Chaplain Report

Westmorland/Kent & Albert Baptist Associations
CHAPLAIN’S REPORT

May 31, 2015

Dear Association Members

I am grateful for the opportunity to present this report of your Chaplaincy Ministry to the Moncton and George Dumont Hospitals. For approximately 25 years our two Associations have joined together to provide prayer, encouragement and the necessary financial support for this ministry.

I am also very grateful for the guidance and advice of our Baptist Chaplaincy Committee. We meet together five times each year to discuss the ministry and any issues that I might be dealing with. They provide not only encouragement but the needed accountability structure on behalf of our Associations.

On April 30th I completed my first full year as your Chaplain. During this time I was able to make 1977 visits on your behalf. Dr. Rick Thomas and Helena Evans
also made 28 visits when I was away, bringing the annual total to 2005 visits.

The majority of these visits were with patients but the total includes 20 significant
conversations with hospital staff. These conversations are increasing as I become a more familiar face in our hospitals. Many of these visits include extending concern and support for the patient s family this is especially true in palliative care situations.

Approximately one third of my visits have been with Baptists who have no specific congregation. This means they have lost or never had a close connection with any
specific Baptist church. Some have lost their connection for health reasons being no longer able to attend and often ending up with a change of residence. In addition, pastoral changes often lead to a further loss of contact. There are many others who have not attended for decades or have been hurt through some past experience. In these cases it takes time to build trust. A sensitive and caring response is necessary
in order to begin re-establishing a link.

I am also sensing a need for more prayer support as I serve on your behalf. I will be asking each church in our two associations to choose one week out of each year for
focused prayer for this ministry. This would involve including the Chaplaincy in prayer during your worship service(s), mid-week prayer times, bulletin prayer requests and encouraging daily prayer on an individual basis.

I am available to make additional visits for Pastors who are on holiday. If you would like to contact me, please call 734-2025 (home), 875-1916(cell) or e-mail me at [email protected]

Thank you for this special privilege of partnering with you in our two hospitals

Rev. Dean MacDonald