Wyong Hospital Chaplaincy


Peter Wakeley

It is a real privilege to be ministering in the role as full-time Chaplain at Wyong Hospital - officially with CareWorks since October 2008. Wyong hospital is located at the northern end of the beautiful Central Coast and is a 300 bed hospital including emergency department, surgical, medical, rehabilitation, renal/dialysis, mental health and drug and alcohol wards.

I came into this role after more than 25 years of local church pastoral ministry with the Churches of Christ, and even though I was involved in hospital Chaplaincy before hand as a Pastor, there has naturally been a process of adjustment with such a change. This role has given me wonderful contact with a wide range of people and needs with constant opportunities to minister the love, grace and compassion of God. I value your ongoing prayer and support as I'm involved in this 'coal-face' ministry.

Praise and Prayer Points

  • Praise God for the acceptance that Chaplaincy has within the hospital due to the many years of effective Chaplaincy ministry in the public hospitals on the Central Coast by Rev Ken Shakespeare and the 10 years of voluntary ward Chaplaincy at Wyong hospital by John Devereux.
  • Praise God for the many opportunities there are to sit with patients and staff and provide pastoral care and spiritual support in medical and surgical wards through to mental health and drug and alcohol wards.
  • Praise God for the opportunities I have had in 2008/9 to do more Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) courses to further equip me for my Chaplaincy role.
  • Pray for the possibility of adding some more volunteer ward chaplains to the pastoral care team at Wyong hospital.
  • Pray for ongoing understanding, a listening ear, pastoral sensitivity and wisdom in helping people who are feeling pain, anxiety, fear, confusion, loss, sadness and sometimes joy and relief.