My journey

Published on: 9 March 2022

I feel very privileged to be a participant on the Anna Chaplain Training Course and am grateful for our PCC’s support and blessing.

The aim of this course is to explore Anna Chaplaincy for Older People, its origins, its development and some of the ways that Anna Chaplains practice. It also aims to further our understanding of what Anna Chaplaincy offers and how this ministry contributes to the church’s mission and ministry.

Topics explored were: Introducing Anna Chaplaincy; Living the second half of life; The spirituality of ageing; Spiritual care for people living with dementia; Chaplaincy skills in working with older people; Looking forward – the next steps.

Anna Chaplaincy is a model of ministry that encompasses all that promotes the value and worth of older people. It takes place wherever people are, the focus being to offer spiritual care and support. It is an ecumenical and church/communitybased ministry, is person-centred, non-judgemental and for people of faith or no faith at all.

Spiritual care may express itself in helping people to reflect on their life’s journey, the joys, sorrows and difficulties. Our role is to build relationship and trust with people, to walk alongside them, to listen attentively to their thoughts and feelings, and to allow them to tell their stories.

We looked at the ways in which spiritual care can be adapted to include people with dementia, and how to practically ensure that our churches are accessible for older people, taking into account their needs and disabilities. There is a case to be made for providing people with dementia with opportunities to grow in their faith.

We spent a session on listening and conversation skills which looked at what qualities, attitudes and techniques make for effective listening, and what the blocks are to good listening.

I found the course enormously valuable and look forward to implementing what I have learnt in my ministry. I will be line managed by my Vicar and supported by a designated supervisor. The first task is for a Working Agreement to be drawn up and to discover where the gaps in supporting older people are.


This article is from...

Articles in this issue...

A framework for starting something missional in your parish

The Church is still facing the consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic. When we think about the uncertain future of our churches we need to remember “nothing will be impossible with God” (Luke 1:37).

More

An out of the blue moment

I first became interested in the Anna Chaplaincy movement when my husband and I were studying for a certificate in ‘Older People’s Ministry’ at Cliff College, led by Debbie Thrower, the pioneer of this ministry.

More

Seeds of ministry sown

Our journeys to becoming Anna Chaplains were similar yet different.

More

Before engagement comes motivation

It can be an age old dilemma, how do we get children and young people through the doors of church?

More

New life for waste land

Following major repair works to St Andrew’s Church at Felmingham, situated in a beautiful rural village in North Norfolk, it was a positive time for the Friends of the Church to explore a more ecological approach in the maintenance of the Church and its environment.

More

Parable of wise and foolish builders

The Climate Crisis can seem far away and not something which will affect us here in Norfolk and Waveney very much.

More

Let it grow

St Francis Church, Heartsease, has long been committed to proclaiming the Gospel of Christ through offering loving support and practical assistance to the parish we have been called to serve.

More

Starting from scratch again!

Here at St Andrew’s Eaton (in Norwich), we’d had several attempts at having a church away day, postponed each time by the pandemic.

More

Wild Church, Norfolk

For the last six months Wild Church has been running in an outdoor community space called Loch Neaton. As a Licensed Lay Minister, I head it up, and a new intergenerational community has been growing.

More

Hive of spirituality

The Hive in Great Cressingham, Norfolk, was launched in the middle of the pandemic just before the second lock down on 19 December 2020. It is a place of Creativity, Spirituality and Wellbeing.

More

Keep up to date

Subscribe to our eNews for a snapshot of news, events and resources, usually emailed once a fortnight

Signup to newsletter