representing smaller denominations and
other faiths make input into the RACS.
The RACS Committee meets in
Canberra quarterly to discuss matters
arising, to nominate incoming chaplains
and to advise Defence on matters
spiritual.
Defence Force
Chaplaincy
1.
THE UNITING CHURCH IS
FORMALLY REPRESENTED IN
THE NATION’S MILITARY BY
DEFENCE FORCE CHAPLAINS
This ministry is one of many ministries.
However the locus of this ministry is
toward those personnel in uniform who
are charged with defending Australia’s
interests. Two specific elements make
up the formal UCA ministry to the
Australian Defence Force (ADF). Firstly,
the Assembly nominates a convenor to
co-ordinate Defence Force ministry on
behalf of the Church. The convenor is
subsequently appointed to the Religious
Advisory Committee to the Forces
(RACS) by the Minister of Defence
Support. Secondly, the UCA administers
chaplaincy ministry through the Uniting
Church Defence Force Committee
(DFCC). Clergy, on recommendation of
the RACS member and the DFCC, are
nominated as UCA chaplains and
appointed to the ADF. Upon
appointment chaplains wear the
uniform, fulfil all the requirements of
military service and in so doing continue
a centuries old tradition of service to the
military on behalf of the Church. ADF
Chaplains are Assembly appointments
and are administered on behalf of the
Church by the DFCC.
2.
THE RELIGIOUS ADVISORY
COMMITTEE TO THE
SERVICES. (RACS)
The RACS Committee is a Defence and
Church sponsored committee based on
a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA).
Initiated circa 1914 this (equivalent)
committee has provided advice and
supplied ministers to the nation ever
since. The RACS Committee is
compiled of nominated representatives
from most mainline churches and a
Jewish Rabbi. Included in RACS are the
United Churches representative,
(Baptist, Churches of Christ, Lutheran,
Australian Christian Churches and the
Salvation Army), the Presbyterian,
Anglican and Roman Catholic
representatives and the convenor of the
Uniting Church Defence Force
Committee. Two subcommittees,
3.
THE UNITING CHURCH
DEFENCE FORCE
CHAPLAINCY COMMITTEE
(UCA DFCC)
On behalf of the Assembly, the UCA
DFCC recruits, administers and
discharges ADF Chaplains. In
processing this task the committee
seeks to pastorally care for all ADF
Chaplains and their families in what is
and always has been a very challenging
ministry. Chaplains are recruited for fulltime and part-time positions in the Navy,
Army and Air Force. To be recruited as
chaplains candidates must be ordained
ministers of the UCA and have up to five
years of experience in a Parish to be
eligible. This ministry is primarily to
younger unchurched personnel in an
operational environment.
Since the last Assembly the UCA DFCC
has relocated from Queensland to
Canberra in the ACT. Increasingly the
locus for Defence is Canberra. The
development of a more joint approach to
operations has meant a greater coordinating requirement in Defence and
Canberra being the seat of Government,
is where more and more defence assets
are located. Since the last Assembly
report the Headquarters Joint Operating
Centre (HQJOC) has been established
near to Canberra. This is the centre
where all operational decisions are
processed jointly in one location. With
that the ADF Defence Force Chaplains’
College has been relocated from
Bandiana near Wodonga, to ADFA in
Canberra as part of the joint approach.
Concurrently it was thought wise to relocate the Assembly committee to
Canberra. This transfer occurred in
December 2013. It has proved to be a
wise decision committee-wise, enabling
easier access to more UCA Chaplains
and ADF Staff, is cost saving as
meetings are held at the same time, and
has helped to identify the DFCC as a
specific defence asset on behalf of the
Church. The DFCC has been supported
by the Canberra Presbytery and our
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Reports to the Fourteenth Assembly – The Uniting Church in Australia
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thanks is extended to the Presbytery
administrative staff for the provision of
office space.
4.
The DFCC is augmented as appropriate
by other chaplains for mutual support,
recruitment opportunities and retreat
committees. Meeting quarterly, the
DFCC assembles at Wesley Uniting
Church Canberra and our thanks are
extended to Wesley Uniting Church and
their minister the Rev’d David Thiem for
their hospitality.
