Scottish Workplace Chaplaincy

Imagine walking through your nearest shopping centre and noticing one of the stores has a closing down sale. ‘Up to 70% off’. You can’t resist a browse, and to your delight manage to snag a few bargains. You are feeling really pleased with yourself as the sales assistant bags your purchases, and can’t resist grinning. Imagine now how the sales assistant feels, presenting the smiling face of good customer service to you, while masking the anxiety that increases as the final store closure date approaches, and he will be out of work.

HIGHLIGHT NOVEMBER 2023

Or what about the woman who, unlike her colleagues, loves coming into the office in the morning, and dreads the end of the day. She smiles at the teasing about her romantic, attentive husband who drops her off and picks her up each day. But they don’t know about the bruises she hides, or the extent to which her every movement is scrutinised. She can’t ask for help – he checks her phone and laptop, controls her finances, and woe betide she is two minutes late coming out at the end of the day. Those hours at work are the nearest she gets to being free.

What about the factory workers who’ve just heard that their colleague has been killed in a traffic accident. The manager is as upset as his staff, but doesn’t know what to do to help them get through this time.

Or what if you had questions – questions about the meaning of life, your purpose, what happens after death – but don’t know who to ask or to talk to?

Now imagine there was someone in each of these workplaces whose only role was to listen, to support and serve. What a difference it would make to have someone to talk to – someone who was completely objective, who was there for you, not for the company’s share price or profit margin. Imagine being able to ask for help when there is nowhere else that is safe for you to do so, and imagine being able to work with someone to offer a grieving workforce a space to mourn, and to celebrate the life of a friend and colleague.

This is the difference that Workplace Chaplains are making in offices, shops, factories and other places of work all across Scotland. Following on from Work Place Chaplaincy Scotland, which ceased operating about a year ago, Faith Action has taken up the role of supporting workplace chaplaincy volunteers under the banner of Scottish Workplace Chaplaincy.

“going to them, not waiting for them to come to us ”

Chaplaincy is often overlooked and underestimated, but the service of chaplains in hospitals, prisons, schools, universities, the armed services, and many other places is a form of ministry that takes church beyond the walls of our sanctuary buildings to where people live their lives. Within this broader picture, Scottish Workplace Chaplaincy is one sector which is being supported directly by Faith Action. Currently, over 30 trained volunteers are supporting workforces by listening and serving. Their desire is to see God’s light reflected in secular space and they are meeting people in Christ’s name, who generally would have no other connection with the church. They get to know people, developing relationships and building trust, being available to help with no strings attached.

Over the next year Faith Action wants to recruit and train at least another 70 workplace chaplaincy volunteers. They will be working across the country supporting people of all faiths and none, and we are inviting you to get involved;

• Is this something that you might feel a call to? Can you see yourself in this role? Even if you have no experience, we would be happy to explore this with you, and to provide all the necessary training.

• Does your congregation have workplaces in its parish? Grab a piece of paper and list them all – the schools and offices, dentists and factories, fire stations and car showrooms, cinemas and mail sorting offices. Would your church be prepared to support a chaplaincy volunteer to support workers in your community, most of whom are currently beyond the reach of the church?

• Are there any Workplace Chaplains in your Presbytery? There are ways in which you can support them, and also encourage recruitment and deployment within the Presbytery.

• Finally, are you a business owner or manager who can see how this would support your workforce, and help to build a healthy work space and culture.

To explore any of these opportunities please get in touch, and we look forward to discovering new possibilities with you. Contact either Lesley Hamilton-Messer lhamiltonmesser@churchofscotland.org. uk or Rob Rawson rrawson@ churchofscotland.org.uk.