The Diocese of Lichfield has pledged its support to the Armed Forces community across the Midlands in the first formal commitment of its kind in the country.
The Bishop of Lichfield, the Rt Revd Dr Michael Ipgrave, put pen to paper on the Lichfield Diocese Armed Forces Covenant at a special ceremony at the National Memorial Arboretum in Alrewas, near Lichfield.
Following a national Church commitment in 2015, Lichfield diocese is the first to take such a step which commits it to recognise and care for armed forces personnel, veterans and their families.
Bishop Michael said: This is a covenant which, from our part as the Church of England in Staffordshire, north Shropshire and the Black Country, recognises all related to the military as a vital part of our community, occupying a particular situation in our society and with particular needs, with a claim on our ministry of pastoral care, a share in our pastoral life, and a place in our prayers. In common with the Church of England as a whole, we are affirming the two key principles of the covenant: that no member of the Armed Forces community should face disadvantage, and that in some circumstances, especially for those who are injured or bereaved, special treatment may be appropriate.
I am glad that Lichfield is the first diocese in the Church of England to sign up to such a covenant. This feels absolutely the right thing to do in our situation, as the military is a very significant presence in our diocese, and indeed a growing presence in several of our communities. And it also feels right that we held the signing ceremony at the National Memorial Arboretum, this very poignant place where we remember the costliness of the burden, and carried on our behalf by the armed forces and those whose life is bound up with theirs, and where we affirm that the purpose of all military action must always serve the shaping, building and keeping of peace in our world.
The covenant was signed by representatives from the Army, Navy and RAF, including chaplaincies, and by the Royal British Legion, Armed Forces charity SSAFA and ABF, the soldiers charity. Many clergy from across the diocese play an important role alongside their parish duties - as chaplains to the Armed Forces, including cadet units.
Rev John Davis MBE, the lead diocesan adviser for the covenant, said: The Armed Forces Covenant is about treating all people with parity a very Christian principle. This is a practical commitment to those in the Armed Services which recognises the value that all serving personnel, reservists, veterans and military families bring to our organisation.
Canon Peter Bruinvels FRSA, national Armed Forces Champion for The Church of England, added: "Lichfield Diocese is leading from the front. They are the first diocese so to sign after the original signing between the MoD and the
Archbishops of Canterbury and York some two plus years ago. They are showing that they really care and are to be congratulated in showing such positive support to the military.
"I know that the Diocese is committed to delivering fair and consistent access to public services for the Armed Forces community across Staffordshire, Shropshire and the Black Country with the established support of service chaplains, they will seek to ensure that no serving nor ex-service personnel and their families will face any disadvantage compared to any other residents in the provision of public services.
"The values, standards and ethos of the military are very much in line with the ethos of the clergy - courage, discipline, respect for others, integrity, loyalty and selfless commitment. This is unsurprising with the clergy serving on the frontline as trusted Padres and Service Chaplains. It is therefore no surprise that such a partnership and signing with the military should take place today. I know that the Diocese of Lichfield in the coming months will be promoting the benefits of the Armed Forces Covenant and the skills of Reservists and Ex-Service Personnel with many already working across the Diocese of Lichfield and across The Church of England.
The covenant can be read here
St Chad's in Shrewsbury was the first individual church in the UK to sign the covenant last year. Find out more here.