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Contents Soundings:12

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SACH  Soundings
 No 12 December 2002

Page 2

Hospital garden gets a musical blessing

A specially composed piece of music was played in the Chaplaincy Garden at the Balfour Hospital in Kirkwall as part of the dedication of the garden by the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. The Right Reverend Finlay Macdonald gave a Prayer of Blessing before unveiling a plaque carved from Eday sandstone depicting a dove, recording his visit.

The musical composition called “Journeys” was written by Gemma McGregor for flute and cello. Dr Linda Hamilton, on cello, joined Gemma in playing the newly written piece. Gemma said she was interested in composing a piece of community music that could be used in the hospital setting to comfort people who had reached a junction in their lives. “The challenge was to compose a piece of music that would appeal to any age or background. Music can be part of the healing process and is therapeutic in getting in touch with ones feelings.” The music will be used on an audio cassette so that visually impaired visitors to the garden can listen to a description of the spiritual side of the garden accompanied by some comforting music.

In blessing the garden, the Moderator said: “May this garden be a place of renewal and refreshment, a place of beauty and peace, thus contributing to the healing and health, strength and wholeness of all who will spend time here.”

Mike Ward
Chaplain at
The Balfour Hospital
Kirkwall

The Scottish Churches Committee on Healthcare Chaplaincy met on 1st October.  Among our first concerns was the future of the committee.  

Jim Allardyce and John Thomson had a meeting with Tom Moyes of ACTS in September to discuss the future of the committee.  It was suggested that as ACTS was proposing to form networks, the committee could contribute to the life of ACTS as an associated ecumenical group.  The Church and Society Network was suggested as  appropriate.  An arrangement such as this would not restrict our involvement in other networks if our expertise were required or offered.  Those present at Dunblane approved of this and went on to discuss the possible implications for the committee of the SEDH guidelines when they are published. 

There was a long discussion on Registration of Chaplains and Spiritual Care Givers.  It was reported that the College of Health Care Chaplains is pressing ahead with its application to have Chaplaincy registered as a Health Care Profession.  The committee has no trouble with this, but did express concern that SACH and Association of Hospice and Palliative Care Chaplains had been left out of the application process.  The College representative on the committee expressed his surprise at this and agreed to raise the matter with the Scottish Branch officials. 

Fred Coutts spoke about the Consultation of the European Network of Health Care Chaplaincy held in Finland and urged members to forward the copy of The Standards for Health Care Chaplaincy in Europe to their denominational officers for information and comment.
 South Glasgow University Hospitals Trust had, at the time of the meeting, advertised for applicants for the post of Chaplaincy Coordinator.  The Trust asked John Thomson if a member of SCCHCC would be willing to serve on the interview panel to be an ecumenical representative.  The committee agreed and nominated Jim Allardyce to represent them. 

Jim Allardyce
Hospital Chaplain
Wishaw General Hospital

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