Fr Luke Miller

A Message as London Area Chaplain of the Sea Cadets on Ascension Day The lockdown has been long and difficult, especially for those whose homes are uncomfortable or unsafe or full of people of three generations squeezed into a flat or small house. We are all missing the ability to mix together. There is a sense of time flying past and opportunities being missed. The usual patterns of life are being disrupted. We all hope there is a little bit of light at the end of the tunnel, but it is hard, and perhaps especially for young people. Thank you for bearing with it. It is making a difference. Fewer people have died because of the lockdown and others have been protected from becoming ill in the first place. Thank you for the sacrifices you are making. Now is possibly the most difficult time to stick with it, but do keep it up. It takes courage but it is helping. None of those brave words mean that it is easy. School has been disrupted and many people have lost their jobs...

Uniformed youth organisations are on the up. It is well known that Scouts and Guides would grow bigger if only they could find more adult leaders. The Boys Brigad e and Girls Brigade have development officers seeking to increase the number of Companies, and the Sea Cadets for whom I am the London Area Chaplain are seeking to expand the number of Units. In recent years the reformed and reinvigorated police cadets have grown to 5000 members in the Metropolitan Police Area from a standing start. Army and Royal Air Force Cadets and the CCF are also popular. BB Evening making Christmas cards with a local artist  Younger BB at the Advent Activities making decorations for church Despite the idea that young people are all laid-back and messy, it seems that tens of thousands of them enjoy what look like thoroughly old-fashioned organisations. Why might this be and what can the church learn from it? Sea Cadets at the Lord Mayor's Show Great Activities...

At the General Synod I wore my Sea Cadet Uniform for one day to draw attention to the great work done by lots of clergy and licensed lay ministers in uniformed youth organizations, especially the Cadets. The Church Times printed a picture of me speaking. Many Cadet Organizations seek Chaplains and it is a rewarding and enjoyable ministry which touches the lives of many young people in amazingly positive ways. In the Sea Cadets we say that we are #NeverOrdinary and that is certainly true. I was speaking on the new Church Representation Rules and welcoming the provision being made for  congregations of church plants to have representation in Synodical structures. You can see my speech here  starting at 22:42, and the text I spoke from is below. Of course what one wrote down is never quite what one says! It fell to me with the support of our indefatigable synodical secretary to steer through the London Diocesan Synod synodical representation for those worshi...