Revd Sally Rees, Anna Chaplaincy lead for Wales, and Debbie Ducille, church lead for BRF's Anna Chaplaincy team co-led an information session and workshop for 20 interested individuals from Bangor Diocese last week, in beautiful Caernarfon, Gwynedd.
Debbie reflected afterwards:
‘It was such a positive day, and an encouraging turnout. Sally was an absolute star as usual and, as she noted, every person present “got it”; there was a real buzz of conversation and planning of next steps around the room.’
Sally had arranged the gathering with Revd David Morris, Bangor’s diocesan director of ministry after contact with Revd Richard Wood, a ministry area lead in Anglesey, whose churches are exploring the appointment of a full-time, paid Anna Chaplain.
Richard and the pastoral care team from Anglesey were there that morning, along with three faithful members of the Holyhead and Bangor Methodist Circuit who meet weekly to pray for Anna Chaplaincy and ministry among older people. Also present were team members from Bangor Cathedral, the archdeacon, and several ministers, one of whom is keen to see Anna Chaplaincy supported by Churches Together in Wales (CYTUN) and was willing to be an Anna Champion in Llandaff, where he is due to move later this year.
‘This kind of response and interest is so encouraging for all of us on the BRF team’, said Debbie, ‘but particularly for Sally, an “early adopter” of Anna Chaplaincy, who works tirelessly, and voluntarily, to promote this ministry that she is so passionate about. It was encouraging too for those faithful Methodist friends who gather to pray every week: who knows what will happen next?!’
