To the Editor:
For the past 30 years, through the Grey Bruce Spiritual Care Council (GBSCC), our faith communities have offered their gift of what most of us call “pastoral care” to the whole of Grey and Bruce counties. Surely, this has been a mission and ministry that is at the heart of the God-We-Know-and-Love-by-Many-Names!
The GBSCC has been a leader in training healthcare and community chaplains and providing direct spiritual care to persons in hospital, hospice and home–spiritual care for everybody in the community, members of a faith congregation or not. The GBSCC has overseen an internationally applauded collaboration among friends of God, healthcare givers and institutions, unique in the world, birthed and nourished by the faith communities of our little corner of it.
Now, the present iteration of the governing body of this Godly, multi-faith effort, the nine Directors of the GBSCC, feels strongly — in the face of a pull-out of longtime partners Brightshores Healthcare, South Bruce Grey Healthcare Corporation and Chapman House Hospice, even despite its current responsibility for five working community Chaplains, promise that an independent Council assures continuity of spiritual care in the come-and-go of healthcare administrators, and $200,000 in the bank — that the time for this mission of caring to the whole community has come to an end, and is proposing the dissolution–the wind-up–of the GBSCC.
At the community meeting — open to all — at St Paul’s Anglican Church Hall, 248 High Street in Southampton, this Thursday, June 12, beginning at 9.30am, everyone who attends is invited, not to vote, but to declare whether or not they agree on GBSCC’s dissolution. Attendees will also hear a presentation by Stuart Reid, executive director of Foundation Grey Bruce, explaining how his organization can hold the remaining assets of the GBSCC in trust.
The organization I am representing, “Friends of Spiritual Care Grey Bruce”, was quickly formed to propose an alternative to dissolution. At Thursday’s meeting, we will present a detailed plan for rejuvenation of GBSCC, and a slate of nine energetic, talented, experienced and wise individuals as nominees for Directors of the Council.
The present Directors of the GBSCC are legally entitled to make the decision to dissolve the Council and disperse its assets entirely on their own.
They have asked for community input.
The strong voice of our Bruce Grey faith communities at Thursday’s meeting is crucial!
Once lost, so the universal wisdom of generations goes, next to impossible to regain.
Can’t be there in person? Attend by Zoom—https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88552094859?pwd=fXytZp3vc4RLnoZcZN7G9gqGXI8dm8.1
