At a time when we are hearing about the growing secular nature of our society, it may be surprising to hear that, in Bath and Wells, almost every month there is a call from an organisation enquiring about getting a chaplain. The calls come from all types of settings - from private companies, public sector organisations and educational institutions – and in the last six years, over 60 new chaplaincies have been established.
Mike Haslam, Chaplaincy Lead for Bath and Wells says, “While some chaplaincies have been initiated by local churches, the overwhelming majority have been requested by the organisations themselves, and they have mostly never before had any Christian or other spiritual ministry in their setting. People are seeking the spiritual Christian presence a chaplain can offer - it continues to amaze me, and I thank God for it.”
Chaplains in Bath and Wells come in all forms – lay and ordained, full time and part time, young and old, from all Christian denominations. They can be found in schools and hospitals, but also in golf clubs and the courts, walking the hedgerows and at power stations.
Explaining their popularity, Mike says, “Chaplains are part of the team where they are based – dealing with the same codes, policies, culture and joys, but no-one has to talk to a chaplain so there is also that element of being a guest that can prove very powerful.”
While chaplaincy is going from strength to strength in Bath and Wells, and across the country, it’s not all sunshine and roses.
Mike explains, “It can be a vulnerable position. It's not always easy to measure a chaplaincy’s success within the frameworks of either organisation or the church. However, I have enormous hope for the future of chaplaincy as together with our churches we seek to share with our communities the good news of Jesus.”
Find out more about Chaplaincy in Bath and Wells, including our new Chaplaincy Podcasts.
This article featured in the October 2023 edition of the Manna mailing.