In areas of war and peace, war making and peacemaking, we remain a nation in a state of denial and ungratefulness.  This is particularly disturbing as Christians because we should understand, as no one else does, the themes of sacrifice, advocacy and the defence of others.  It is a situation that is also puzzling as we are in a state of war as a country.  A sense of a strong military presence and culture existed in this country until the late 1960's.  The demise of that culture is neither here nor there, but with its demise arose a self-serving sense as a country that if we "don't do war", we are a country that "does peace keeping".  Turns out we do neither well.  I am not suggesting that we spend more or less on the military.  I am suggesting that we can do two things better.

The first is that we support Baptist Chaplains in the Regular Force and the Reserve in our prayers and our churches.  The following is a list of our dear sisters and brothers in the Regular force and our Western Canadian Chaplains.

The second is an invitation to reflection how we as Christians can bear our responsibility in the defence of others, work actively and passionately for peace and finally, how we as Christians model for ourselves and our country, Christ's call to be serving and compassionate to all.

We fail to repay our incredible debt to the fallen, the wounded and the many more who were hurt in war when we do not remember this day and when we do not seek to change things as they are.

Warmly

In Christ,

Jeremy

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Regular Force:

Maj Art Crawley

Maj Jim Hardwick

Maj Derrick Marshall

Maj Barb Putnam

LCdr Jim Russell

Lt(N) Curtis Duclos

Capt Tracey Edwards

Capt Mario Gaulin

Capt Richard Larsen

Lt (N) Daryl Levy

Capt Matthew Lucas

Capt Larry Pardy

Capt Gordon Poley

Capt Randall Read

Capt Howard Rittenhouse

Lt(N) Heather Taylor

Capt Ian Easter

Reserve Force

Maj Don Collar

Maj Randy Stanton

Capt Paul Beckingham

Lt (N) Dennis Milne

Civ Jeremy Bell (Interfaith Committee of Canadian Military Chaplaincy, ICCMC)