Rev Ann Simons was inducted as our Spiritual Care Manager in a poignant service that was both inclusive and moving.

The service was held at the Wesley Place chapel and led by Rev Jay Robinson, Presbytery Minister, Team Leader Port Philip East Presbytery and Rev Clare Brockett, Uniting AgeWell’s Director of Mission.

Clare officiated the solemn proceedings, with Ann vowing in her new role to lead, guide and manage the deliverance of spiritual care across Uniting AgeWell.

As Ann officially accepted the role, Clare, with her much-loved trademark sense of humour, quipped “Well whew!” Clare then placed the symbolic stole around Ann’s neck and gave her a hug.

“Thank you,” Ann said. “If ‘thank you’ is the only prayer one says, that is enough. My prayer today is to thank you.” Ann said the service felt like a “home coming” in her new role which involved stepping away from 20 years in congregational ministry.

Chaplains from our residential sites across Victoria and Tasmania attended, with Ann arranging for many to play pivotal roles in the inclusive ceremony. “I felt it was important to include as many as possible,” said Ann. “We are a team, that’s what teamwork is all about.”

Kirsty Brown played the piano; Chris Booth led the Acknowledgement of Country; Alisha Fung led one prayer; Marianne Pauls did the first reading, with Daniel Farmsworth doing the second; while Marge Johnson, Vic Pitman-Jones and Pauline Simpson brought the symbolic bread, wine and the Bible to the table. The service concluded with prayers by Chris Turner and Anne Muirhead, with the commission and blessing by the Judy Angwin and Ann Simons.

The vital role chaplains play was summed up by Jay Robinson, who said, “Chaplains serve on the frontline of suffering – we are present in places where hope is hard to find. We stand in that space not to dominate or convert, but to bear witness.” She said chaplains needed to enter into someone’s pain without needing to fix it – rather to truly listen. To be there, rooted in compassion, integrity and humility. “To walk with God, slowly, honestly and in step with grace. Humility is not weakness, but the stuff of real ministry.”

The rest of the day was devoted to a chaplaincy workshop with the chaplains also enjoying a shared lunch where they had the opportunity to swap stories about their day- to-day roles in delivering compassionate, safe, holistic care offered to people across all faiths and spirituality and none.