DERBYSHIRE CHAPLAINCIES

 

The Website of Workplace Chaplaincy in Derbyshire

  TRANSPORT

 

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Chaplaincy in local transport varies according to the arrangements in particular transport industries.

There are currently 2 transport industries associated with IMD, these being:

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East Midlands Railways

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East Midlands Airport

It is hoped there might be chaplains in other transport industries, eg buses, before long.

East Midlands Railways

 

The chaplain to the railways in the East Midlands, James Lindsay, is part of a network of railway chaplains who are supported in this work by the Railway Mission.

James writes:

"My name is James Lindsay. I am ordained as a chaplain within the Baptist Denomination. I am married to Claire and have four Children. My full time role is to offer pastoral care to employees within the Railway Industry and
British Transport Police throughout the East Midlands. Chaplains visit stations, sites, depots and offices etc and offer unconditional support, dealing with a whole variety of issues regardless of job status or religious belief.

Please take a moment to check our website www.railwaymission.org

Every blessing in Christ

James Lindsay
Chaplain "

Prayer and Praise Bulletin

Download James' latest news, March 2012.

 

Update 18 November 11

"We Will Remember Them" - at the railway station

That part of Laurence Binyon's poem 'For the Fallen', first published in 1914 after the Battle of the Marne became the first awakening of the horrors of war, has been recited in countless places every November since 1919.

At one end of platform 1 at Derby Midland Station, Rev'd James Lindsay [pictured left], chaplain for the railways in the East Midlands area, once again led a tribute to the fallen. There were old soldiers there, and many with connections to the railways and railway industries, past and as present employees.

Read about it, and view the pictures, at:

Remembrance 11Nr11

 

Prayer letters and information

James writes regular prayer bulletins for his work in the service of the Mission. There you can also find out where and when he has Sunday preaching appointments, and take opportunity to go along and learn more.

Railway chaplain - always on the move!

East Midlands Railway Chaplain, Rev'd James Lindsay [pictured right with Bob Harris of the Gideons] , is always out and about around the network, talking to someone here, and supporting someone else there, and finding ways to be there for people at crucial moments in their lives.

 

East Midlands Airport

East Midlands Airport serves the cities of Derby, Leicester, Nottingham, and the surrounding counties. As it is geographically located in Leicestershire it does not come within the direct auspices of IMD.

There is a team of 5 chaplains in the East Midlands Airport Chaplaincy Team (EMACT). Rev. Moira Biggins is a Methodist minister in the City of Derby, and also is a member of the IMD Council.

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Update 9th December 2011:

Who's Clara Thompson? An unusual visitor to the airport!

Our local chaplain in the East Midlands Airport Chaplaincy Team (EMACT), Rev'd Dr Moira Biggins, has reported on this unusual visitor to the airport:

"The East Midlands Airport Chaplaincy Team acquired a new member during October and November – but she wasn’t real. Clara Thompson was a character in the play Skybus, in which actors and audience board a bus in Derby and travel to East Midlands Airport and back, the play going on all the time. Clara, as chaplain, gave pastoral and practical care to the other characters, and prompted them to think about the deeper issues of life. One important scene took place in the airport Prayer Room; for added realism, Clara’s picture was displayed on the Prayer Room notice board alongside the real chaplains!"

bullet"You mean this play was taking place on the bus?" It sure sounds that way.
bulletThat picture of Clara and the 'real' chaplains must be worth showing. We'll see if Moira will let us take a photo of it.
bulletDo the chaplains need to worry about Clara taking over?

Update 3rd June 2011:

East Midlands Airport Chaplaincy featured on BBC Television - you can still watch it after the event!

The advertisement about the East Midlands Today featuring the Airport and doing an item on the Chaplaincy, was posted the day after it was shown. Apologies to to everyone for this.

However - Moira has sent in a link, so it can still be watched:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leicestershire-13414556

Moira admits that she is not sure how long it will be available for. But, then again, this is on the 'News' part of the BBC web, rather than i-player, and they tend to be retained for ages! Try it and see.

 

Prayer Room at the Airport

The team look after the Prayer Room (shown below), which was purpose-built as an extension to the terminal in 2007. It is a place of welcome and peace to people of any faith and none. 

The team are a recognised part of services that the airport provides for travellers. Visit www.eastmidlandsairport.com and follow the links 

Airport Information > Here to help > Chaplaincy Services 

Moira

 

EMACT interacts with people and their life needs

Moira has also provided some stories about how EMACT impacts upon people's lives:

Opportunities can arise anywhere

We were enjoying a Christmas meal at a restaurant in Kegworth.

At a nearby table sat a group of women from a company based at the airport. Recognising some of us, they announced loudly to the whole restaurant that there was "a table-full of vicars" present, and demanded that we sing carols. The restaurant owner cheerfully gave permission. As we sang, others diners joined in.

A lengthy pastoral conversation with one of the women took place at our table, and we got an invitation to visit the company's offices - which of course we took up.

Emergency Assistance

When a light aircraft made an emergency landing (thankfully safely) following a mid-air collision, chaplains went to the airport to offer support to the people affected.

Obviously this included the pilot and passengers; less obviously it included the police (because the other aircraft had sadly crashed with loss of life). We also spoke with people who had had the nerve-wracking experience of watching the damaged plane trying to get down safely.

The disruption of flights put the Information Desk staff under heavy pressure, and they were glad of a listening ear when the trouble was over.

Steps in Faith

"I've never been a praying person", said a woman working for a company based at the airport, "but when I found there were going to be massive changes in my organisation and my job, my first port of call was the airport Prayer Room. Then every night I found myself saying, God, these are the situations I have to face tomorrow; please help me to say and do the right things.

"I found such strength and peace from that."

And the changes have worked out well.