Susan McLeod, Senior Chaplain, looks back at a month of celebration of the Diocese’s chaplains
Throughout the month the Adelaide Anglican Diocese focused on raising awareness and giving thanks for the Chaplaincy that Anglicans are offering across Adelaide’s Health and Community sectors and our Anglicare SA organisation.
Two main events take place during the month. Each parish in the Diocese is asked to host a chaplain to preach about their experience as a chaplain. Fourteen parishes said yes to this offer and parishes from the Barossa in the North through to St Mary’s in the South heard about and celebrated chaplaincy on various Sundays in May.
The second event was a worship service held at St Peter’s Cathedral at North Adelaide.
This year was the second year that the service has been held and our chaplains, and their supporters were invited, and invitations went out to the ecumenical chaplaincy community to gather together to give thanks to God and to have an important opportunity to meet together.
Around 60 people gathered many of whom took part in the service leading prayers, reading the Bible, playing music and singing. Bishop Denise preached, and I led the service.
The prayers were beautiful in their deep meaning written and read by Rev’d Les Underwood Uniting SA, Rev’d Carol Cornwall Anglicare SA Staff Support Chaplain South, Rev’d Paul Tyler Lifecare Chaplain, Rev’d Samson Asirvatham Anglicare SA Residential Aged Care Chaplain at Grange and Brompton, Rev’d Bev Armstrong, Volunteer Spiritual Care Visitor Prison Ministry.
The music was uplifting played by Paul Miller, Alison Miller, Samuel Miller, Naomi Miller, Charlie, Chris McLeod, Peter Brown, Joan Claring-Bould, Jo Smith, Shelley Alexander, Jill, and Ben Falcon.
During the middle of the lighting of small candles represented ‘an act of love and light’. God is love and those who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. Christ is the light of the world, and we carry that love and light into the community through our service.
Bishop Denise sent us all out with a Blessing:
Go now and proclaim the Gospel, not just through works, but deeds: Through what you say, what you do and who you are. May others as they meet with you, meet with Christ and know his living presence for themselves. And the blessing of God Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Be with you and remain with you, and those whom you love and pray for: this day and always. Amen.
The service was a joyous time of worship.
