Volunteers/Community Outreach - Spiritual Support Services at GBMC
Volunteers/Community Outreach
In keeping with our commitment to the community, various volunteer and outreach opportunities are available through Spiritual Support Services.
On-Call Chaplains
Spiritual Support Services has one full-time chaplain, Rev. Sandy Rector, and a team of on-call chaplains in case of overnight or weekend emergency. Spiritual Support Services is always in search of chaplains to be available on an as-needed basis. If you are interested in on-call chaplaincy, contact Chaplain Sandy Rector, Manager of Spiritual Support Services, at 443-849-2054.
Community Outreach
GBMC participates in multiple community outreach projects, including the Adopt-a-Family Program, which helps support families in need during the holiday season.
Towson Area Ministerial Association
GBMC's Spiritual Support Services has fostered a relationship with the Towson Area Ministerial Association (TAMA), an organization that represents 67 local congregations. TAMA was formed approximately 60 years ago to serve as an advocate for the members of the Towson community.
Volunteer Opportunities
Multiple volunteer opportunities exist through Spiritual Support Services, including:
- Music program volunteers
- Office volunteers
- Spiritual Support visitors
- Roman Catholic Eucharistic Ministers
- Protestant Communion Ministers
If you wish to become a volunteer for Spiritual Support Services, contact GBMC's Volunteer office at 443-849-2050. GBMC's Spiritual Support Volunteers are provided with opportunities for continuing education, fellowship, and retreat throughout the year.
Prayer Shawl Ministry
GBMC's Spiritual Support Services offers a prayer shawl ministry for patients in the intensive care unit. Prayer shawls provide gesture of comfort to let patients and their families know that they are being prayed for and are not alone. Those interested in making and donating prayer shawls for patients may contact Spiritual Support Services at 443-849-2054. A volunteer coordinator is available to help organizations and individual craftspeople develop a relationship with GBMC.
Read an article about the Prayer Shawl Ministry that appeared in GBMC's Volunteer newsletter, Volunteer Focus.
PRAYER SHAWLS OFFER WARMTH, PRAYER AND REASSURANCE
JOE HART, DIRECTOR OF SPIRITUAL SUPPORT
On the weekends I am known to enjoy a good nap, you know the type where you may be nestled in a recliner, chair or bed, feeling warm with a fleece or blanket over you, and well, somehow you drift off, feeling secure and cared for knowing at some level all is well with the world. It seems to me in life we all need reminders that all is well with the world even at times when we may not feel it.
Here at GBMC, through the generosity of local congregations and our dedicated team of prayer shawl volunteers, we are able to offer prayer shawls to our patients who may be experiencing anxiety, struggle or fear. Our goal for gifting our prayer shawls, as is true of any of our Spiritual Support outreach at GBMC, is to meet the patients where they are in their belief system. It is our hope that patients through receiving a prayer shawl, might feel warmed, reassured and reminded they are not alone in their journey with illness. The beauty of the prayer shawl is that it is universal and doesn't carry any prescribed set of beliefs; rather they represent the essence of human compassion and concern to our patients and families. One principle of religion and spirituality is that prayer works! Those who are involved in our prayer shawl ministry do so in a desire to lift and encourage healing by their creation of the beautiful prayer shawls, which we distribute to our patients in various areas of the hospital.
Presently we are gifting patients in the Medical Intensive Care Unit, the Surgical Intensive Care Unit, the Progressive Care Unit, and on a limited basis to patients in the Oncology Unit.
I wish to offer my gratitude to our teams of prayer shawl creators, who through their generosity ease the suffering of our patients and bring hope to our humanity.
If you have interest in joining our prayer shawl team feel free to contact the Spiritual Support office at 443.849.2054, for further information. No sewing experience necessary!