Chaplaincy or Sector Ministry
Many people will encounter a Chaplain in a different situation. Traditionally we saw them in hospitals, prisons, universities, and schools. But today our Chaplains, or Sector Ministers are found in a wide range of settings.
We are now a very diverse group. Some work full time, others part-time and many others as volunteers. Although we are still very present in all the established institutions, we are reaching out into many new territories.
We have Chaplains working for:
- Hospices
- the Railway Mission and Waterways
- the Army and specifically Veterans.
- the Deaf Community,
- the Homeless,
- Sports Clubs,
- the Fire and Rescue Service
- the Seafarers.
In partnership with MITE, we are also present in retail and business parks, the airport, the Police and the YMCA.
Sector Ministers share in a ministry of service, compassion, and care. We are in places where people are not looking for us, but who may be going through some definite crisis or point of difficulty and at that moment someone is there to remind them of the presence of God. We often offer prayer for them and can signpost them to other sources of aid if required, but we are there to listen and respond with compassion.
Outside the main church walls, we meet people who are also on the edge, often not even thinking of faith, and minister the love and compassion of Christ and in the process may be changed and challenged ourselves.
- Life Call Leaflet – About Chaplaincy
- Report on Sector Ministry in Liverpool Diocese Annual Report 2019
- Report on Sector Ministry in Liverpool Diocese Annual Report 2020
- Report on Sector Ministry in Liverpool Diocese Annual Report 2021
If you wish to contact a chaplain then please visit our contact page.
A. Hospice Chaplaincy
Spirituality means different things to different people. Religion and faith may or may not be a part of someone’s spirituality. Everyone has spiritual needs:
- Spirituality included, finding meaning and purpose in our lives.
- The need to feel loved
- A sense of belonging
- The need for hope and peace
- When faced with a life-threatening illness people can suffer from Spiritual distress, causing physical and mental health.
Marie Curie Hospice
WHAT DOES CHAPLAINCY OFFER
Chaplaincy at the hospice looks after the spiritual care of patients. This is very varied. It includes:
- Listening to patients as they talk about worries and concerns
- Helping patients with advanced care planning and end of life wishes
- Supporting patients to get married or have marriage blessed
- Taking funerals
- Supporting relatives and friends
- Bereavement support
- Supporting patients with special events, e.g. celebrating special birthdays
- Baptising patients
- Facilitate difficult conversations around discharge home or to nursing home
- Support patients with complex Spiritual distress
- Education to other staff including staff outside of the Hospice on what Spiritual care is
- Member of the MDT. I chair our weekly MDT meeting
- Facilitate difficult conversations between patient and family members
- Support patients with their faith needs
- Support patients in the community when appropriate
- Offer staff support
- Maintain the Hospice Chapel
- Manage a team of volunteers
- Sit with patients who are dying so they are not alone
- Communicate with other chaplains when needed e.g. prison chaplain
This is not an exhausted list. There is no clear job description of a chaplain. We need to be available to be there when needed.
WHO IS THE CHAPLAIN FOR
The chaplains aim to meet every patient admitted to the Hospice, of whatever religion or no religion. We are also available for any family or friends of patients and hospice staff. Basically we will see anyone who wants to talk to us.
HOW DO PEOPLE ACCESS THE CHAPLAIN
The chaplain can be accessed through the hospice. A referral needs to be made if the patient is not an inpatient. These can be from the hospice community doctors or the cancer specialist nurses.
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow – Rev Ruth Pryce (Marie Curie)
B. Mental health
Mersey Care
WHAT DOES CHAPLAINCY OFFER
Mersey Care Mental Health Chaplains work within a holistic model of care offering religious, spiritual and pastoral support to those of all faiths or none.
WHO IS THE CHAPLAIN FOR
The chaplains work with service users, patients, carers, family members and staff. Alongside individual support we also offer weekly worship, rites of passage etc.. Our work is mostly done within an inpatient setting.
HOW DO PEOPLE ACCESS THE CHAPLAIN
Email Mersey Care at spirit@merseycare.nhs.uk or call 0151 471 2608
Let’s talk about mental health – Rev Sara Doyle (Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust)
C. Hospital
WHAT DOES CHAPLAINCY OFFER
Healthcare chaplains provide pastoral, emotional, spiritual and religious care to people of all faiths and beliefs and none, whose lives bring them into contact with our healthcare establishments, be they patients, visitors or staff.
