Chaplaincy

About

The Chaplaincy  is here to support Edge Hill University students and staff of all faiths and none, helping to create a welcoming community on campus.

We offer:

  • pastoral guidance, support and encouragement
  • Information and advice about faith and the issues it raises
  • bereavement support
  • prayer if you request it
  • signposting to other sources of help
  • links to local faith communities
  • chaplaincy facilities
  • meetings and events
  • conversation and opportunities to make friends with like-minded people

We respect the beliefs of others and actively encourage discussion, exploration and understanding of different faiths, practices, backgrounds and cultural traditions. Edge Hill University chaplains are not here to try to persuade you to join a particular faith, or to convert you to a different religion. Proselytisation policy.

We are available:

  • face to face on campus
  • by phone and email

For general enquiries, or information about our Faith and Reflection Room, please contact chaplaincy@edgehill.ac.uk. You can also connect with us through our Facebook page.

Faith and Reflection Room

Our Faith and Reflection Room provides a quiet space for reflection, contemplation and prayer for the exclusive use of staff and students at Edge Hill. Open to people of all faiths and none, it offers the opportunity to explore matters of faith and spirituality, or just simply to unwind after a busy day.

Location

You will find the Faith and Reflection Room in the Magnolia Building, next to the Forest Court Halls of Residence. There are signs around campus which can help to direct you. Access to staff and students is 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Between 6.00am and 9.00pm, Monday to Friday, entry is through Unicard swipe. Outside of these times the door is manually locked. If the door is locked please go to the Security & Customer Information Centre, at the University Main Entrance.

Bookings

The Room can be used as a drop-in centre, or booked for the exclusive use of groups at certain times. Bookings can be requested through the Chaplaincy and Wellbeing Co-ordinator. Where requests for bookings conflict, we may propose alternative accommodation on campus. If the Room is booked for a private group session please do not enter as this can disrupt prayer or quiet contemplation. You can see when the room is booked for regular meetings here.

When using the Faith and Reflection Room, please respect each other’s faiths, beliefs and practices and behave reasonably and considerately at all times. You should not actively seek to persuade others to join your own faith, or criticise others on how they choose to worship.

Layout

We have set the Faith and Reflection Room out in a way that considers the needs of all users, and ensured it is fully accessible to disabled people. There are a number of chairs and small tables in the room which can be moved according to need. We are aware that in some faiths men and women choose to pray separately. To make this possible, we have provided several moveable screens that may be used to divide the room when necessary. The screens may also be used to section off the room so that individuals and groups can use the space concurrently.

Regretfully we cannot open up the Faith and Reflection Room to members of the public as it is only a small space and in high demand. External guests, speakers and groups may be invited to use the Room by staff and students with prior agreement from the Chaplaincy and Wellbeing Co-ordinator.

Contact

Please send any questions, concerns or feedback about the Faith and Reflection Room to chaplaincy@edgehill.ac.uk

Events

Regular Events

Monday

Meditation | 1.00pm – 1.30pm | Faith and Reflection Room
Reduce stress, control anxiety, boost attention span and improve sleep with regular meditation. Who leads this? Elke Weissmann is a lecturer in the Department of Media and is also training to become an order member in the Triratna Buddhist Order.

Wednesday

Christian Prayer and Bible Study Group | 1.10pm – 2.00pm | Faith and Reflection Room

Thursday

Brunch Club | 10.00am – 12.00pm^ | Faith and Reflection Room
Meet the Chaplains and grab some free brunch snacks. Come along for toast and jam, cereal, pastries and conversation. No need to book just turn up.
^Runs on the second Thursday of each month.

Faith Information

Local Places of Worship and Faith Groups

Please note that the list of organisations below is not comprehensive. Nor can the Chaplaincy recommend or endorse any of the websites or their content.

Local Christian Churches

Ormskirk Catenians (for information on bursaries for Catholic students, networking, and more) contact Andy on 07806619485 apltd@hotmail.co.uk

Local Mosques and Muslim organisations

Local Jewish Synagogues and Congregations

Local Buddhist Centres

Local Hindu Temples

Local Sikh Temples (Gurdwara)

Faiths and Religions

National Faith Organisations

Local Inter Faith Organisations

Directories

Chaplaincy Organisations and Information

National Inter Faith Events

Calendars of Inter Faith Festivals and Holidays

Volunteer

All our chaplains are volunteers.

The service they offer is from a multi-faith perspective, is confidential, and non-judgemental.Magnolia opening Kay Chaplain

If you are interested in becoming a volunteer chaplain the University would be happy to consider your application.

For more information on Chaplaincy, please email chaplaincy@edgehill.ac.uk.

