EDMONTON – An Anglican chaplain has been hired to provide four-day-a-week spiritual support to residents of a faith-based Edmonton seniors’ residence. Since April 2018, the Rev. Joanne Webster has been serving as chaplain at Canterbury Court, a seniors’ residence with links to local Anglican churches.
Both her position and the residence are funded by Canterbury Foundation, a charity formed in 1972 by members of two local Anglican parishes. Ms. Webster works one-on-one with residents and collaborates with clergy from the two parishes to provide the residents with Anglican and non-denominational services, Bible study groups, communion and support in prayer. She is also planning a special worship service for residents in the home’s dementia unit.
“If we can be healthy in spirit, the journey of body and mind can be less painful,” she says. “I hope to be able to bring comfort and a sense of peace to residents who are grieving the loss of things they have no control over and who may be wondering ‘Where is God?’ and ‘Has God forgotten me?’”
Canterbury Foundation, meanwhile, is planning to expand the residence, adding a hospice and enlarging its dementia wing.
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