FAITH IN THE COMMUNITY: Our 'Anna Cafe Church' is a godsend for the elderly

WE run a monthly café in the church hall of St James, Emsworth, which includes an act of worship.
It’s designed for those who are elderly and therefore can’t always get to our Sunday services. It’s a brief half-an-hour act of worship, with familiar hymns, some prayers and a short talk.
We call it our ‘Anna Café Church’ because it is organised by our team of Anna Chaplains. These are people who offer spiritual ministry to the elderly, supporting people who may be housebound or who are in care homes.
Our parish’s team of five Anna Chaplains and four Anna Friends do visit the elderly in their homes and in care homes. But the monthly café is an extra thing we do, which feels really appreciated.
The service includes a ‘personal blessing’ which involves the chaplains holding the hands of each individual and praying for them personally, with appropriate permissions given. Some people end up in tears, because they may lack genuine physical or emotional contact at home.
We then share lunch together, perhaps some bread and soup made by volunteers, and some cake. People often stay behind after lunch and continue chatting. For many of them, this is their ‘church’.
Sometimes people focus on how many people are at church on a Sunday, but one of the things we’ve discovered is that ‘church’ can happen at any time and in any place. It’s more about what is going on in people’s hearts as they meet.
Having led the Anna Café Church for the past 18 months, I can vouch for the fact that people are engaging with God there, and that God is helping these older people to develop spiritually. They are reading their Bibles, praying, and still learning more about the amazing God we serve.
Too often we write off those who are housebound or in care homes. Or we may employ carers to look after their physical needs, but ignore the fact that they have emotional and spiritual needs.
And there is honestly nothing more touching than seeing someone who perhaps has dementia suddenly starting to mouth the words of the Lord’s Prayer or a favourite hymn. It can mean they are reconnecting with their faith in a God who suddenly seems very real. It’s a real privilege to be involved.
To find out more, see: www.portsmouth.anglican.org/anna

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