Service Rota

Chaplaincy Service Rota Summer 2019

There is no Chaplaincy rota over the summer, but if you do need to speak to someone, get in touch with chaplaincy@edgehill.ac.uk

If you need to talk to a Chaplain and no one is available, you can get in touch with the Wellbeing team. Visit their webpages for more information: ehu.ac.uk/wellbeing

Want to just talk and no EHU chaplain available? The Samaritans are available around the clock, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and can be contacted for free:

Phone: 116 123

Email: jo@samaritans.org

Write: Freepost, RSRB-KKBY-CYJK, PO Box 9090, STIRLING, FK8 2SA

Feeling really low? HOPELineUK is a confidential support and advice service for Young people under the age of 35 who may be having thoughts of suicide. Opening hours are 10am-10pm weekdays, 2pm-10pm weekends, and 2pm-5pm Bank Holidays.

Call: 0800 068 41 41

Text: 07786209697

Email: pat@papyrus-uk.org

Meet the Chaplains

Meet the Chaplains

Ben Dyer

I lead a church in Ormskirk called Red Church (redchurch.org.uk). We are part of the Church of England and exist to try and help young adults engage with church and God. Our aim is to be a bunch of ordinary people who try to live life together and work out what it means to follow Jesus.

I am married to Bethany and have two daughters – none of them find me funny (but I like to think I am…). I support Manchester United, enjoy (maybe endure is a better word) going to the gym and playing a board game or two.

I became a chaplain at Edge Hill because I like people – getting to know them, having a laugh with them, drinking beer with them and being there when life goes a bit wrong – so if you ever need to hear a bad joke, have a pint or need someone to talk to let me know.

Email: dyerb@edgehill.ac.uk 

Harry Pickett

My heart is to see students flourish and become all that they are meant to be. I spent two and a half years as a missionary in the Philippines training others for the mission field in English, culture, worldviews and biblical studies and loved the challenge and reward of helping our students grow and develop.

Now, I work as part of the leadership team for the Community Church in Southport. As part of that, I am available to support and help students in their walk of life and run a church group called Blueprints geared specifically towards students to facilitate this.

Life is full of twists and turns and university proves to be a foundational time of searching for identity and purpose. I think it’s so important to create an environment where we feel safe to ask questions about life and faith. I want to help people on that journey, no matter their belief, situation or circumstance. Whether it’s talking through issues or sharing thoughts, grilling me on my faith or just getting to know each other, that’s what I’m here for. I look forward to hearing from you.

Email: Harry.Pickett@edgehill.ac.uk

Rev. Sue Guenault

For thirty years I worked as a primary school teacher and a specialist in music. In 2013 I began training to be a Methodist Minister and am currently the Minister in Pastoral Charge of Emmanuel Methodist United Reformed Church, here in Ormskirk. I also lead outreach work in schools in West Lancashire, and I am passionate about giving young people the opportunity to develop and nurture their Spirituality.

As a newly-appointed Chaplain at Edge Hill, I am looking forward to building relationships with both staff and students and providing pastoral support to members of the Edge Hill Community.

Rabbi Shmuli Brown

I was born in Manchester, studied in the UK and Israel, and was ordained by the Chief Rabbi of Israel in 2000. I worked in the Ukraine for nearly a decade establishing youth clubs across the former Soviet Union and then established a very successful publishing house in Dnepropetrovsk. I taught children, students and adults the Jewish way of life through formal and informal education

I moved with my family to Liverpool in the summer of 2010 to open the door of Judaism to all Jewish students and faculty at Liverpool Universities, and establish a Chabad House, a place where Jews of all backgrounds and degrees of observance can enjoy exploring their Jewish heritage in a warm, welcoming and non-judgmental environment.

Tom Bacon

I studied at Edge Hill in the early 2000s and was heavily involved in student life – particularly in the running of the Christian Union. I fell in love with the Ormskirk area, and settled down, becoming heavily involved with Ormskirk Christian Fellowship and some of the local churches. I’ve always had a passion for my campus and acted as a Student Link between my church and the student community for a number of years. It was while serving in that capacity that I met my wife, Fiona.

It’s my firm conviction that student life is a unique time, one of unlimited potential, when character is shaped and refined. As such, it’s been my privilege to support students in their development and growth, often helping them deal with sometimes quite intense personal issues. I still serve as part of Ormskirk Christian Fellowship’s wider leadership team, I’m an active lay preacher, and I help run Kids’ Church and Youth groups. In terms of my career, I’m a freelance writer who focuses on the television and entertainment industry.

Email: bacont@edgehill.ac.uk

Proselytising policy

The principal of moral and emotional freedom of the person shall be adopted in the advertising, invitation and conduct of faith-based events at Edge Hill University and events advertised at the University.

Information may be freely given about events, but there should be no unreasonable pressure applied to people to attend the event. Acceptance or otherwise of the invitation should be free from judgement.

The same principle or autonomy should also apply at the event itself, with no unreasonable pressure being exerted.

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