9 June 2020
When our health is at stake, medics will check our vital statistics. But medics at my church long for their patients to take a spiritual health check, too.
I've prepared this video to ask some vital questions in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. How is your spiritual health?
Peter Hart was a 52-year-old paramedic at East Surrey Hospital, who died of COVID-19 in that hospital’s ITU on his birthday, 12th May.
We loved him here at All Souls Church in central London, where he became a Christian and met his wife Helen, both of whom were members of the All Souls Orchestra. This is what Helen wrote to me last week:
He found his vocation by qualifying as a paramedic, after leaving his job as a management consultant in the city. This enabled him to care more comprehensively for people, literally with a hands-on approach. And it was a perfect vehicle to communicate his love for people.
Now, there are around 170 healthcare workers like Peter who attend All Souls. And as I’ve grieved him and spent the last two months seeking to support others on the front line, I wanted to give a voice to what they’ve been saying to me as they put themselves in harm’s way for us all.