case studies
Rev Simon Harvey
Simon is using his Ministry Bursary Award to support a journey. However, this is no ordinary trip. Simon plans to walk 500 miles from Paris to his home and parish of Oadby in the Diocese of Leicester. “I’ve always loved journeys,” Simon explains “I love my job, and it will be very hard to leave it, but it is good to get away once in a while.”
Considering the distance Simon is planning to cover, it comes as a bit of a shock to hear him say: “walking isn’t something I’ve done a lot of in the past.” But he is enjoying the training and feels that part of the benefit of this challenge will be in the preparation.
Unlike other pilgrimages or journeys, Simon has chosen to walk towards, not away from his home. He explains: “It makes sense to walk back to my family and friends and to the place where I am needed. I’m not walking to escape all of that, just to catch up with some other people and places that are important to me. I’m hoping to return refreshed and rejuvenated.”
You can follow Simon’s progress via his blog here: http://www.simonwalkshome.blogspot.com/
Rev Philip Evans
Philip won a Ministry Bursary Awards to pursue a study of chaplaincy in GP surgeries. Earlier in his career he was a chaplain at an acute teaching hospital, so he is very aware of the importance of spiritual care among patients. With average lengths of stay in hospitals decreasing, a greater proportion of recovery takes place in the community. GP’s surgeries will therefore play an increasingly important role.
Philip explains, “I want to find out whether GPs have thought about the spiritual needs of their patients, and if so how they think they might provide for them.” He is interested to discover what links parish churches have with their local GP surgeries, if any at all. In Philip’s experience, “when prayer is offered, people always say yes please”. If he finds that the Church’s links with GP surgeries are weak, he plans to suggest ways in which we could strengthen them.
