What is a chaplain?
A chaplain is a servant leader for the spiritual health of the people of God in their care. Their love and care is an emulation of God’s love and care for people.
In the case of Our Place, we want the people in our care to grow in their love of God, understand what this means for themselves and live out their faith in serving others. All of this is done with the aim of creating a community where people with disability can belong and be valued for who they are and the gifts God has given them.
Our Place works alongside supported independent living accommodation and churches across Sydney to ensure that people with disability who express a desire to be part of a Christian community are reached and supported spiritually. Our community chaplains seek to match the people to gospel-centred, healthy, local churches. They also work to build the capacity of these churches to be places of belonging. The goal of our chaplains is to help set up sustainable systems of friendship and spiritual care.Â
Why disability chaplaincy?
40 000 Australian adults with disability live in supported accommodation. They are often a vulnerable group at risk of social isolation as well as the possibility of experiencing violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation. Being part of a caring community can help minimise these possible harms.
People with disability often have limited choice on Sundays when church gatherings happen due to to prohibitive costs of engaging support workers.
People with disability are also under represented in the Australian churches.
Our Place Community Chaplains seek to address these issues through the formation of genuine relationships in Christian church contexts.
How are chaplains funded?
Grace Dandie - Community Chaplain
Grace Dandie is currently studying a Bachelor of Theology at Sydney Missionary and Bible College. She is passionate about creating spaces of belonging and genuine connection for all within everyday church life. Before stepping into her current role, Grace worked with OPCC to help churches become more inclusive of people living with disabilities. At her local church, she founded Side by Side — a social group that brings together people with and without disabilities to build meaningful friendships. Grace is deeply committed to this ministry because she believes every person deserves to be safe, loved, and known. As Community Chaplain, she is excited to walk alongside individuals, families, and communities to help nurture connection and belonging for all.
Fergus O'Shea - Community and Welcome Home Springwood Chaplain
Fueled by the experience of all types of churches and the deep value of every person, Fergus dreams of seeing local churches ever more faithfully following Jesus' distinctive way of life. Having known, worked with and ministered to a number of adults who live with intellectual disabilities, he has seen the immense value of inclusion in church communities and works to equip and strengthen churches in this area. Fergus completed a Bachelor of Theology at SMBC before four wonderful years working part time in youth ministry in Sydney's Inner West and as a disability support worker. What spare time he has is often consumed by a good book in the sun, endless cups of tea, or a long walk to nowhere in particular.