WHO IS THE CHAPLAIN FOR
Healthcare Chaplains are there to support patients, visitors, staff and the organisation.
HOW DO PEOPLE ACCESS THE CHAPLAIN
There are chaplains based in Wrightington, Wigan & Leigh Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
Email Chaplaincy.SpiritualCare@wwl.nhs.uk or call 01942 822314/822314
In an emergency via the Hospital Switchboard 01942 244000
Stories from hospital chaplains
These loving caring people brought the light – Revd David Williams (Alder Hey)
Meet Rev Dr Anne Kazich GP and Community Priest – Rev Dr Anne Kazich
Education Chaplaincies
School
The Role of a school chaplain includes:
- To be a visible presence
- To be a praying presence
- To be a listening presence
- To be a lead in the school’s Christian ethos
- To be trusted to hold in confidence
- To be the face of Jesus to pupils, staff and families
- To bring glory to God in the fulfilling of your calling
WHAT DOES CHAPLAINCY OFFER
- A bridge between adults/pupils and God
- A listening ear
- A place of confidences shared
- Hope in an ever-increasing complicated world
- Sacramental ministry
- Time
- Safe environment
- An opportunity to pray/together
- A space for silence
- Spiritual guidance
- A lead regarding Christian Ethos
WHO IS THE CHAPLAIN FOR
- Teachers
- Non-teaching staff
- Pupils
- Families
- For everyone who belongs to the Archbishop Blanch School family
HOW DO PEOPLE ACCESS THE CHAPLAIN
We have two in Archbishop Blanch School; a Lay Chaplain and an Ordained Chaplain.
Anyone can ask to see us at any time. At certain times of the timetable we are situated around the school as we walk around and pray. Staff can also have a home visit if requested.
University
With five universities in the diocese, University Chaplains provide vital spiritual and pastoral support to both students and staff. They are committed to mission and bridge the gap between the institution and local church.
Find out more from Lilly Nelson, Anglican Chaplaincy Assistant for Liverpool Hope University’s Chaplaincy, and watch her video on YouTube.
Mission in the Economy
Retail champlaincy, unique amongst chaplaincies, has no recognisable, associated institution such as prison, hospital etc.. However, be it in shopping centre, market or individual store, it does rely on support from management. An unpredictable environment with constant staff turnover, Retail Chaplaincy has at its essence, trust and relationship building. It is challenging and demanding as is all we do in God’s name!
St John’s Market – Revd Jean Flood
At St John’s Market I mainly offers a listening ear:
‘Listen well so that you hear what is not said.’ (Thudi Madonsela)
This my mantra!
Relationships built up over several years give me the privilege of being trusted enough for traders, management and regular customers to confide in me in both business and personal concerns, sharing highs and lows.
Prayer requests are welcomed (Prayer Room/Quiet Space has been set up for traders and customers, much used particularly by Muslim traders)
Marking the events in the Christian Church’s year is much appreciated e.g. nativity set up at Christmas, Mothering Sunday, Palm crosses for Easter and Remembrance event.
I am also involved in other festivals celebrations e.g. cards for Eid, Diwali, etc., and Charity Day events to boost footfall, enabling these organisations to meet their target audiences and allowing them to network with each other.
I attend funerals, weddings and take the occasional baptism service
For more about Mission in the Economy
Transport chaplaincies
A. Railway Mission
For 140 years the Railway Mission have provided chaplaincy to staff of the railway industry. Chaplains currently visit and support staff with a wide variety of issues, including following up serious incidents on the network, e.g. accidents and fatalities, and work to the strapline, Support on Life’s Journey.
Mike Roberts works as Railway Chaplain to the northwest of England including all of the area of Liverpool Diocese.
Click here for more information
B. Waterways
Waterways Chaplains are Christian volunteers from local churches who commit time each week to walk the canal towpath in order to offer support to boaters and other users of the national canals network. Chaplains play a role in breaking through isolation by connecting with people on the towpath, listening to them and responding to their needs.
Click here for more information
C. Liverpool Seafarers Centre
Liverpool Seafarers Centre, a partnership between the Mersey Mission to Seafarers and the Apostleship of the Sea, offers ministry and pastoral support to the merchant seafarer community. It operates from its base near Seaforth Docks and from a satellite facility at Eastham.
