers across the land, Souper Sunday has done so much to support HIV-related partner projects all around the world, from Scotland to the Middle East, Africa and Asia. “Church members should be rightfully very proud of this achievement through the act of simply serving bowls of soup.

“We are changing the world – one spoonful at a time.

MEDIATION SERVICE WINS RECOGNITION

The Christian mediation service Place for Hope has had its ‘Faith in Change and Conflict’ programme accredited by Scottish Mediation. The accreditation means that the six-day programme meets national standards for mediation and facilitation training.

Ruth Harvey, director of Place for Hope, said: “This programme, along with ongoing supervision and Continuing Professional Development ensure that all 35 Place for Hope Volunteer Practitioners will be off ering a service to our local congregations that is professional, efficient and eff ective.

Our Practitioners off er coaching, training, mediation, facilitation of difficult conversations and vision planning to local churches and faith communities.”

Place for Hope arose out of a 2008 report to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland on conflict within the organisation. An ecumenical group was formed and a team of mediators trained to help congregations and organisations navigate conflict and diff erence.

Now an independent charity, Place for Hope has also helped deliver peacebuilding and mediation training to church representatives from South Sudan, and has run community dialogues around both Scottish independence and Brexit.

CATHEDRAL GUIDES APPEAL

The Society of Friends of Glasgow Cathedral has made its annual appeal for volunteer guides to the historic building.

With increasing numbers of visitors to Scotland the Volunteer Guides of Glasgow Cathedral welcome people from all over the world, as well as nearer home.

The guides convener, Charles Dorward, says: “Our aim is to give them a warm welcome and share our love of this beautiful and unique building - an admired example of mediaeval Gothic architecture with a fantastic collection of twentieth century stained glass which encapsulates the history of Scotland, its church and the city of Glasgow while still functioning as a Church of Scotland parish church and the ‘Mother Church’ of the city.”

The Guides are part of the Society of Friends of Glasgow Cathedral, a nondenominational body, and applicants need no particular church allegiance or prior knowledge to apply. Training is provided. Most Guides work a half-day shift, once a week, between Monday and Saturday over the summer months.

Anyone interested should contact Charles via glasgowcathedral.org where there is more information, or call the Cathedral Office on 0141 552 8198.

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