On October 10-11, 2024, the Interconfessional Forum of Military Chaplains “United in Service” was held in Kyiv, bringing together more than 400 participants. The event was organized by the Council of Evangelical Protestant Churches of Ukraine (CEPCU).
The forum was attended by military chaplains, heads of chaplaincy ministries of denominations, religious leaders, representatives of specialized international organizations and veteran communities, volunteer chaplains, representatives of the Ukrainian authorities, and the public. Additionally, heads of chaplaincy services from several friendly countries were invited to participate.
“It is a great joy and honor for me to stand here, in front of people who have accepted God's calling to serve the military. I am sincerely grateful to you for your faithfulness to the high calling,” said Anatoliy Kozachok, Chairman of the CEPCU and senior Bishop of the Ukrainian Pentecostal Church, at the opening of the event.
In his greeting to the Forum participants, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted the great role of the Church in our country's life, and this became especially noticeable with the outbreak of the war: “The pastoral work of chaplains is invaluable for both civilians and our defenders.”
In his welcoming address to the Forum, Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal assured: “The Government of Ukraine and Ukrainian society highly appreciate your service. We are well aware of how much chaplains have done for the front and the rear. The accomplishment cannot be measured in tons or kilometers traveled, but it is forever imprinted in human memory and Ukrainian history.”
Greetings to the participants of the event were also received from the Secretary of National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine Oleksandr Lytvynenko, Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights Dmytro Lubinets, the relevant parliamentary committee, Head of the State Service of Ukraine for Ethnic Policy and Freedom of Conscience Viktor Yelenskyy, and many state and public figures, fellow chaplains from Ukraine and abroad, including Estonia, Latvia, Switzerland, and the United States.
The main goal of the Forum “United in Service” was to: (1) provide a broad overview of the ministry of military chaplains for both the church and the public; (2) introduce and engage Ukrainian military chaplains to international chaplaincy circles; (3) coordinate and present common positions, programs, protocols of action, etc.
During the two-day forum, the participants listened to and discussed reports on various aspects of chaplaincy ministry. Topics included the current state and trends of chaplaincy ministry in the Ukrainian Defense Forces; biblical principles of the ministry of a priest in the army; etiquette and appearance of the chaplain; supporting soldiers on the front line; pastoral ministry to the military and their families (including those of fallen soldiers); maintaining the authority of the chaplain in the army; meeting soldiers from the war, etc. The event also featured educational programs for chaplains from the churches of the CEPCU.
The musical children's group “Notky” from Volyn and a vocal quintet from Kyiv performed for the forum participants. The event also included a photo exhibition titled “History of the War 2014-2024”, which showcased the history of the formation of chaplaincy ministry from the beginning of the Maidan in 2014 to the present day, along with a presentation of books for chaplains.
Following the results of the discussions, the participants of the interconfessional forum of military chaplains “United in Service” adopted a joint resolution and several documents on chaplaincy, including:
- “Recommendations for the regulation of the chaplaincy ministry of the Evangelical Protestant Churches of Ukraine: on the status, appearance, and etiquette of the chaplain”;
- “On worship in field conditions/near the lines of contact”.
Considering the importance of the ministry, the forum participants agreed to:
- establish and approve a Coordination Council at the next meeting of the CEPCU, which would include representatives from each association of churches involved in chaplaincy ministry;
- elaborate a draft Strategy for the Development of Chaplaincy through the Coordinating Council and seek its approval from the Council of the CEPCU in collaboration with the Interfaith Council on Military Chaplaincy under the Ministry of Defense and the Military Chaplaincy Service of the Armed Forces of Ukraine;
- hold an Interconfessional Chaplaincy Forum in October of each year, coinciding with the Day of the Military Chaplain of Ukraine;
- develop a service manual for chaplains of Evangelical Protestant churches-members of the CEPCU;
- develop proposals for legislative regulation of the status and ministry of a volunteer chaplain.