Commissionings and celebrations
- Debbie Ducille
- Jul 19, 2024
- 2 min read
A second United Reformed Church Anna Chaplain on the Isle of Wight, Teresa Marshall, was commissioned on Sunday 14 July in a service led by the Revd Brian Harley and attended by the island’s Anna Chaplain coordinator, Jane Wilshaw. The photograph shows Teresa and Brian after the service, during which Teresa shared the following message:
‘I’d like to thank everyone for coming and supporting me on my Anna Chaplaincy journey. I’d like to thank Brian for helping and supporting me at every stage and thank you to Jane, the coordinator of the Anna Chaplains on the island who has been so supportive and encouraging from our first chaplaincy meeting to this important day.
‘It all started when I was reading my New Daylight notes from BRF Ministries and saw an advert for training for Anna Chaplains, and as I looked more and more into it, I realised that this was something that I felt I could enjoy doing. Having looked after my mother till she died at the age of 94 in 2002, I had some idea of the needs of the elderly, and I thought that I could use that experience in a good way with the elderly in this day and age!So, I’ve started doing some visiting independently in a care home in Ryde and also with the Living Well Early Help people at Ryde Library, and am enjoying both activities. I look forward to connecting with more people and building a support group which will be so important and helpful in meeting the needs of elderly and isolated people in our community.Thank you again for supporting me on this new and exciting adventure and for your invaluable prayers.’
Meanwhile, other celebrations were afoot in the benefice of Dunsden, Shiplake and Harpsden, near Reading, where Anna Chaplain, the Revd Heather Turner held an ‘Anna Lunch’ and welcomed new Anna Friends Valerie and Peter. Valerie, Heather and Peter are pictured here with a delicious-looking Anna Chaplaincy cake! They will be commissioned in September. ‘Our prayers, congratulations and good wishes go to Teresa, Peter and Valerie in their new roles,’ says Debbie.
Comments