Chaplain's Blog: David Southall on life outside the four walls of a church

I’ve met with a deaf-blind patient and heard of their struggles with communication. I’ve spent time listening to someone with a profound mental health problem, trying, for a moment at least, to imagine what life is like with such scary thoughts.

And I’ve supported my friend, a clergyman, who is in for diagnosis and treatment and had the joy of hearing of his achievements, as well as praying for him.

And there have been many more interactions with staff as well as patients. And each time I hope I can offer a bit of spiritual care. That might mean talking about the big questions people have; it might be talking about people’s passions and my own (yes including fishing and motorbikes); but mostly it will be forming a relationship and listening. But in these Covid-times I have been reflecting on whether I should be doing something different… many of us have thought about this, if my conversations with others are anything to go by.

READ MORE: The clapping's over but the thanks go on

I have been wondering whether, at 56, I was too old for the job; whether I have the stamina; or whether I was past my sell-by-date in the Trust. And then a friend said to me: “you would never meet such a range of people as you do if you went back to a church!”

It made me think. Chaplaincy is just that; meeting and being with a range of people. Whether it is laughing with staff friends, meeting people in need or taking a turn selling fruit on the stall in my lunch break.

So often church life tends to keep itself to itself. It can often err on the side of catering for its “members” and forget those outside the organisation.

Of course the best churches meet both outside and inside needs, but my bet is that most vicars don’t see the wide range and diversity of people that I get to see.

It seems to me that Jesus was much more suited to being a chaplain than being a vicar. So perhaps I’ll give a few more years yet!