Your church and the broader Anglican Church can receive substantial benefit through the training and experience that ministers, deacons and priests receive in the Australian Defence Force.
Through initial training with the ADF and the Defence Force Chaplains’ College, chaplains emerge with a considerable sharpening of ministry skills. Chaplains are immersed in a secular workplace.
This mission experience offers unique opportunities to exercise a gospel ministry in a pluralistic environment.
Benefits for your Church
Part Time (Reserve) Chaplain
Having one of your ministry team be a part-time (Reserve) Chaplain rewards the church both spiritually and financially.
More generally, reserve (or part-time) service provides substantial Church benefits:
- Development of leadership skills on par with managers and executives in the broader community,
- Development of teamwork skills,
- Development of personal skills including self- discipline, initiative, punctuality, self-reliance and acceptance of responsibility,
- Trained assistance to the community during times of natural disasters,
- Annual mandatory training in security, ethics and fraud awareness, equity and diversity, and drug and alcohol and suicide awareness,
- Enhancement of Christian pastoral leadership and management skills in a secular environment,
- Enhancement of ability to speak on issues from a pastoral viewpoint in a secular environment.
The Employer Support Payment Scheme (ESPS)
The Employer Support Payment Scheme (ESPS) provides financial assistance to eligible employers of reservists and self-employed reservists, when the reservist is absent from their civilian workplace on eligible periods of Defence service.
For reservists in full-time employment, ESPS payments are made at a set weekly equivalent to Full-Time Adult Average Weekly Ordinary Time Earnings (AWOTE).
For FY 2020/2021 the rate is $1,658.70 per week.
A pro-rata payment may be made for a part-time employee.
To find out more about the Payment and how to claim for the payment, go to:
https://www.defencereservessupport.gov.au/employers-of-reservists/employer-support-payment-scheme/
Full Time Chaplains
Some clergy who enter Defence Chaplaincy on a full time basis, will choose to return to parish ministry after a season of Chaplaincy ministry.
This is similar to a local parish Rector/Vicar who chooses to move to a new parish.
Clergy who have served as chaplains, are better able to communicate the gospel in a secular environment and like our reserve chaplains, have honed their pastoral care and administrative skills.
Trainee Chaplains
Some parishes enter into a partnership with Defence to provide pastoral experience to our trainee Chaplains.
The experience for the parish is compared to gaining a new graduate from a Theological College entering their first stipendiary ministry as an assistant minister/curate.
In return for their services as an assistant minister, Defence receives a fully trained Chaplain.
The parish receives the services of a fully paid assistant minister/curate at Defence rates of remuneration.
