Five benefices working together for faith and the future
Older People Ministry
There are a variety of activities across the deanery focused on ministering to older people. Clergy and lay ministers conduct regular services at Langford View, Launton Grange, and Wyndham Hall care homes, providing opportunities for worship, fellowship, and pastoral support.
In 2024, we facilitated the Anna Chaplaincy course for several people who are passionate about ministry among older people. This helped to deepen our understanding of the spiritual, emotional, and pastoral needs of older generations and enriched our approach to this area of ministry.
With an increasingly ageing population, ministry among older people is becoming ever more important. Many older individuals face challenges such as loneliness, bereavement, declining health, and reduced mobility. The Church has a vital role to play in offering companionship, spiritual care, and opportunities for people to remain connected to their communities and to grow in faith throughout later life.
The Older People's Potting Shed is led by Roger Winson, who can be contacted at rogerwinson@btinternet.com.
Care Home Ministry
The older people potting shed team currently conducts regular visits to three residential care homes.
Langford View: Weekly service every Wednesday at 2:30 pm, typically attended by 10 to 20 residents.
Launton Grange: Fortnightly service every other Wednesday at 2:30 pm, with a small number of attendees.
Wyndham Hall: Fortnightly visits every other Thursday.
Two separate teams of ministers are involved, one for Langford View and Launton Grange, and another for Wyndham Hall.
The Langford View and Launton Grange team comprises ministers from Elim, Zion Way, St Edburg’s, and Town Church. While the format is at the discretion of the presiding minister, services usually include hymns, readings, prayers, and stories. Ministers have the freedom to set the weekly theme, ensuring inclusion of major Christian festivals. The rota for Langford View and Launton Grange is managed by the Greenhouse project administrator, who sends out availability requests three times a year via a doodle poll.
The Wyndham Hall team comprises two ECB ministers, occasionally assisted by volunteers. One minister conducts monthly services outside of major Christian festivals, while the other conducts monthly pastoral visits and administers Holy Communion during Easter and leads a Christmas Carol Service. Additionally, they are available for providing Last Prayers for the dying.
If you're interested in participating in care home ministry as a leading minister or helper, please reach out. Shadowing shifts can be arranged, and there is no minimum commitment; any assistance will be greatly appreciated.
Anna Chaplaincy
Supporting Older People Spiritually
Our ministry among older people has been enriched by exploring the Anna Chaplaincy approach, developed by BRF to enhance the spiritual care of older people. In February 2024, we welcomed Anna Chaplaincy leader Debbie Ducille to Bicester for a well-attended workshop, which provided valuable insights and encouraged fruitful discussion about ministry in later life.
Building on this, during 2024–25 the deanery facilitated the eight-week Spiritual Care Series. Through engaging materials and shared learning, participants explored topics including the ageing process, spirituality in later life, communication, storytelling, dementia, grief and loss, and the importance of healthy boundaries and self-care. The course deepened our understanding of the spiritual needs of older people and strengthened our confidence and skills in offering compassionate and meaningful spiritual care.
Participants described the course as a rich and valuable experience that equipped them more effectively for ministry with older people. While we do not currently have a formal Anna Chaplain within the deanery, we continue to benefit from the wisdom, resources and insights of the Anna Chaplaincy framework and remain open to future opportunities for developing this ministry further.
If you would like to know more about Anna Chaplaincy or the Spiritual Care Series, please visit the BRF website.