THE ASSEMBLY DEFENCE
FORCE CHAPLAINCY
COMMITTEE MANDATE
(DFCC)
The UCA DFCC acts on behalf of the
Assembly in being a liaison committee
between the wider church and Defence
and between the UCA and other
denominations and faith groups involved
in Defence matters. The committee
exists to:
5.
SERVING CHAPLAINS
5.1
Currently there are seventeen full-time
Chaplains and twenty-four part-time
reservists serving the UCA in the ADF.
Full-time ADF Chaplains
4.1.1 advise and support the Uniting Church
member of the Religious Advisory
Committee to the Services (RACS),
Navy
Chaplain Murray Lund
Chaplain Steve Esterby
Chaplain Andrew Watters
4.1.2 consult with Synods in the approval,
nomination and appointment of Uniting
Church Ministers as Defence Force
Chaplains, and to determine on behalf
of the Assembly which chaplaincy
positions are regarded as approved
placements within the Assembly,
Army
Chaplain Mark Hinton
Chaplain Mau Mau Monu
Chaplain Alamoti Lavaki
Chaplain Charles Vesely
Chaplain David Prior
Chaplain John Saunders
Chaplain Robert Packer
Chaplain Matt Stuart
Chaplain John Dansie
RAAF
Chaplain Alan Williams
Chaplain Gary Whelband
Chaplain Robyn Kidd
Chaplain Dean Quilty
Chaplain Tim Hodgson
4.1.3 when requested by the Uniting Church
member of the RACS Committee, or by
the General Secretary, to liaise with the
Department of Defence and with
representatives of other churches and
other faith groups on matters related to
Defence Force Chaplaincy,
4.1.4 ensure the provision of pastoral care for
Defence Force Chaplains, their spouses
and families, and
5.2
Since the last report Chaplain David
Jackson and Chaplain John Marshall
have transferred to the reserve.
4.1.5 consult with Synod committees relating
to Defence Force Chaplaincy, with
regard to the ministry and welfare of
Defence Force Chaplains.
6.
RECRUITING
4.2
UCA DFCC Membership 2015
The current membership of the DFCC
is:
Convenor
Chair
Secretary
Treasurer
Members
Rev’d Dr Murray Earl
Rev’d David Thiem
Chaplain Robyn Kidd
Chaplain Gary Whelband
Chaplain Alan Williams
Ms Sandy Anderson
Chaplain Charles Vesely
Chaplain Mau Mau Monu
Chaplain Phil Anderson
Recruiting of clergy for ADF Chaplaincy
is a constant demand. The quest to
recruit women chaplains remains a high
priority. Currently two female candidates
are in the process of being nominated
as chaplains in the Air Force Reserve.
Prospective candidates must be
spiritually and physically fit. Age has
been revisited and clergy can now be
recruited up until their fifty-sixth birthday
for full-time chaplaincy, and for reserve
chaplaincy until sixty years. The RACS
member works with respective Synod
placement (equivalent) committees to
process a more integrated approach to
the resourcing of this ministry of the
Church.
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Reports to the Fourteenth Assembly – The Uniting Church in Australia
7.
toward the immediate appointment of an
Imam to RACS. The MOA includes a
system of allocation of chaplains based
on the number of census adherents selfidentified to a particular denomination.
This equation will be changed in the
future and the MOA will need to be rewritten to include minority groups and
the subsequent appointment of relevant
chaplains. This may result in the
reduction of UCA chaplaincy positions.
The place of RACS, chaplaincy and
matters spiritual remain fluid within the
ADF environment. The Church in
society, specifically within the military
context, is still a vexed issue. ADF
Chaplaincy is at the forefront of the
discussion.
TRAINING
An interesting trend is the emergence of
candidates from within the ADF seeking
to become chaplains. The ADF supports
such transfers and on application may
be granted entry to the In-Service
Training (IST) scheme whereby the
military will pay for the complete training
of the candidate.
As indicated above the Defence Force
Chaplaincy College has now been
established at ADFA in Canberra. Upon
being recruited to ADF Chaplaincy all
chaplains enter an-all-through-life
training continuum. This expectation has
professionalised ADF Chaplaincy. With
that ADF Chaplains are subject to
professional governance from the
Church and from the military, a
considerable demand, but necessary in
the modern context.
The ADF provides for and resources an
annual retreat for all ADF Chaplains.
