Norfolk hospital chaplains bring peace and hope

Mark Taylor is a hospital chaplain based in Cromer, and sees part of his role as bringing Jesus into people’s lives during times of pain and difficulty. Tony Rothe reports.

Mark originally trained to be a Therapy Radiographer, giving radiotherapy to patients living with cancer. It is whilst training for this that he came to faith in the Coventry Elim Pentecostal Church. Following an injury, he trained for Baptist Ministry whilst at Sheringham Baptist Church, through Spurgeon’s Bible College. Having ministered at Sheringham, Wick, and finally ten happy years at Carleton Rode Baptist Church Mark felt called to the Chaplaincy at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital Foundation Trust, which includes the Norfolk and Norwich hospital, Cromer Hospital, Norfolk Kidney Centre, and other admin sites around the city.
 
Mark says, “It seemed that God had called me to faith through training for a hospital vocation, and then through my Ministerial formation, and those experiences prepared me to re-enter the hospital environment to care for people’s spiritual needs. Chaplaincy really is a privileged position. I always think that when something wonderful happens in life we share that openly with people around us, but when the very difficult things happen we are quite selective of who we allow into those moments. My hope is that we continue to bring peace and hope when we come as invited guests into people’s most challenging times.”
 
Hospital Chaplaincy in Norfolk has now rebranded as Spiritual Healthcare, and consists of a team of seven chaplains and a supporting group of volunteers, who are there to offer compassionate care and spiritual support to all - to be alongside people through life’s experiences. Mark says the chaplains have no agenda or tick list, but aim to simply be present with patients, relatives, and staff to offer support through the ordinary and extraordinary times.
 
“As a team we care for people from cradle to grave; being there for families when their children are poorly or die, caring on the wards, available to A&E, being with patients at the end of their life to offer a final prayer and blessing, conducting funerals on behalf of the trust, and also conducting baptisms and emergency marriages (where someone may be approaching the end of their life)”.
 
Another aspect of the work is to care for parents whose pregnancy results in loss. Once a patient reaches 13 weeks of gestation, then if that baby is lost chaplains are called to care for the family, to support them in their grief and then perhaps helping them plan for burial or cremation, and then taking them through to conducting the service. “We have many emotional links with these precious parents” Mark said.
 
Mark Taylor is based at Cromer hospital, and his particular focus is with youngsters who have mental health issues which often manifest through self-harm, eating disorders, etc. He talks about the privilege of chaplaincy, supporting people during moments of pain and difficulty. "Suddenly people want something bigger than themselves. We bring the presence of Jesus with us. I tell people ‘Christ will stand with you and be faithful in these moments when you need him.’"
 
The chaplains are in the process of putting together a “RISE” pack for teens to engage with their feelings and emotions whilst they are in hospital, based on patients’ suggestions and needs they identified. They are working with those patients to produce something which will hopefully be helpful to future patients. The postcard, right, was designed by a teen patient who had suffered a traumatic loss, and is for handing out to others who are struggling.
 
Mark went on to explain that he has been supporting a particular teenage patient who was in hospital for over eight weeks. “During that time a relationship of trust was built up between her and me, and with her Mum. It was a delight to see how simple sustained care and the offer of prayer strengthened and equipped this girl to cope with her overwhelming feelings and urges. Before she left hospital I was asked by her and her Mum to baptise her. We did this on the paediatric ward with the nursing staff all there to support and encourage her.”
 
Mark said that the chaplains would welcome prayers for their own mental/ emotional/ and spiritual wellbeing, as the emotional demands of the role can sometimes be difficult to sustain. As well as praying for the staff and patients, Mark asks for prayers that the chaplaincy would continue to be widely welcomed and trusted throughout the whole of the Trust.
 
"We hear what people are struggling with deep inside - not just physically. We get the opportunity to share scriptures and maybe to pray with them. And we will ask 'Can I bless you'?  - very few people refuse a blessing! We do, of course, have the promise that as we draw near to God, God draws near to us."

The photo of Mark is courtesy of Helen Baldry.  

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