Anna Chaplaincy reaches Belfast!
- debbiethrower0
- 20 hours ago
- 5 min read
Another significant milestone for Anna Chaplaincy was cause for great celebration in the team and throughout BRF Ministries at the end of May. Highly appropriately, Anna Chaplaincy was launched on Ascension Day in Northern Ireland, and Ministry Lead Debbie Ducille was delighted to be able to attend.
The launch took place in Copelands, a beautiful residential care home located on the Ards peninsula, and the new flagship care facility for older people offered by Belfast Central Mission.
BCM is an extraordinary charity, offering a broad response to social need as part of the Methodist church in Belfast. The first Anna Chaplain to be commissioned was Julie Craythorne, who visited the home of Anna Chaplaincy – Alton in Hampshire – last summer. https://www.annachaplaincy.org.uk/post/impressions-on-visiting-the-birthplace-of-anna-chaplaincy
It is anticipated that, thanks to this collaborative relationship with BCM, Anna Chaplaincy may bear fruit across Northern Ireland in the coming months, as the ministry develops in this new context. Superintendent the Revd David Campton expressed it thus, during the launch:
‘From the start, BCM’s desire was to provide excellent, holistic care at Copelands, including addressing the spiritual needs of our residents and their families through the appointment of a dedicated chaplain. Initially that was the Revd June Parke, who served in that role until her retirement in June last year... During her time with us we began to explore the possibility of a direct link with BRF’s Anna Chaplaincy Programme given their proven expertise in the field of pastoral ministry amongst older people.
June and I participated in the training course, proving, along the way that it IS possible for old dogs to learn new tricks! In the light of that we set about the process of establishing a formal partnership between BCM and Anna Chaplaincy. That process took a little longer than we had expected, meaning that June had retired before it was finalised... But in the meantime, a certain Mrs Julie Craythorne had been entrusted to my supervision as a Minister in Training and on learning that she had, independently completed the Anna Chaplaincy training, it seemed appropriate that part of her ministerial training would involve working in Copelands.'
'We also hope to roll out Anna Chaplaincy across our other older people’s services, not only our other Care home, Kirk House in East Belfast, and any future residential facilities, but to also look at how Anna Chaplaincy might support our Befriending and Housing Support services for older people.’
Revd David Campton
Debbie concludes: ‘What a privilege it was for me to attend this launch, and to celebrate this significant moment in extending the reach of Anna Chaplaincy – now in all four nations of the UK! I am deeply grateful to David for his perseverance in helping to establish this relationship with BRF Ministries through to this point; to the CEO and Trustees of BCM for their vision and commitment to older people in their communities; and last but not least, to Julie, for her passion for, and compassion expressed through this ministry. She is a wonderful ambassador for Anna Chaplaincy, and we wish her all the very best in every aspect of her ministry in the coming year.’
These are just a few of the many lovely photos taken at the event, including one of Debbie Ducille with BCM’s CEO Nicky Conway and Chair of Trustees Rowan Black.
Julie has written a reflection about her Anna Chaplaincy journey and commissioning:
Anna Chaplaincy comes to Northern Ireland
I embarked upon Anna Chaplaincy-training three years ago. This was not an established ministry in Northern Ireland. However, for a long time, I had been drawn to pastoral care and was encouraged to pursue this by my pastor and friends. I sent preliminary emails to Anna Chaplaincy at the Bible Reading Fellowship (BRF Ministries), a website I had stumbled across, to enquire about Anna Chaplaincy. I know now this venture was Spirit-led, and God had brought me to this point. I admired the fact that Anna Chaplaincy provided a tried and tested framework for pastoral care; training was given, and the resources available were comprehensive.
'So, in 2022, knowing not why nor how, but trusting in God’s faithfulness, I emailed BRF registering for their course and boldly stating, ‘I would love to see this ministry extend its reach to older individuals in my wee country too.’
For a lot of my life, I have worked in churches and missions. That background awakened in me God’s passion to see everyone benefit from the transforming power and promises of His Word and know the strength of His Spirit living within them. As I reflected upon how God had laid chaplaincy on my heart, I could also trace back the beginnings of chaplaincy interests to my teenage years when I visited older people in a local care home, did a residential week at a supported living complex, and many more threads of experience. I also have benefitted from immeasurable pastoral care from friends and fellow pilgrims on my own faith journey, and in gratitude, want to serve God with the same grace given to me.
I am currently training for ordained ministry in the Methodist Church in Ireland, and as part of my training, have been acting as chaplain at Copelands Care Home, a residential home established by Belfast Central Mission, affiliated with the Methodist Church. At my initial meeting with my supervisor I discovered that Belfast Central Mission had already been exploring the possibility of establishing a partnership with BRF to incorporate Anna Chaplaincy in its work. And so I have been able to put my Anna Chaplaincy training into practice. I also visited two different Anna Chaplaincies and shadowed an Anna Chaplain last summer to gain more experience and learn from its use in different contexts.
My placement at Copelands is shortly coming to an end, but after a long process Belfast Central Mission has recently acquired the first licence from BRF for Anna Chaplaincy in Northern Ireland, and aims to extend the chaplaincy within Copelands Care Home and beyond. To mark this exciting new development, a special launch of Anna Chaplaincy was held last Thursday, May 29, at Copelands. Local clergy, pastoral workers, and others were invited to celebrate this moment and hear of the potential for Anna Chaplaincy flourishing in Northern Ireland.
As part of that launch, I was commissioned as Northern Ireland’s first Anna Chaplain. Mrs Debbie Ducille kindly flew over to commission me, and Revd David Campton, superintendent minister at Belfast Central Mission, conducted the service.'
'How my heart rejoiced – Anna Chaplaincy and the spiritual care it offers for people, churches, and communities is waiting to be developed amongst us in God’s ways and timings.'
Julie Craythorne
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