Why I loved Chaplaincy

Edited version of a post written on 25/11/2009

Southampton University Chaplaincy. That is where I spent a lot of my free time at university. I love it so much I've even been back to visit a couple of times since I graduated. A lot of things happened in that place. I laughed, I cried, I danced, I prayed, I partied, I bared my soul, I played games, I got on my soapbox, I ate, I drank and I even slept there once. And I met people. People who turned out to be some of the best friends I have ever had.

The community wasn't perfect. But it was the closest thing to the Kingdom of God that I had ever known. I shared the very best and very worst times of my life with those people. The people I met in Chaplaincy showed me nothing but love. They love me for who I am, and they weren't afraid to show it. For someone who didn't think much of herself, this was a revelation. It was a huge part of healing past hurts. It was a huge part of helping me face new ones.

I lost my Mum during my third year. Utterly out of the blue. One morning in the Christmas holidays I left the house for the day not knowing that I would never be able to hold a conversation with her again. It was the most unexpected and worst thing that had ever happened to me. She was only 55. She wasn't meant to just die. I received countless messages of love and support from people in Chaplaincy. Three of them, and Simon (the Chaplain at the time), travelled 70 miles to be at her funeral to support me. People gave me flowers, listened to me, cooked for me, kept me company, hugged me and prayed for me. They propped me up when I was crumbling and that meant I still finished my degree on time. When I couldn't bear to talk to God myself, others did it for me. God still reached out to me. He used their hands.

I know I'm not the only one that Chaplaincy has supported in this way. I know that Simon supported other students at the funerals of their loved ones. Simon and the community have supported people with various mental health problems, people suffering in the wake of relationship breakdowns, people who were lonely, people who were stressed, people who needed someone. Chaplaincy does what Jesus would do- reach out to people in their darkest hour, even if they are strangers. Chaplaincy was welcoming, hospitable and friendly. I'm not the only one who has said that they've found true friends there. And there's an openness and acceptance for people just as they are. They won't think you're weird. If you're feeling down they'll give you a hug and a cup of tea and when you feel better they'll take you for an awesome night out. They don't preach at you at the Chaplaincy. They just love you.

I don't know if it's the same anymore. If it has gone a bit quiet, I know that God is waiting there in stillness and in silence, for people to come and be that community once again.