revealed 10 November 2024
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Turned a Church of Scotland minister they thought ‘handed out’ and was the oldest man to obtain a fee within the Royal Naval Reserve.
The Rev Fergus Cooke of St Columba’s Parish Church, Blackhall, Edinburgh, has been within the strategy of changing into a naval chaplain for a while.
Her base unit, HMS Scotia, wrote on Fb:
“Congratulations to Chaplain Cook dinner who handed from Britannia Royal Naval Faculty on Sunday third November 2024.
“Passing out marks the completion of Chaplain Cook dinner’s affirmation course and vital onerous work to succeed in this level and is a major step in his development within the fleet.
“Chaplains play an necessary function offering not solely non secular assist but in addition very important pastoral assist to all faiths and none extra so than inside a ship’s firm. Royal Navy chaplains are distinctive in comparison with their Royal Air Drive and Military colleagues in that they don’t maintain army rank and are solely Royal Navy Chaplain or extra generally known as Bish!”
Fergus mentioned it had been an actual problem to get up to now and mentioned he had been blessed with an infinite quantity of assist from his kirk periods and congregation.
“The chaplain’s function within the Navy is to be ‘good friend and advisor to all,'” he mentioned.
“All through my coaching I’ve had the chance to share my religion because the individuals I work with ask about my function and the work I do. It’s a fantastic alternative to work with so many devoted women and men who’re all there to serve. There are others. The core values of the Royal Navy mesh fantastically with the Christian religion and it is nice to speak in regards to the religion with individuals who have not had a lot to do with it earlier than.”
There will likely be extra coaching forward for Chaplain Cook dinner as he takes programs that enable him to be actively deployed at sea.
