Frequently Asked Questions
In what sense is Hospices of Hope Christian-based?
Is Hospices of Hope linked to a particular denomination?
Are churches in Southeastern Europe involved?
Can our church regard Hospices of Hope as a mission?
How can our church learn more about Hospices of Hope?
Our Christian Base
Hospices of Hope care for people of all faiths, or none, encouraged by God's love for us and for his people. Prayer and church support are interwoven with our activities. Hospice care itself provides an holistic approach that lays due emphasis on the spiritual as well as medical, social and psychological well-being of the individual. Our spiritual care policy includes spiritual awareness and support for patients, their carers and our staff and volunteers.
At the hospice in Romania, there is a chaplaincy department which includes a spiritual care coordinator and a team of of volunteer chaplains, available to address the spiritual needs of patients, families and staff through regular meetings for fellowship and prayer. These include lunchtime talks; weekly devotions; prayer times and one-to-ones.
We have long enjoyed and continue to value the immense support we receive from or church partners and their prayers, as well as those of individuals. Numerous churches provide short-term and professional volunteers to help with our work, as well as church mentors and support groups.
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Denominational Links
Hospices of Hope is interdenominational. It has church, staff or volunteer links with churches (and faiths) of a variety of traditions including-
- Anglican
- Baptist
- Catholic
- Evangelical
- Lutheran
- Methodist
- Romanian Orthodox
- United Reformed
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Links to Churches in Southeastern Europe
In Brasov County, Romania, for example, some 63 local churches now support Hospice Casa Sperantei. For the past 13 years every October has been "Edelweiss Month" in which the churches give out flowers to raise awareness of hospice care. The churches also provide chaplains, priests, pastors, teachers, some staff and many volunteers.
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Church Missions
Hospices of Hope practises Integral Mission . Your church can choose whether to support the whole organisation, one project, an individual or all three.
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Church news:
Bessels Green Baptist Church, Sevenoaks, Kent has adopted Hospices of Hope as one of their Core Missions to support the work both financially and prayerfully. From time to time the mission “champion” Carole Ford talks about the work of Hospice Casa Sperantei in the Sunday services and regularly holds fund raising events amongst their members. Regular updates on the hospice work are published in the church “Mission News”.
Our experienced speakers are always available to come and talk to your members and congregations to help you decide if you could support us in the same way.
Contact alex@hospicesofhope.co.uk
Learn More
- We have a range of speakers from different backgrounds with recent first-hand experience of our projects who can visit one of your church groups to talk about our work.
- •We can update your church regularly on our work through our quarterly prayer letter
- Ask for a copy of our DVD to show to your church
To discuss any of these options further please contact alex@hospicesofhope.co.uk or telephone on 01959 525110 01959 525110
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Integral Mission
Melinda is an eleven month old baby. She suffers from a severe convulsive syndrome and blindness and has very frequent respiratory and urinary infections. She is also a orphan, having been abandoned at birth by her 14 year old mother.
Melinda now lives in a home for children with severe disabilities in Codlea, Romania. In February 2008 Melinda became a Hospice patient in the ‘Home of Hope’, Brasov, and is being admitted for one week every month for therapy. While at Codlea, Melinda is also visited by the Hospice home care team, to ensure continuity of care and also to provide training and support to the staff currently caring for Melinda there. A bright banner hangs in the Hospice. It quotes the words of Jesus: “I was sick and you visited me. Mt 25:36”
The Home of Hope (Hospice Casa Sperantei) was established in Transylvania in 1992, to help people of all ages with life-threatening illnesses such as cancer. At that time in Romania the terminally ill were just being sent home to die without any medical, social or spiritual relief from their suffering. In Christ, we wanted them to find enduring hope beyond death as well as quality and dignity of life before death.
Churches can offer the life of Christ to people in need. This can help lift people out of despair, poverty, sorrow, pain and isolation. Churches know that caring for people involves many skills, different people, and a variety of resources. No one person can do it all. Churches also know the value of a community caring. Whether caring locally, for example in Brasov, Romania, or internationally, from Scotland, or England, or the USA.
Faith may mean we get involved.
Hope gives us a certainty that God can make a difference.
Love will mean we serve regardless of people’s own faith, position, or nationality.
“And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”
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