Crews can purchase email facilities, SIM cards, money exchange, snacks and toiletries. There is a chapel for private prayer, space to relax and minibuses to help the crews make the most of their brief time ashore. Various Naval welfare trusts are also administered by the Mission.
Spiritual support is offered by Revd Martin Cadell (Roman Catholic) and Revd Gregor Cuff (Church of England) but Centre facilities are open to all regardless of faith.
Fire and Rescue Services
Chaplaincy to Fire & Rescue Services is a ministry of “being there”, and being aware of the stresses of the job and sharing how crews learn and work together as a team.
“For all without exception” is the motto of the fire chaplains’ association
Prison
Prison Chaplaincy is different. The men and women we work with are some of the most damaged people in society. The difference is we KNOW what they have done, and yet Jesus STILL wants us to love them, because often nobody else ever has.
What does the Chaplaincy offer?
At the moment we offer predominantly pastoral care on a one-to-one basis to both prisoners and staff. We are unable to offer services but in normal times we offer Sunday Services for one hour followed by a cup of tea and chat. We also have a very large supply of Bibles and Christian books which we are able to give away and replenish when needed.
This week we have been allowed to offer one hour Bible Study per fortnight to individual wings for up to 10 prisoners at a time This means we are offering 2 sessions per week on a Tuesday A+B wing Tuesday morning, C+D wing afternoon, following week E+F wings morning and PIPE unit afternoon
Who is the Chaplaincy for?
Chaplaincy is for every person involved in the prison; prisoners and their relatives/visitors as well as staff.
We care for those who are bereaved, organising applications for them to attend funerals. We offer support to those with close relatives who are seriously ill in hospital and liaise with nurses to keep prisoners updated. We also pass on good news of the birth of babies.
We liaise with charitable organisations such as Gideons, Day One Prison Ministries, Prison Fellowship, The Message Trust etc..
Hindley Prison also have some volunteer Prison Visitors who do nonfaith based work with prisoners who are struggling e.g. working alongside prisoners in our Community Chapel Garden, in the polytunnel or with the Aviary, rabbits and guinea pig fostering service.
National Association of Prison Visitors are an organisation who can help people who wish to become Official Prison Visitors.
How do people access the Chaplain?
Every prison in the UK has a Multifaith Chaplaincy Team. We work closely with prisoners, staff and team members of every faith and none.
Prisoners can access chaplaincy and our services by completing an application form, by asking staff to phone us or by stopping us as we pass. We also have a statutory duty to speak to every new admission within 24 hours of arrival to make them aware of the support we offer.
Relatives can contact us by telephone and we have a 24-hour answer machine where they can leave a contact number which we will phone back before 5.00pm each day.
The staff know we have refreshments available in Chapel and they can call in at any time or phone to speak to a specific member of the team.
Sports
Sports Chaplains provide pastoral and spiritual care to professional and amateur sportswomen and men. In the Diocese of Liverpool we have chaplains supporting football and rugby teams.
Deaf Community
The deaf chaplaincy offers a full range of ministry in British Sign Language (BSL) to approximately 2000 Deaf BSL users, of any faith or none, throughout the diocese, through the Deaf Centres, in parish churches and the cathedral.
WHAT DOES THE CHAPLAINCY OFFER
Access via BSL (British Sign Language) to worship, occasional offices, pastoral care and discipleship.
WHO IS THE CHAPLAINCY FOR
The chaplaincy is for deaf, BSL using people of all ages and their families (whether deaf or hearing) who live in the diocese or who attend one of the deaf centres. People who are learning BSL are also welcome to get involved.
All our services are or can be made accessible, through speech, or written English for example, for people who do not use BSL but would like to attend.
HOW DO PEOPLE ACCESS THE CHAPLAINS
The chaplains are based in the Deaf centres (Liverpool, St Helens, Southport, Wigan and Warrington) and in some parishes and the cathedral which offer regular BSL interpreted services. Just turn up at any service, contact any of the Deaf centres via their websites or the diocesan Deaf Ministry Team via St James House.
Stories from our Chaplains
How you can help make sure your digital church is accessible – Rev Dr Hannah Lewis (Pioneer Minister with the Deaf Community)