Chaplaincy is one of the quiet strengths of our Diocese – a presence of hope, support, and the love of Jesus placed into everyday life.
From hospitals to schools, prisons to workplaces, and community hubs to sports fields, chaplains step into moments of deep need. They sit with people in grief, confusion, boredom, celebration and fear. They listen when words are hard to find. They speak of the hope that anchors the soul. They do it all in the name of Jesus, who draws near to the brokenhearted and never turns away those who call to him.
This prayer diary invites you to partner with our chaplains in their ministry by upholding them before our gracious God over the next 10 days. Each day focuses on a different area of chaplaincy, showcasing the opportunities our chaplains have to walk alongside people and offer pastoral care.
Every day provides specific ways you can pray for the men and women who serve, the institutions they enter, and the people they meet. Some work in highly structured environments, others navigate unpredictable and emotionally charged settings. All rely on the Spirit’s wisdom and sustaining grace.
May these prayers not only support their work, but also remind us of the great privilege we share: bringing the love and hope of Christ into places where it is most needed.
Day one: Anglicare
There are more than 100 Anglicare chaplains who walk alongside people through Anglicare services. During the past 12 months, more than 7000 people have accessed the support offered by our Anglicare chaplains, who serve those in aged care and retirement villages, hospitals, prisons and also as first responders.
Please pray for all the chaplains who serve, often at the pointy end of people’s lives, showing the love of Jesus through words, actions and prayers. Give thanks for the opportunity chaplains had to provide pastoral care and love to so many people in 2025. Pray that Anglicare chaplains will continue to be a blessing to the community in many ways.
Day two: Anglican schools
There are almost 40 Anglican schools with more than 50,000 students enrolled across the Sydney Diocese. Each school has a chaplain, or chaplaincy team, involved in running chapel services, Bible teaching and pastoral care activities across the school community.
When a student in an Anglican school chooses to explore their faith further, these chaplains have the immense privilege of helping them in this journey through opening God’s word with them. Whether it’s a student, teacher or parent, school chaplains are there to serve.
Give thanks for the many chaplains who work so hard to support their large school communities. Pray for them as they navigate the complexities of caring for so many people through all of life’s triumphs and trials. Pray for the students seeking to investigate their faith further, and pray for wisdom for the chaplains supporting them in this journey.
Day three: Public schools
Many public schools are blessed to have a chaplain as part of their community. Public school chaplaincy comes under the Department of Education’s National Student Wellbeing Program guidelines. This essential support provides social, emotional and pastoral support for students, staff and families, giving Australian children opportunities to participate, learn and grow.
Chaplains have different roles at each school, depending on their skills and the school’s needs. A typical day can range from checking in with teachers to supporting children in the playground, to working one to one with children referred by their teachers. Public school chaplains seek to be pastoral and supportive in all the spaces they are welcomed to do so.
Praise God for the public schools that are able to have a chaplain as part of their school community. Pray for funding to be provided for public school chaplaincy, so that many more schools can access the support and care a chaplain offers.
Day four: Sport
There is a long history of serving sports communities, with many former and current ministers serving, or having served, as chaplains to sporting communities and clubs.
Today, sports chaplaincy has a little over 500 chaplains serving elite, professional and amateur fields of sport, from AFL to swimming, rugby union to cricket. They serve everyone from those playing on the field to administrators, parents and supporters on the sidelines.
Praise God for the number of sports chaplains and the deep history of church support for those involved in sporting communities. Ask God to give chaplains many opportunities to extend love, hope and support.
Provide wisdom to chaplains as they offer pastoral care and connection to each member of sporting clubs and their extended families. Give thanks for the way God’s grace and mercy can reach so many through sports chaplains.
Day five: Community
There are 46 different community chaplains across a variety of suburbs in Sydney and the Illawarra. They’re connecting with people in everyday community spaces such as playgroups, hobbies, sports, court support etc.
Their main task is to love Jesus and love people, which usually involves listening, offering practical support and connecting people with appropriate help and resources to meet their spiritual and pastoral needs.
The vision is to see every community with a community chaplain to offer hope and support. Please pray that this vision would be a reality and that every person in our Diocese would have access to the support and pastoral care of a community chaplain.
Pray for our current chaplains, that they would have the energy and wisdom to support and love the communities they’re involved in. Pray they would have the right words to speak truth about spiritual matters when asked.
