Two ministers have been commissioned as ‘Anna Chaplains’, dedicated to supporting the older members of the Seaton and Beer communities. 

Seaton residents Mary Casey and Reverend Ali Finch were commissioned in a service in Exeter led by the Bishop of Crediton on Sunday, December 18. 

Anna Chaplaincy is a charity offering training and networking for church ministers, enabling them to offer high quality spiritual care to elderly people and those with dementia. The charity is named after the widow Anna who features with Simeon in the gospel of St Luke; both Anna and Simeon are good role models of faithful older people. It is a ministry of the Bible Reading Fellowship, and aims to provide the older generation with as strong a link with their local church as they would like; this may be simply a listening ear or an offer of friendship. Anna Chaplains make sure that an older person’s communal and personal spiritual life is not brought to an end by mobility problems, ill-health, cognitive difficulties or a move to a care home. 

Seaton and Beer’s population of over 65s is above the national average with many living in care homes or receiving support to remain in their own homes, often alone. 

Mary and Ali undertook specialist training in order to join a network of around 250 Anna Chaplains in the UK. They are both connected to the churches of the Coastal Mission Community; St Gregory’s in Seaton and St Michael’s in Beer.  

Priest-in-Charge Reverend Justin Montague said: “We are so excited to support Ali and Mary as they reach out to support and share God’s love and care with the older members of our communities. Yes, the next generation and families are vitally important, but equally so are the older members of our communities, who are so often left behind or an afterthought in terms of services and the provision of social and spiritual support and yet offer so much.” 

To find out more about Anna Chaplains, visit the website www.annachaplaincy.org.uk or call the Coastal Mission Community office on 01297 23656.