Goodnight all!

The day after I arrived in first appointment as a minister, in Swindon, I received a phone call from the Force Chaplain to Wiltshire Police asking if I’d consider becoming a volunteer chaplain. That was back in 2007. I asked him to give me 6 months to settle in and then ask again. He did and I agreed.

When I was thinking about ministry, I had no idea such an opportunity would present itself. But I am so pleased it did and I am so pleased that I said yes. As chaplaincy has been an enriching part of my ministry.

One day I might write down everything I experienced in chaplaincy. There are some good stories to tell involving fast cars, not so fast cars, teddy bears, interviews under caution, lots of laughter, some tears. Then there's my reputation for keeping things "Q" (There's a superstition among many officers that you never say "It's quiet tonight" as that will be the trigger for it getting busy. But you can say about it being "Q".) But this blog isn’t the time or place. At least not today.

I don’t remember exactly when I started as a chaplain, but it was sometime in 2008. Now after 11 years I have made the decision to finish as a volunteer chaplain.

One of the things I discovered about being a volunteer chaplain to Wiltshire Police was that there was no model to follow. It was up to me what I made of it. Initially I was assigned to the Road Policing Unit based out of Swindon and I soon learned that the most effective way of being a chaplain to them was to accompany officers on shift. Turning up and hanging about the station wouldn’t work. By accompanying an officer, a rapport was built. And it was a ripple effect. One officer would tell another “He’s ok to talk to.”

It was the model of chaplaincy I used until I was taken ill in 2016.

I’ve never known to what extent chaplaincy made any difference to any of the officers I spoke to. Certainly, I was never approached by an officer wanting a chat. That said, during the sometimes hours in a car officers would open up about concerns with “the job” and occasionally home life. (Sitting next to someone in a car somehow enables conversations to flow.)

On returning to full time ministry at the start of 2018 I was contacted by the Force Chaplain and he asked whether I’d like to continue. I said yes. But since then have done very little because my model of chaplaincy doesn’t work any longer as I’ve not got the mobility. I’d be a liability to any officer if I went out in the car with them. (There’s no expectation of having the same level of physical fitness as an officer. But an officer cannot function fully if the chaplain is on two walking sticks!) There’s been no pressure put on me by the Police to do more. And in any event, I’m a volunteer. But I’ve been carrying guilt around that I am chaplain to the Chippenham police station and they never see me.

Reluctantly a couple of months ago I reached the decision that I should resign. I sent off the email and it felt the right thing to do.

Today, the force chaplain called round to see me to collect my kit and I’ve been surprised how sad it feels. An aspect of my ministry that's been interesting and at times exciting has closed.

I posted on Facebook this morning that today was my last day and I was really touched by some comments:

“I have been privileged to see you minister with Wiltshire Police David. You always encouraged Officers by being present even during weekend busy night shifts. Thank for your spiritual guidance. You'll be misses. All the best and thank you.”

“Thank you for your service David..... the troops really appreciated the kindness and support you gave them, and I really enjoyed going on patrol with you. You'll be missed..... especially when you bought in the biscuits!”

One of the traffic officers I knew quite well nck named me "the Crime Fighting Rev". Well, it's time for the Crime Fighting Rev to hang up his badge.

Goodnight all

Breaking through the silence to listen for the inner being

On Saturday morning (30th November) the news reports were dominated by one news story – that late on Friday evening a police helicopter had crashed late into a crowded city centre pub in Glasgow Scotland.

The reports on the radio were filled with eye witness accounts of the helicopter crashing. But also stories of how people in the pub had helped one another to escape. And how in fact some people had purposely gone to the site of the crash to help out.

Come Sunday morning the news reports told of the work carried out by the emergency services. How they had arrived very quickly on the scene and how they had set about rescuing people who were trapped and treating the injured.

But we learned too that 8 people were known to have been killed (now 9 at the time of writing.) And these include the 2 police officers (PCs Kirsty Nelis and Tony Collins) and the civilian pilot (David Trail) aboard the helicopter.

On Sunday morning I heard an interview with the Reverend Gordon Armstrong, Church of Scotland chaplain to the Fire and Rescue service. He had arrived on the scene about half an hour after the crash. And spent many hours offering comfort and support. He shared with the interviewer (BBC’s Paddy O’Connell) how members of the emergency services need to be able to share what they have experienced.

Mr. Armstrong described how shortly after he arrived a silence descended on the area. In fact a calm, as the emergency services got about their task. Mr. Armstrong said:

“It was as if all there knew where their thoughts were and our thoughts were in the same place”

Paddy O’Connell then asked Mr. Armstrong

“In your job you need to break through the silence”

“Well we do. That’s where we as chaplains come in. We step in and try and break the silence. Sometimes it is met with silence. The thought is ‘It could have been me or someone I know.’ A lot of what we do is listening. Listening for the glimpses of the inner being in all of us.”

I thought Gordon Armstrong expressed the role of a chaplain so well. And those of us involved in chaplaincy will be able to relate exactly to what he said there. I am fortunate in not having been on duty when police officers have had to deal with anything traumatic. Nevertheless, much of my role is about listening and in the listening trying to hear “the glimpses of the inner being”. To distinguish between what is general chit chat or moaning and something more important underlying.

In the conclusion of the interview, Paddy O’Connell commented that Gordon Armstrong was about to set off for morning service on the first Sunday of Advent. “How will you marshal your feelings?”

Gordon Armstrong replied that one of the Advent readings was Matthew 24 speaking about the “Day and hour being unseen.” In other words none of us know what the future holds. The events at the Clutha Vaults bar in Glasgow certainly tie in to that.

I am pleased that the Rev Armstrong’s views have been sought at this time. It is important for serving members of the emergency services and members of the public to learn of the roles of chaplains. Though of course I wish it hadn’t taken a tragedy like this in order for the media to show some interest in chaplains.

My thoughts and prayers of course go out to those who have been injured and to the families and friends of those who were killed. But as a fellow chaplain I pray for Gordon Armstrong and other chaplains and of course for the members of the emergency services having to deal with this tragedy.