This retreat is considered mandatory
and has a diverse tradition of speakers,
approaches and spirituality. At the
retreat chaplains are able to support
one another, cross reference and rest.
In this retreat week chaplains are “off
duty” and spend time receiving and
being restored, a variation on their usual
practice of giving, serving and providing.
With such diversity within Protestant
Chaplaincy it is always a challenge to
meet all expectations.
8.
TRENDS
With the commitment to diversity within
the ADF a move to include other than
Christian Chaplains in the ADF was
initiated by RACS two years ago. Jewish
Chaplains have been part of ADF
Chaplaincy for the long-term, however,
RACS felt it appropriate to include other
faith groups. An affiliate RACS subcommittee was established three years
ago and negotiations were initiated by
RACS with Buddhist, Muslim and Hindu
authorities to process a multi-faith
chaplaincy. Also other groups have
made approaches to the ADF and
RACS, re inclusion within Defence
Chaplaincy. These include Mormon,
Seventh Day Adventist and other
groups. Progress has been made over
the years toward a multi-faith
chaplaincy. Of late the Federal
Government has made announcements
Cadet units provide a semi-military
focus for young men and women.
Thousands of young Australians meet
regularly in such units. For many young
people cadetship is a home, a source of
friendship, a place of order in a troubled
world and the precursor to a military
career. The civilian church can have a
role with cadet units in providing
informal chaplaincy.
9.
OPERATIONS
While much of ADF Chaplaincy is
routine, UCA chaplains are at any time
on-call and have to be prepared to
respond to a short “notice to move”. This
may mean to notify relatives of injury or
death, meet the demands of emergency
relief or a diversity of overseas
operations. Since the last Assembly
UCA Army and Air Force Chaplains
have been deployed overseas to the
Solomon Islands, East Timor,
Bougainville, the Middle East (in a
variety of configurations), and as always
the Navy is constantly at sea.
10. CONCLUSION
ADF Chaplains represent the Assembly
and serve the Uniting Church to a very
high standard. Operational demands are
exacting and many UCA chaplains have
deployed several times. The cost to
chaplains, their spouses and families is
considerable and our thanks are
extended to them all. The DFCC is well
aware of the circumstances in which
ADF Chaplaincy is exercised and calls
on the wider Church for ongoing
support. UCA Chaplains are expected to
attend Presbytery and or Synod as
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appropriate, and the DFCC looks to the
whole church to welcome, integrate and
support their own.
Rev’d Dr Murray Earl
Convenor UCA DFCC
RACS member
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Reports to the Fourteenth Assembly – The Uniting Church in Australia
APPENDIX A
DEFENCE FORCE CHAPLAINCY
MANDATE
Responsible to:
The Assembly
Reporting arrangements:
The Assembly and the Standing Committee
Mission statement:
To advise the Assembly on matters concerning defence force
chaplaincy, and to act on behalf of the Uniting Church in relation to
defence force chaplaincy in accord with Assembly policy.
Mandate:
Power to appoint:
1.
To advise and support the Uniting Church member of the
Religious Advisory Committee to the Services (RACS).
2.
In consultation with synods, to approve the placement of
Uniting Church ministers as defence force chaplains, and to
determine on behalf of the Assembly which chaplaincy
positions are regarded as approved placements within the
Assembly.
3.
As requested by the Uniting Church member of the Religious
Advisory Committee to the Services or by the General
Secretary, to liaise with the Department of Defence and with
representatives of other churches and other faiths on matters
related to defence force chaplaincy.
4.
To ensure the provision of pastoral care for defence force
chaplains, their spouses and families.
5.
To consult with and work with Synod bodies relating to
defence force chaplaincy concerning the work and welfare of
defence force chaplains.
The Reference Committee has power to appoint working groups to
operate within this mandate.
Membership of the Reference Committee:
Convener: the Uniting Church member of the Religious Advisory
Committee to the Services, appointed by the Assembly following
receipt of a nomination from the Reference Committee.
Up to 14 persons appointed by the Standing Committee, to be
located within a Synod as determined by the Standing Committee
(normally the Synod of residence of the chairperson).
Corresponding members: chairpersons/conveners of Synod bodies
related to defence force chaplaincy.
Approved by Assembly Standing Committee, November 1999