Who are we?

 About us

Taunton Team Chaplaincy is a registered charity. Its aims are to advance the Christian faith in the Taunton area for the benefit of the public by engaging or appointing chaplains to provide pastoral care, evangelistic witness and prayer in workplaces, shops, public areas and elsewhere,

The people who form Taunton Team Chaplaincy are drawn from churches across Taunton. The group that has responsibility for the running of the scheme are the Taunton Team Chaplaincy Trust, formed in 2009 with a view to developing a Christian chaplaincy in the heart of our town. For more information about how that happened, please see the History page under ‘About Us’. The Trust Board meets regularly to monitor the operation and plan the development of the work.

The Bishop of Taunton, Rt Rev Ruth Worsley, is patron of the Chaplaincy. The Chaplaincy is ecumenical in outlook and not solely affiliated to any one Christian denomination. 

Beyond the Trust Board, the people involved in the work fall into 3 main groups: chaplains, the prayer team and financial supporters.
Our Chaplains
Chaplains are local Christians who have a heart for people and have been through a selection process including application, references and interview in order to become part of the team. New chaplains undergo a DBS check where appropriate and a training programme equips them for the work with on-going support after placement with an employer. Some chaplains are ordained (a vicar or minister) and others are not.

Reporting to the Trust Board, the Lead Chaplain, Adrian Prior-Sankey MBE is responsible for the day to day running of the team including involvement with selecting and recruiting chaplains. He liaises with employers and managers. He develops and maintains links between the Chaplaincy and others in the town including church ministers, civic and community groups.
Prayer 
A key element of the work is the prayer team who are updated each fortnight with details of the needs of the Chaplaincy and the people who chaplains meet. The team is a cross-church group of over 100 people known as ‘Friends’ who are committed to praying for the work and share thankfully in the many answers to prayer that occur.

From the formation of the Chaplaincy this has been a core activity. The example of Jesus Christ shows us that a dependence on our Father in heaven demonstrated by taking things to Him in prayer.
Financial Support
Others who make a direct contribution to the work are the financial supporters. These include local churches, individuals and external grant funders. The Diocese of Bath and Wells funded original start- up costs. The Chaplaincy relies entirely on donations to be able to continue. Employers are not charged for having a chaplain. Trustees regard this as a gift to the town. We are very grateful for all financial contributions and strive to ensure that every penny that is donated is used wisely and effectively. If you wish to support us in this way, please go to the Support Us page. 
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