Presbyterian Council for Chaplains and Military Personnel

OUR MISSION IS VITAL ... TO PROVIDE MILITARY PERSONNEL WITH A VISIBLE REMINDER OF THE HOLY IN THE MIDST OF COMBAT AND CHAOS!! PCCMP supports the worldwide communities of people in which our military personnel are serving; pastor our far-flung chaplains and support them in their ministry and touch the lives of the military soldier’s family.

The role of the Presbyterian Council is the procurement, endorsement, and supervision of chaplains loaned to the Armed Services by their Church. Further, the Council offers assistance and support to chaplains and their families and renders an effective ministry to service personnel. This agency also represents the Church with government departments and other agencies in these matters. A key responsibility is to remind presbyteries of their role to support the ministry of chaplains and other service personnel on their rolls or those within their bounds.

From the earliest days of the Continental Army and the Continental Navy, Presbyterian Chaplains have served the Armed Forces of our country with distinction. They also responded in large numbers to serve both the Union and Confederate forces during the war between the states and in WWI and WWII. The Presbyterian Church and other denominations, however, long desired a degree of "quality control" for all clergy serving in the military; therefore, there was established jointly within the religious community and the military the "Ecclesiastical Endorsement" (certification) for all chaplains appointed to serve the men and women in the Armed Forces.

The Presbyterian Council for Chaplains and Military Personnel was created in 1973 in order to perform that responsibility for the four named denominations. Twenty representatives from the participating Churches comprise the membership of the Council, including the Stated or Principal Clerk, or a designated representative of each denomination. The Council represents the sponsoring denominations in matters that pertain to the chaplains and the church members serving in the Armed Forces, in Veteran Affairs Medical Centers (VAMC), and the Civil Air Patrol (CAP). Endearing to provide the most effective ministry to the military and veteran community, the Council serves as a liaison with the Chiefs of Chaplains of the Army, Navy and Air Force; with the Veterans Affairs Director of Chaplaincy Service; with the Armed Forces Chaplains Board of the Department of Defense; with the Civil Air Patrol; and other government agencies as required.

Further, the Council is in continuing relationship with agencies of the four Presbyterian Church bodies and sits in frequent consultation with committees, study groups, and commissions of the denominations. The Council is a part of the National Conference on Ministry to the Armed Forces (NCMAF), an ecumenical organization of 216 endorsing agencies, and also participates in the Endorsers Conference for Veterans Affairs Chaplaincy (ECVAC) representing all faiths which provide chaplains for the Department of Veteran Affairs.

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PCCMP is supported by:

the Associate Reformed Presbyterian (ARP);

Cumberland Presbyterian (CP); Cumberland Presbyterian Church in America (CPCA);

Presbyterian Church USA (PCUSA)

and the generous contributions of friends and well wishers.

PRESBYTERIAN COUNCIL FOR CHAPLAINS

AND MILITARY PERSONNEL (PCCMP)

“a ministry to those who serve our Nation”

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