A very useful conversation with the Director of the Gift of Years (BRF) - leading my thoughts around ‘Sensing God’ and the spiritual life of people living with dementia back to the practicalities of local church life.
Much talk about the Generations Project as a whole and the similarities with Anna Chaplaincy - highlighting the fact that Anna Chaplaincy has a heavy focus on liturgical worship while GP has tried to incorporate sensory activities in its worship to a greater extent.
My ‘bee in the bonnet’ was in mind - namely the relationship of chaplaincy to the mission of the local church, so I was again stressing the ethos of the GP as enabling the church that already exists in care homes, rather than ‘taking it in’. In relation to people with dementia this is as important, so we are not viewing a ‘category of people’ who need particular care, but enabling and encouraging individuals in their spiritual lives.
The ‘one-to-one’ nature of ministry to older folk and those in care homes was emphasised between us, which is even clearer in relation to people with dementia - in that ‘when you have met one person with dementia you have met one person with dementia’.
Both because of the use of sensory activity and because BRF sponsor Messy Church this was part of our conversation. BRF are promoting MC for older people ‘Vintage Messy’.
Reflections
Much talk about the Generations Project as a whole and the similarities with Anna Chaplaincy - highlighting the fact that Anna Chaplaincy has a heavy focus on liturgical worship while GP has tried to incorporate sensory activities in its worship to a greater extent.
My ‘bee in the bonnet’ was in mind - namely the relationship of chaplaincy to the mission of the local church, so I was again stressing the ethos of the GP as enabling the church that already exists in care homes, rather than ‘taking it in’. In relation to people with dementia this is as important, so we are not viewing a ‘category of people’ who need particular care, but enabling and encouraging individuals in their spiritual lives.
The ‘one-to-one’ nature of ministry to older folk and those in care homes was emphasised between us, which is even clearer in relation to people with dementia - in that ‘when you have met one person with dementia you have met one person with dementia’.
Both because of the use of sensory activity and because BRF sponsor Messy Church this was part of our conversation. BRF are promoting MC for older people ‘Vintage Messy’.
Reflections
- Need to ensure that what is done with those with dementia particularly in mind is done generally with all. This so that folk are not singled out but also to support the notion of a ‘dementia friendly church’. (concern that guidance to enable churches to be ‘dementia friendly’ tend to identify those with dementia as a distinct group).
- Continuing the development of sensory activity as part of ‘worship’ in care homes, but also creating opportunities in SURC, enabling those who may find the intellectual demands of regular worship to explore faith in different ways.
- Focus on ‘one-to-one’ - seeking how it is that individuals discern God in their lives. This reflected also in each using the ‘language’ of their choice to express their faith.