At the start of 2014 I met with Chic Lidstone regional Co-ordinator of Work Place Chaplaincy Scotland (WPCS) for a coffee, and little did I know it at the time but a new opportunity to lovingly serve the people of Inverness was about to open up.

I believe we all have a personal mission, and it is simply to Love God with all my heart, soul, mind and strength; and love my neighbour as myself… simples… and what is required.. that too is simple… it just takes all your life, time, priorities, ambitions, hopes, vision, tears and prayers to work out.

Sometimes finding out the ‘how’ can be the tricky bit… but for me the conversation with Chic about chaplaincy revealed another piece of the ‘how’ for the work of re:connect here in the city of Inverness.

What is Work Place Chaplaincy?

“Work Place Chaplaincy aims to offer relevant pastoral & spiritual support to people where they are – in the setting of their daily work and individual lives. The chaplain is available to all of all denominations or none, from the managing director to the new-start apprentice.

In every work place where a chaplain is invited to serve, they enjoy a degree of independence from the management structure. This allows chaplains to exercise a conciliatory or intercessory role, when appropriate, which can be valuable both to individuals and to the organisation concerned.” – excerpt from the WPCS website http://www.wpcscotland.co.uk/

So a chaplain brings pastoral, spiritual care to those in the work place – independent of management structures, providing a confidential, listening and caring service to peoples of all faiths (and none).

It is so simple – coming alongside people where they are at – without any pressure or fuss… just what I’ve been working to achieve with re:connect…. I signed up to train as a volunteer chaplain to find out more.

Soon after starting training with WPCS I became aware that there were many people in Inverness who wanted to see chaplaincy develop in the city…

In talking with local business owners, office and shop workers, church leaders, counsellors and politicians – there is a huge need for chaplaincy in the work places of the city… and WPCS recognised this too.

In May 2014 WPCS identified a sessional (part time) role in developing chaplaincy in the city and following an application and interview I was appointed as the first Work Place Chaplain to the City… and I don’t expect that I’ll be the last!

So for a couple of days a week I have started working to develop a chaplaincy team in the city – to find and develop people with a heart to serve the needs of people in the workplace… people willing to go into the field, to work the harvest.

So if you love God and love people – and you have a heart for loving the people of the City of Inverness – let me take you for a coffee and let’s chat about Work Place Chaplaincy… you never know where the conversation might lead!