Methodist Chaplain announced as Deputy Chaplain General for the British Army

It’s been announced that Methodist Minister, the Revd David Barrett will take over as the Deputy Chaplain General in the Royal Army Chaplains’ Department. It will mean that for the first time, Methodist Ministers will occupy the two most senior chaplaincy positions in the British Army after the it was announced last month that the Revd Michael D Parker (who is the current Deputy Chaplain General) will be promoted to Chaplain General in the new year.

David is originally from Blackpool in Lancashire and trained be a Methodist minister at Wesley College in Bristol before he was ordained in 1992. Following circuit appointments in Kent he joined the Royal Army Chaplains’ Department in 1999 and served as a regimental chaplain in both the United Kingdom and Germany, before becoming Senior Chaplain in 2012. Most recently David was appointed Assistant Chaplain General to the 1st (United Kingdom) Division in York in January 2019 and in November 2021 became Assistant Chaplain General, Regional Command, based in Aldershot. During his time in the Army he has deployed on operations to the Balkans, Iraq and Afghanistan. Since 2011 he has been a member of the Methodist Forces Board and the Denominational Representative Chaplain to the Army for the Methodist Church.

Married to Domini, his wider interests include running, travel and following the ups and downs of his hometown football club.

Speaking after his appointment was announced, David said: “It is an honour to be appointed as Deputy Chaplain-General and I will do my best to support the incoming Chaplain-General, the Revd Mike Parker, as well as the wider RAChD, as we seek to deliver the kind of chaplaincy that the army needs and deserves”.