British Military Chaplaincy Holds First Ever Armed Forces Sikh Prayer Day

The UK MOD news blog often offers fascinating items, and this story is of interest to those in military chaplaincy who are trying to make interfaith chaplaincy viable in a post-Christendom age. This story from today's blog offers an example of what interfaith chaplaincy looks like.

First Forces' Sikh Prayer Day a success
A People In Defence news article
3 Feb 09


Forty Sikh members of the armed forces gathered at a Sikh temple near Reading for the first ever Armed Forces' Sikh Prayer Day on Saturday 31 January 2009.




Captain Amarjit 'Gilly' Singh bows before the Sikh holy book, the Guru Granth Sahib, during the first Armed Forces' Sikh Prayer Day
[Picture: Chris Fletcher]

There are currently around 200 Sikhs serving in Britain's armed forces, spread thinly across the three Services. Coming from a religion with a strong sense of community, some Sikh servicemen and women can feel isolated without fellow Sikhs to meet or pray with, so a call went out from some of those serving for a day of prayer and celebration of their faith.

That call was answered by Mandeep Kaur, the Sikh civilian chaplain to the military. Mandeep organised the congregation in celebration of the birthday of the tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh.

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