Claire Bowman, CEQ Ecumenical & Interfaith Coordinator, highlights a new annual review from the Workplace Chaplaincy team for Birmingham & Solihull:
I serve on the management committee for chaplaincy in the city centre of Birmingham, which is led by Elaine Hutchinson who is part of the ministry team at Carr’s Lane church.
This annual review was mostly written before COVID-19 and shows just how amazingly chaplaincy has expanded in Birmingham.
There is a new ‘friends’ scheme aimed at raising money for chaplaincy training and broadening interest in what is going on.
The report by Peter Sellick about chaplaincy at Birmingham City Council contains details of a new initiative for corona virus times called ‘remote chaplaincy’. I’ve signed up to it. It’s a blog with all sorts of helpful ideas. Another imaginative idea is ‘virtual prayer walks’ in which chaplains walk their usual round thinking of all the people they usually see and chat with, who are now on furlough, and praying for them.
There are details at the end of the review about the next chaplaincy training course in September if anyone wishes to become a chaplain. Quakers can find help and support if they feel this is their vocation by contacting members of the Community Justice Group.