Baptist chaplains honoured with senior positions

In recent months two of our military chaplains have undertaken new roles: the Revd Tudor Thomas-Botwood is now a King’s Honorary Chaplain, while the Revd (Group Captain) Alasdair Nicoll became Principal Chaplain Church of Scotland and Free Churches for the RAF at the beginning of April.

We invited both to share a little about their ministry  

'What really makes the ministry interesting and crucial is the people with whom I serve' - The Revd Tudor Thomas-Botwood

In the summer of 2023 the Captain of Britannia Royal Naval College rang me to say she needed me to be in the college chapel to meet a VIP. At the time I was on Dartmoor with a group of young officers going through their training. Reluctantly I left the Moor and drove back to the college in Dartmouth, put on clean uniform and headed to meet the VIP. 

I walked into the room to see the Chaplain of the Fleet, Andrew Hillier. He got my wife on Skype and read out the letter from the Palace confirming that I had been appointed as one of the Queen's Honorary Chaplains. 

It was a real shock as I had no idea it was coming. My wife Nicola had known for months and had to keep it secret. With the death of the Queen, Honorary Chaplains became the King's Honorary Chaplains.

I was instructed to get a red cassock, something which is very strange for a Baptist and various other bits and pieces. As an Honorary Chaplain I am now counted as part of the Royal Household. Practically though, the position means I attend a lot of commissioning and decommissioning of ships around the Royal Navy and speak at a number of civic events.

In part this honour is given to those with long service and experience. I have served 21 years in the Royal Navy, joining after ministering to two great country chapels in Mid Wales. Initially I intended to serve around five to six years then return to civilian ministry, but I have always felt God’s leading presence in this ministry and so have continued. It’s a ministry that is pastoral and missional so suits my particular walk with God.

Its difficult to write of highlights: I served onboard HMS ARK Royal during the Iraq operations and received an MBE for my work there. I served multiple times with the Royal Marines in Afghanistan; I spent three winters in Norway; two years on exchange in the United States; and sailed most of the oceans and seas with most classes of ships.

However, what really makes the ministry interesting and crucial is the people with whom I serve. If you enjoy a ministry with people who have very little church exposure, but are open and questioning, then I would strongly ask that you would prayerfully consider a vocation in military chaplaincy.





'The role of an RAF chaplain is incarnational, pastoral, missional and very much on the front line' - The Revd Alasdair Nicoll

A day in the life of an RAF chaplain is rarely the same as the one before it or after! When I moved from my first Baptist pastorate in Anstruther, Fife to begin initial training at RAF College Cranwell in 2003, I could not have envisaged the adventures this journey would take me on.

Nearly 20 years later, I have worked at 11 different RAF and tri-Service units, deployed overseas on five occasions (including Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, the Falklands and the Persian Gulf). I have supported personnel in times of tragedy and loss, celebrated with them at graduations, promotions and weddings, led worship in the farthest flung parts of the world (leading communion “by the rivers of Babylon” on the banks of the Tigris River in Baghdad). 

I’ve seen the most unlikely people inquire about the Gospel, and watched in wonder as God has worked to kindle a living faith and through the waters of baptism.

The role of an RAF chaplain is incarnational, pastoral, missional and very much on the front line, serving an active, young population and their families.  Living alongside them, at home and on Operations means that we are accepted as part of the community and invited into all parts of unit’s life, in a way that is difficult to conceive in a civilian pastorate. Of course, that comes with a certain degree of sacrifice too – time away from family, the risk and rigour of Operations, moving between units every two-three years – but I feel that the price has been worth it for the joy of serving at the heart of such a unique community.

The next stage in my journey will see me take on the role as Principal Chaplain for the Church of Scotland and Free Churches (CSFC) group within the RAF.  The CSFC group of denominations consists of every Christian chaplain who is not Anglican or Roman Catholic.

At the moment we have 20+ chaplains in this group, from Methodist to Baptist, Presbyterian to Pentecostal, and URC to Salvation Army! It is a thoroughly ecumenical group, and we work alongside our Anglican and Roman Catholic colleagues, as well as a small number of chaplains from other world faiths like Islam, Judaism, Sikhism, Buddhism and Hinduism. 

Alongside this role, my “day job” is as Deputy Chaplain-in-Chief (Operations) at the RAF’s headquarters, where I have the joy and privilege of helping to build up our current and future generations of RAF chaplains, and provide pastoral and spiritual care and moral guidance to a very diverse group of people.

 

Interested in exploring military chaplaincy? Find out more here.