CoNNECT III: How to Train Your Chaplain, 4th March 2027

Please hold the date for CoNNECT III: How to Train Your Chaplain.

Date: 4th March 2027

Expert pastoral, spiritual and religious care requires ways of being that are difficult to define. The use of self and need for professional formation, including deep reflection and personal exploration, make it hard to break a chaplain’s work down into a series of capabilities.

As with previous CoNNECT days, our aim is to bring together practitioners, educators, researchers, and those involved in supporting, developing, and providing chaplaincy and pastoral care across different contexts. Taking in views from across those different perspectives, the day aims to investigate the knowledge, skills and behaviour that a chaplain might be expected to develop or inhabit, exploring where this is shared language and where there are differences.

With our tongues somewhat in cheek, part of the day will ask whether the ability to make a cup of tea/coffee is an essential chaplaincy skill. As part of that, we’d love to have several short stories as part of the day where the offering of a cuppa led to the deepening of a pastoral care opportunity. Please let us know if you’ve such a story you’d like to share.