Every older person has a story to tell and while there can be challenges in advancing age, faith and spiritual care can help in finding meaning and purpose and making sense of later life.
Anna Chaplaincy is a pioneering work within the Diocese of Rochester to support older people; it provides community-based spiritual support for older people of strong, little or no faith.
On Tuesday 22 June, this important area of ministry received further support, as Bishop James commissioned Jenny Hopkins as Anna Chaplain at St Mary’s Hadlow and six new archdeaconry leads for Anna Chaplaincy.
They are:
- Margaret Hollands and Revd Elizabeth Robertson for Rochester Archdeaconry
- Jane Sankey and Revd Anne Bourne for Tonbridge Archdeaconry
- Diana Pattison and Revd Sophie Sutherland for Bromley and Bexley Archdeaconry
Julia Burton-Jones, Anna Chaplaincy lead for Rochester and Canterbury Dioceses said:
"Anna Chaplaincy keeps the needs of older people at the forefront of church life and enables those with a calling to minister with older people, fulfilling this distinctive vocation.
"We are so grateful to Bishop James for his unwavering support of Anna Chaplaincy since our work began in 2015. This commissioning is a further sign of our ongoing commitment to nurturing and recognising the prophetic voice and life lessons older people have to share with us"
The new archdeaconry lead roles have been set up to work alongside the Deputy Wardens of Lay Ministry in each archdeaconry.
Speaking of about her commissioning, Jane Sankey, Anna Chaplain for Platt and new Tonbridge Archdeaconry lead said:
"Many of us have been in the same church or community for some years – and we become aware that those who had been the active senior members are gradually becoming less active.
"They who had taken on the mantle from the generation before them, have now themselves become less able - maybe physically, maybe mentally. But their spiritual light has not dimmed in any way, it may well have become even brighter and stronger at this time of life.
"The whole of life is God’s, and I see it as the mission of the Anna Chaplains to honour those who rest in their faith in God - , whether they are still able to express it verbally or not – and that they should always be able to experience and hear of God’s love for them."
Anna Chaplains can be lay or ordained, male or female, and are appointed by their local church to lead ministry with older people. They are offered training and support, are supervised by a member of the church leadership team and spend at least a day a week in the role, usually as a volunteer, though some are paid.
They may have Anna Friends working with them who spend several hours a week providing hands on spiritual care with older people.
Anyone wishing to know more about this work shoul please contact Julia Burton-Jones, Anna Chaplaincy lead for Rochester and Canterbury Dioceses (julia.burton-jones@rochester.anglican.org) or visit annachaplaincy.org.uk.