Earlier this month, following an accident, I had my first journey in an ambulance. At high speed and with blue lights flashing, the lovely paramedics enquired about my occupation. They responded by waxing lyrical about their station chaplain whose care they described as ‘absolutely amazing’. I enjoyed a moment of deep pride in my colleagues.

This week, as we commemorate Luke the beloved physician, I give thanks for all in healing professions and in particular for our clergy in parishes, schools and chaplaincies. I also think they are ‘absolutely amazing’. Perhaps I can encourage us to revisit the Guildford Clergy Wellbeing Covenant which we launched last year as part of our way of caring for them?

I also want to express sincere thanks this week to St Luke’s for the Clergy. Founded in 1892, this charity works hard to ‘care for the carers’ and has provided medical support to 60 clergy in our diocese in the past 3 years. If you’d be interested in contributing to their work, either through medical expertise or financial contribution, do be in touch with me.

Archdeacon Paul