The Sea Cadets welcomed the Bishop of Tewkesbury to Gloucester Docks on Monday, to show him what having ‘serious fun’ as a Cadet involves.
They took Bishop Robert out onto the water where he learnt more about what it takes to be a Cadet.
He joined their chaplain David Moyse who has been a Sea Cadet Chaplain at TS Gloucester since 2001. David has been travelling from his Thornbury home to meet with the TS Gloucester Sea Cadet Unit at least once a month since he moved to the county from Norfolk. Despite this dedication to the Gloucester Sea Cadets. David says he used to suffer badly with seasickness but has found that taking cruises with his wife on big ships with stabilisers has been a pleasant way to get himself accustomed to the waves.
He said, “Being a Chaplain is very rewarding but I’m sure my seasickness is due to someone up there who has a sense of humour! My first solo service was a few weeks after being selected to train as a Reader was on board and Air Sea Rescue boat out on a very choppy Irish Sea in November 1988 and the memory of the churning waves has never left me! Despite the water, being a Cadets chaplain has been a huge part of my life – I’ve found that their motto, ‘To have serious fun’ applies as much to being a Chaplain as it does to being a Cadet.”
Bishop Robert saw the inspection and the colours ceremony where the flag is raised, as well as saying prayers with the Cadets and speaking to them.
Bishop Robert said, “The Sea Cadets seek to offer ‘A different kind of adventure’ with a sense of purpose and teamwork about what they do. That sounds to me something very special – for me, it connects to the adventure of life that we are all called to, that Christians see in the life of Jesus Christ.”
David said that the Sea Cadets are always pleased to have more chaplains coming forward. “If there are any of your readers who are interested in Chaplaincy work for our young people, I thoroughly recommend it. As a Unit Chaplain in the Severn District we are supported by a District Chaplain, and overall an Area Chaplain for the whole of the South West.”
For more information about Sea Cadet Chaplaincy, go to the website www.andrewschuman.macmate.me
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