Profile of the
Chaplaincy of Poitou-Charentes
The Chaplaincy of Poitou-Charentes is situated in Western France and covers an area
about the size of Wales. It covers four departments, Vienne, Deux-Sevres,
Charente and Charente-Maritime. It is part of the Archdeaconry of France in the
Diocese of Europe. The Chaplaincy covers mainly rural areas with low densities
of population; the main towns in the region are Poitiers, the regional capital,
Angouleme, La Rochelle, Niort, Saintes, Cognac, Barbezieux and Parthenay.
The first Chaplain was appointed through the Intercontinental Church Society (ICS) in 1999 and the Chaplaincy, independent from Aquitaine, was created in 2004. Since then the number of services and venues has continued to increase. We use thirteen venues and there are fifteen regular services each month plus a children’s outreach service. We do not own any buildings but use Catholic and Protestant churches, church halls, a
bar/restaurant, occasionally village halls and also private homes.
Mission and
constituency
The Chaplaincy mission statement is :
Commitment – to grow in faith
and in love for God and for one another
Communion – to worship God
through Jesus Christ and in the spirit of unity
Community – to serve to share
and to challenge
The Chaplaincy of Poitou-Charentes is part of the Church of England Diocese in Europe; and ministers to English-speaking peoples of all denominations and none. Our
‘raison d’être’ is to announce the Good News of Jesus Christ and to help people
to know Him as Lord and Saviour. There is a large resident English-speaking population in Poitou-Charentes. Many have retired to the area, although there are families and individuals who have chosen to move here to work. The Chaplaincy is blessed with many talented and experienced members.
The patronage of ICS in the first years provided spiritual and financial support.
Since 2006, the Chaplaincy has been self-supporting. For the last three years
our income/expenditure, sourced from planned giving schemes, offertories and
fundraising, has been just above €90,000 per annum.
At present there are 211 names on the Electoral Roll. Our congregations include people from many different denominations and traditions and are augmented during holiday periods by second home owners and holiday makers.
The Chaplaincy has a charitable association, CATCH, (required under French law) to
channel all charitable giving. Offertories from Harvest and Carol services,
among others, are channeled in this way.
Our Chaplain, the Revd Hazel Door, is assisted by two Chaplaincy wardens and the Chaplaincy council, which meets four times a year. There are three regional wardens, north, south and central, who oversee their local congregations. Each worship centre has at least two local wardens.
There is a ministry team, which includes nine retired clergy with permission to officiate, twelve Readers plus one in training and six Congregational Worship Leaders. As well as leading and preaching at services they are involved in planning and in pastoral care.
There are sixteen Home Groups that meet regularly on a more local basis at different intervals. They provide ministry, support and teaching.
The Chaplaincy is a living and growing organism which contributes to and draws from a diverse range of Christian experience and tradition.
Ecumenical Relations
The Chaplaincy has worked hard at forging and maintaining the ecumenical relationships within the whole area of the Chaplaincy. Most of our service venues are dependent on the agreement of the Catholic hierarchy or the Eglise Reformée. The continued use of these churches is vital and an example of the very necessary co-operation between the denominations.
Ecumenical services are held in the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity and many of the Carol Services are well supported by the French community. Funerals of English-speaking origin often have an ecumenical element. We value our ecumenical relationships and are
dedicated to developing them further.
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