There is no typical day at Campbelltown Hospital – not yet, anyway. As the new chaplain, there is a lot of getting to know people and introducing myself to nurses and health staff, social workers and so forth. 

I can tell you what I did today: I spent time in the surgical ward, talking to staff and visiting patients. I met with a team of social workers in palliative care and one asked me what motivated me to do hospital chaplaincy. To my surprise, I replied, “My motivation is Jesus. I want to live a life that makes him known and that serves him. I’m trying to turn away from living for myself and having the privilege of living for other people”. Thank you, Holy Spirit! 

It has been good to finally get chaplaincy feet on the ground. It has been a patient, prayerful wait. Anglicare first approached the hospital in 2019 but redevelopment plans put discussions on hold. After new hospital facilities opened in 2024, we were able to have a very productive meeting with the hospital general manager and the director of allied health. 

Hospital chaplaincy is a different kind of ministry. There is loss and disorientation in people’s lives when they find themselves or their loved ones in hospital. We know from God’s word that, rather than using lots of words, listening to and sticking with people is the best way to show Jesus’ love when they are overwhelmed by sadness and grief. 

It can be quite confronting, too. Hospitals are very much a place where the consequence of human sin is evident and God’s judgement of death is visible. Having the words of eternal life, yet being rightly constrained by Health Department rules giving us access to patients, requires trusting deeply in God’s sovereign ways. 

Faith amid life’s struggles

A hospital is an amazing place for being among lots of people in all kinds of situations. Primarily with patients, you’re trying to meet them at their point of need. You’re working really hard to listen and be a compassionate presence with them. The Lord opens conversations in all sorts of directions. [Occasionally] people are referred to us, but a lot of the work is going out to the ward and asking staff, “Is there anyone who might benefit from a visit from a chaplain?” 

The other day, I was able to listen to and empathise with a young mum who has been in hospital multiple times this year. She was struggling with what God’s doing in her life at the moment. She was glad for prayer and we talked about the psalms and how having faith in God is not about being positive all the time, but opening up your struggles to God.

Some days you can also feel helpless and confronted by people’s situations. You get to spend some wonderful time with people, but it’s a very short time. You don’t know how God will use it. It’s all in his hands, really. 

Not alone

One of the great stories of Campbelltown Hospital is the pastoral care provided by local Christian volunteers over decades. The COVID years and growth and change in the hospital has seen volunteer work greatly decline. One of my major tasks will be, under God, to grow and refresh the volunteer team. There are a lot of patients to visit – too many for just one person. We are praying for more churches to connect with chaplaincy, and for more volunteers. 

I’m also very thankful for the support of Anglicare and other hospital chaplains, as I feel I’m a bit of a newbie to all this! The other Anglicare hospital chaplains are an inspirational lot, so even though in Campbelltown Hospital I can be a bit of a lone soldier, it’s nice to be part of the network of Anglicare hospital chaplains. 

The Rev Chris Hangar is the previous chaplain to Liverpool Hospital and former rector of Minto.

Pray with me for chaplaincy ministry

• for humility and wisdom in building good relationships with staff
• for people to not only see the care and support chaplains offer, but to see the love and care of Jesus.
• for wisdom when supporting patients and their families