Coordinator in Devon says 'we could treble number of Anna Chaplains and still need more'
- debbiethrower0
- 9 hours ago
- 2 min read
A 'cri de coeur' comes from Annie Jefferies who coordinates Anna Chaplaincy in the Exeter Diocese. She shared with us this report of a recent conference she spoke at in Devon:
In early February, Licensed Lay Ministers (LLMs) from across Devon gathered in Torquay for their annual conference - this year the theme was 'Enabling Worship'.
One of the keynote speakers, Annie Jefferies, Diocesan Lead for Anna Chaplaincy, reminded us just how vital this ministry is.
"The Diocese of Exeter has more Anna Chaplains than any other diocese in England, and yet we could treble that number and still need more... there are now more people in Devon over 70 than under 5."
Anna Chaplains offer spiritual care in later life: in care homes, memory cafés, community spaces, and in people’s own homes. Annie led LLMs through what a worship service in a care home might look like, thoughtfully crafted for the people who live there.
“We are not there to convert. It is their story, it's how they feel about God. We are only there to nurture that conversation.”
Social Prescribing
Meanwhile Annie Jefferies has also been engaging in debate over the importance of such 'spiritual conversations'. Responding to an article in the Church Times last month entitled, 'Spiritual care as missing link in general practice', (see our blog ) we were pleased to see she had a letter printed in the following week's paper, on January 16.
She was responding to an article by Dr Ishbel Orla Whitehead about a short, practical training course – SHARP – that has been developed to help doctors support their patients’ spiritual health. She wrote:
‘After five years of the development of Anna Chaplains ministry across Devon, some teams are beginning to receive referrals from social prescribers in general practice who are becoming informed about other, and sometimes more appropriate, options for patient referral.’
'The spiritual support and gentle friendship offered by parish-linked Anna Chaplains can be of great benefit to older people, whether they live at home or in residential care, and could be explored by GPs and social prescribers in their localities. Anna Chaplaincy ministry is part of the Bible Reading Fellowship... I am certain that the SHARP training would be a useful adjunct for volunteer pastoral-care workers in churches.'
Anna Chaplaincy in Alton, Hampshire, for example (where the movement began) is now involved with GP' social prescribing, as are a number of our other teams around the country, as BRF's Anna Chaplaincy Ministry Lead, Debbie Ducille, adds:
‘Lots of Anna Chaplains around the country are engaged in social prescribing support, including Jane Wingrove in St Austell, who is pioneering a new approach with her local social prescribing lead, having trained a small team of Anna Friends specifically to address spiritual needs as they arise through referrals. We are watching with interest and support, as they are commissioned and launch in the coming weeks.’
Comments