Elaine part of the heart of Concord Hospital
I have been asked in the corridors [things such as] ‘my father’s dying, could you come and pray with us’. It is such a privilege.
- Major Elaine Redwood
Major Elaine Redwood, who with husband, Major Bill Redwood, was commissioned as a Salvation Army officer in 1958, first visited patients and their families at Concord Repatriation General Hospital - in Sydney’s inner-west- 40years ago.
Sixteen years ago, Elaine officially became chaplain to the hospital (and part of the wider chaplaincy team) and today, despite being 13 years into her official “retirement”, she remains in the role.
Originally built as a military hospital and opened in 1942, Concord became a teaching hospital linked to the University of Sydney. The Concord Centre for Mental Health was later built on the grounds.
Elaine says wearing the Salvation Army uniform around the hospital is a privilege. “You walk in the ward and people immediately know who you are,” she says. “There is a lot of respect.”
Describing herself as a people person, Elaine says she thoroughly enjoys interacting with patients, their families and staff, and believes it is an honour to spend time with people who are going through difficult times.
After 10 corps appointments in 14 years, Bill was appointed to the finance department at the Army’s territorial headquarters in Sydney.
Eventually, Elaine and Bill began visiting Concord Hospital once a month where the Army’s Burwood Corps band would play for patients and their families. Elaine would visit in her role as a League of Mercy worker.
Feeling drawn deeper into hospital ministry, and with their three children all at school, Elaine began to visit Concord Hospital one day a week. She also visited Western Suburbs Hospital (which later closed) another day each week. At times, she would take cadets from the Army’s Booth College (officer training) with her to introduce them to hospital ministry.
“I really loved it,” she says.
Following a four-year posting to Brisbane, during which time Elaine regularly visited three hospitals, she returned to Sydney and resumed her Concord ministry, officially became chaplain.
She says there are days in hospital ministry when she will simply say hello and chat to people, but there are also times when people want to talk more deeply about matters of faith.
“In hospital people are [often] thinking about [spiritual] things they haven’t thought about before,” she says.
If she feels it is appropriate, Elaine might ask if she can pray for a person. “Sometimes a face will light up and say, ‘yes, I’d love you to do that’, then some of them will say, ‘yes, and I’d like to pray for you too’… which is lovely,” she says.
Elaine says one of the greatest honours over the years is being asked to take funerals.
“… to be asked to do somebody’s funeral. I’ve seen them while they are dying, spoken to the family - I feel a bit overcome when I’m asked.
“That’s been a [great] privilege over the years.”
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