Custody Chaplains needed for Somerset

Just had this from our Churches Together mailing:

Did you know that from July this year all the custody suites at police stations in Somerset (apart from Yeovil) will be closing? From then anybody arrested within an area from Porlock to Wells to Weston-super-Mare and even beyond will be taken to a brand new custody facility in Bridgwater. Many of these people will be frightened and far from home so the search is on more volunteer Custody Chaplains. There is an urgent need for Christians who are loving listeners, non-judgmental and prayerful. The police are very supportive of this ministry and full training is given. Please spread the word! For more information email ChAT enquiries@westonchat.org.uk or phone 01934 643533

Here's an earlier post about the Weston custody chaplains project.

Prayer on the NHS

Helpful article by Fay Wilson Rudd, a local hospital chaplain, on how she tackles the issue of praying with patients, and her take on the recent furore over a nurse offering to pray with patients. It concludes:

As NHS North Somerset has said “...it is acceptable to offer spiritual support as part of care when the patient asks for it...but the initiative lies with the patient and not with the nurse.” To this I would add “or the Chaplain”. This is a view held by many patients; some have said they would expect a chaplain or faith community leader to offer prayer but certainly wouldn’t want a nurse asking to pray with them. Similarly some nurses were uncomfortable with the idea that they might pray with patients even though they prayed regularly for them.