Good Afternoon everyone, my name is Claire and I am a Hospital Chaplain and a volunteer Chaplain with the Ambulance Service.

It is an honour and a privilege to be serving God through Chaplaincy and I hope to share some experiences with you today.

When responding to a call from God to go into Chaplaincy - I felt very drawn to the passage “Comfort, O Comfort my people says your God” Isaiah 40. Through a time of prayer and reflection the doors quickly opened in the direction of Hospital Chaplaincy. This was unusual as there was a time where I couldn't even set foot in a doctor's surgery without feeling anxious. However, God uses all our experiences, especially through our own healing, to then go and heal others.

Many people ask me what a Chaplain does and what their role is. I describe it like this. Being a Chaplain is going out into the world, to the margins of society, to the forgotten corners, to those struggling and in a crisis or trauma, and bringing them Gods love through the sacrament of presence.

It's finding the wells of life - like the woman at the well, Jesus approaches the Samaritan woman against all odds to offer her the living water - where are the difficult parts of life? Who needs to receive this living water the most? We need to seek them out - for me this is a busy A&E department. Where can you find the “wells”? If God calls you to one of these places He will be with you and He will sustain you.

We are a listening ear, we hold the space for people, we are a reminder of God's love, a glimmer of light in a dark world, someone to read end of life prayers, someone to comfort in extreme distress, someone to sit alongside the lonely and forgotten. We bring communion to the bedside of the sick, hymns and music to brighten a gloomy outlook. We baptise those who are about to pass away, babies and adults. I have been out on the ambulance a few times now - the very first time I helped administer CPR on a patient alongside the crews - although the patient sadly passed away I was able to do end of life prayers at the scene and support the families and crews - each encounter has been a blessing.

We journey through the valley of the shadow of death with people, affirming and sustaining their faith. Although I have seen many deaths, it has strengthened my own faith further seeing how the body left behind is an empty shell - the soul has gone.

And of course we pray - prayer is constant though for me. It never ends. Each breath is a prayer. We heal through prayer and we bring comfort and love.

Although I never know what I will walk in to - I've seen some really difficult things - I know God is by my side.

On a course recently I learnt about the Breath Prayer - on breathing in we say “and yet I am always with you” on breathing out we say “you hold me by my right hand” this is powerful tool to use in intense situations, especially when we may feel triggered or upset by something.

I often go and stay with the Catholic Nuns who reside in Arundel. They have some beautiful music which I will play at the end of my talk - Soon after I became employed by the hospital, I started bringing music and hymns to patients rooms and wards via a small speaker - the power of a hymn to someone in a dark place and the peace that can fill a room of a dying patient with the beautiful music sung by the Poor Clares, is transformative.

One of my favourite hymns is “I the Lord of Sea and Sky” the words “here I am Lord, is it I Lord? I have heard you calling in the night, I will go Lord, if you lead me, I will hold your people in my heart” has always really moved me, it speaks to me about Chaplaincy and entering this vocation with God, who with Him all things are possible, He is in control and leading me and I must always trust in Him.

This morning was the funeral of one of our members of the congregation here - Mark. I also had the privilege of walking alongside Mark as Hospital Chaplain. Through sharing music, Psalm 23, images, scripture and prayer together, Mark saw out his journey of faith confidently and with great peace. In his own words - he wanted for nothing. I'm going to show you some images we have in the Sanctuary area in the Hospital - these were positioned at the end of Mark's hospital bed - as you can see - he knew he was walking through the shadow of death, but he had his eyes firmly fixed on the light.

Being a Chaplain isn't easy - I rely on the support and prayers of those who surround me in my life - I wouldn't be able to do this vocation without that help. And each time I go out to the hospital I pray “Come Lord Jesus” as I'm walking through hospital corridors and before entering patients rooms - I rely on the Holy Spirit to guide my words and actions - my faith has grown deeper and deeper through the establishment of this trust.

Chaplains are described as Gods hands and feet - I strive to be self-forgetful, to be an empty vessel for God to work through. I am a servant of God and I aim to always go out and serve Him. Although we are empty handed, I often leave with a very full heart - I have experienced Gods presence in abundance - especially when walking into the ITU. Certain places can be described as “thin places” they are spaces where the boundary between heaven and earth is close - where we feel the peace and presence of Jesus.

Going back to the verse “Comfort, O Comfort my people days your God” - this is something we can all do as Christians each and every day, no matter what are location is. We can do this through what is written in 2 Corinthians 1:4 God “who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God”

We are all servants of God - we are made visible through the light and love of God shining out of our eyes and into the world, into those in our company - we are showing God's love through our presence, our actions and our words. Let us always strive to show that love, because God is love.

The world needs more love right now, especially in the margins - let's strive to spread glimmers of light and hope, peace and love to those in deep need.

As we are sent out each week - to go out in peace to love and serve the Lord - Let's do the work of Jesus.

I'm going to end with a blessing which speaks to my heart and a piece of music from the Poor Clares of Arundel - Path of Happiness - which is what we are all surely walking with God living in our hearts. Also, another reading from the Bible, this time Deuteronomy which is something I've had on a poster on my wall since childhood and it still speaks to me clearly “the Lord himself goes before you and will be with you, He will never leave you nor forsake you, do not be afraid. Do not be discouraged.”

We can confidently walk forward with faith, knowing that God goes before us and will be alongside us in all situations we face in our life. His presence will uphold and help us.

And if anyone is interested in becoming a volunteer in the chaplaincy team in the hospital or the ambulance - please come and speak with me after or drop me an email.

Thank you for listening!

God Bless and Amen.

Blessing:

Christ has no body now on earth but yours,

No hands but yours,

No feet but yours.

Yours are the eyes through which Christs compassion cares for the people of the world.

Yours are the feet with which Christ is to go about doing good.

Yours are the hands through which Christ now brings a blessing.

So I promise each day, to keep awake.

To live each moment to the full,

To look with eyes of compassion,

And to act with kindness,

Teresa of Avila and Jim Cotter.