This is a text-only version of an article first published on Friday, 14 November 2014. Information shown on this page may no longer be current.
On the edge or at the centre? That's the question that will be raised by a conference this month bringing together chaplains from hospitals, prisons, schools and colleges and town centres. Organised by the Ven.
Martin Gorick, the Archdeacon of Oxford, the event will see the former Archbishop of Canterbury, Lord Williams of Oystermouth (better known as Dr Rowan Williams, pictured right) as the keynote speaker. Martin, whose role includes a special responsibility for chaplaincy work, says: "The senior staff really value the work of our chaplains.
Their ministry is front line in the same way that parish priest ministry is front line.
Chaplaincy reaches areas traditional parish ministry can't reach. "And it is a role that hits a key demographic for the Church of England.
"Chaplains are working with a higher proportion of young people than you would find in a parish church.
On the census the groups coming out as less religious are students, and people in their 20s and 30s.
These are people in the Forces, in universities and schools and, unfortunately, in our prisons"I have spent a day with a chaplain in a prison and a day with the Coldstream Guards in Windsor as they were just about to go off on a tour of duty in Afghanistan.
I've had a day meeting the chaplaincy team at the John Radcliffe and Churchill hospitals in Oxford, and serve on the chaplaincy council at Oxford Brookes University," says Martin, who has also visited chaplains at Wellington and Eton Colleges.
We have around a hundred chaplains working in the diocese, full and part time, some self-supporting.
"With only around a day a month to give to this work I can't spend days with them all, but a conference seemed an ideal way to gather this key group together. "The theme of "On the Edge or at the Centre" arose after conversations with chaplains.
"They feel they are on the edge of the Church because they will be the only Anglican minister in a specific place.
They can feel on the edge of their secular institution too but at the same time they are at the centre of the Church's mission to often unchurched young people and young adults. " Are they on the edge or at the centre? "I would say they are both at the same time," says Martin, who was previously a chaplain for the Royal Shakespeare Company. He likened the role of a chaplain to that of the fool in Shakespeare's plays.
"The fool is the person closest to the king or queen.
They are at the centre of an institution yet on the edge at the same time.
One role is to cheer people up, making people feel better about themselves.
They also help the leaders to ask key questions of themselves. " Perhaps a chaplain has that role? "You can definitely see that in the lives of some chaplains.
There is a role in 'speaking the truth to power' and a chaplain can have that gently subversive role.
It's a very important part to play. "Martin was delighted that Rowan Williams had agreed to speak.
"He's a great speaker and it's a tremendous affirmation to our chaplains that he is prepared to come and give up time to meet with them and share his thoughts and reflections.
He will celebrate Communion at the end of the day and also meet young people at the college.
I'm very much looking forward to his keynote speech.
As Archbishop he was 'Chaplain to the Nation' in a way and I know he will have interesting things to share. "The conference takes place on 10 December at Wellington College.
Go to www. eventsforce. net/chaplainsconference2014 to book.