Christians in Care - update

Lucy Honeysett, Lead Coordinator of Christians in Care, takes a look back at all that God has achieved through this initiative since its launch

Christians in Care is a new but growing network that seeks to connect Christians who work across the care sector; together inspiring and encouraging one another to live and speak for Jesus.

Last year I joined Pilgrims’ Friend Society to lead the new work of Christians in Care. I’d been praying for some time that God might bring about a new opportunity to use my experience as a carer and hospice nurse, and my desire to encourage people in their walk with Jesus. God wonderfully answered this prayer and brought me to this role which combines all these things! Isn’t it amazing when we see God work like this.

I’ve been so encouraged over the last 18 months as Christians in Care has grown. We’re now connected with over 130 carers and have monthly virtual meetings for frontline carers and for Christians in positions of leadership across the care sector. We have flourishing WhatsApp communities where carers can share prayer requests, Bible verses, encouraging worship songs and answers to prayers. We now have our own website which acts as the hub for resources and information about events and support available and we have a Facebook page. We’ve provided a safe space for carers to share the highs and lows of their work and their faith. We’ve supported care homes who want to root themselves in Christian values and be distinctly Christian and intentional in sharing the precious gift of Jesus with those who live and work within the home.

And we’ve provided talks and resources on how we can share the love of Jesus in our workplace and how we care for ourselves and lean into the Father as the source of compassion and strength.

We’ve also had a platform to talk about modern slavery which is a concerning and increasing problem within the care sector. One of the ways God breaks the chains of slavery is through the action of His people. We have resources on our website which help us spot the signs of modern slavery and know what to do with those concerns. We joined with CARE and Their Voice to provide a talk on this and will continue to use God-given opportunities to help carers who may be victims of slavery and as well as helping all of us be more alert to the problem around us.

We’ve also spoken about assisted suicide and joined with Our Duty of Care, the clinicians’ arm of Care Not Killing, to explain what it is, why we oppose the legalisation of assisted suicide in the UK and what we can do practically and prayerfully. At the heart of this debate is the value we place on a life. The Bible is clear that every life is irreplaceable and priceless, not dependent on what someone can do, but who someone is. I can see that God strategically places Christian carers into the lives of people who are at risk of feeling worthless, forgotten, a burden and better off dead. They convey the value we and God places on them, they care tenderly for them and enable them to flourish and know their worth. Also central to this is the provision of good end of life care, so, we are providing end of life care training for carers to equip them to do all they can to provide dignified, compassionate care to people who are dying. God has been so kind and has opened doors for us. We can truly see His hand of guidance and blessing in the work of Christians in Care.

But if I could sum up the greatest encouragement of all in that last 18 months, it’s being alongside carers. It’s an immense privilege to see compassionate brothers and sisters in Christ care for people every day, lean into the Father for the strength needed to do this, and often still have enough in the pot to care for one another, to encourage each other in the faith and to keep running the race that is set before us. Carers like Uche…

End of Life Care Training

Are you a carer working in the care sector? Come along for some interactive online learning on end of life care, with a certificate available on completion:

Friday 17th January
9.30am-2.30pm on Zoom

Book your FREE place:
www.christiansincare.org/events