Day six: Military
There are more than 300 military chaplains, mostly Christian, working within the Australian Defence Force and caring for serving personnel. They walk alongside those in the Navy, Army and Air Force, as well as their families, standing with them in their darkest moments, providing pastoral care and helping with any moral injury or spiritual wounds that service can inflict on a person.
In addition to ADF chaplains, a pilot program has been established by the Department of Veterans’ Affairs to offer chaplaincy support to transitioning members of the ADF in Townsville, Perth and Brisbane. The Veterans’ Chaplaincy Pilot Program aims to provide spiritual health support and pastoral care, both during transition to civilian life and in crises or high-intensity events.
Please pray for all these chaplains as they seek to walk alongside service personnel of all faiths and none, as well as their families. Please pray for members of the ADF as they serve their nation during an increasingly complex time.
Day seven: Surf lifesaving
Surf Life Saving Australia is one of the largest volunteer movements in the world, with almost 200,000 members and 314 affiliated clubs. Surf lifesavers are often the first responders to horrific events at our beaches.
Around Australia, there are nearly 70 surf lifesaving chaplains walking alongside surf lifesavers and praying for them. A chaplain’s role in this community is incredibly varied but, no matter the context, their primary responsibility is to care. One moment, they can be offering a listening ear; the next they might be called upon to conduct a funeral or pray at a significant event.
Please pray for safety on our beaches and for our surf lifesavers as they enter risky and dangerous situations to protect others. Pray for their wellbeing, especially after difficult events. Pray for the chaplains who walk alongside them, that they would have wisdom and the words to help those struggling, that they would care well for others and share the message of hope with them.
Day eight: Racing industry
More than 160,000 people are involved in what can be an incredibly dangerous industry. According to McCrindle Research, in a recent 12-month period, chaplains from Australian Racing Christian Chaplaincy attended 331 races, had more than 1000 pastoral conversations, responded to 35 critical incidents and directly ministered to 642 people – from those on the turnstiles to workers on the stud farm, owners, strappers, jockeys and trainers.
“We’re there to support people who work in the racing industry and that involves getting alongside them in whatever they’re going through in life,” says the Rev Colin Watts, a full-time racing chaplain with ARCC. “We do that because of our Christian conviction that God loves all people – and therefore people in racing – and that’s what drives us. It’s a huge industry and the needs are great… but there is tremendous acceptance and support for the chaplains.”
Pray for safety for everyone involved in this industry. Pray for the tenacity of chaplains as they dedicate many hours to spending time with and caring for people. On days where there is injury, death, or relational or life breakdown, pray that the chaplains will be a source of comfort and support and reflect the love of Jesus.
Day nine: Chaplaincy training
All chaplains undergo training to ensure they have the skills required to meet the needs of their communities. One of these training providers is Mary Andrews College, run by Anglican Deaconess Ministries, which has produced a large number of volunteer and paid community chaplains over the years.
“In the past two years I have had numerous conversations with chaplains representing a broad range of sectors,” says Mary Un, CEO of Anglican Deaconess Ministries. “They have all expressed their observation that vocational opportunities for chaplains are becoming more prevalent, complex and competitive. They are concerned that there will not be enough well-trained, high-quality Christian chaplains to fill positions.”
Mary Andrews College estimates it will need to train upwards of 20 chaplains a year to meet the growing need for professional and volunteer chaplains.
Please pray for all those who provide chaplaincy training to continue providing a robust curriculum and study pathways. Pray that God will raise up many more trained Christian chaplains, and that with their training they will be the most effective chaplains in our communities as they shepherd the weary of heart.
Day ten: Future opportunities
What could be possible if we had more chaplains? “There’s a lot of people bringing the love of Jesus to a lot of places in a lot of different ways,” says James Flavin, the CEO of Australian Racing Christian Chaplaincy.
The work of chaplains is so varied; there is plenty of opportunity and many more spaces where staff and volunteer chaplains could provide care in our Diocese.
“‘Chaplain’ covers someone who is at under-10s soccer for three hours on a Saturday morning right to the chaplain in a school who is there full-time and then some,” Mr Flavin says. “Be it in prisons, schools, military, netball clubs, seniors organisations, public and private schools, the need is off the charts and the welcome is open.”
Please pray with us for the Lord to raise up more people with a heart for the important work of chaplaincy. Pray God will strengthen those already serving, and call new workers with compassion, wisdom and hope who can meet people in their times of need.
