Chaplaincy

Chaplaincy

What is a chaplain?
Questions about seeing a chaplain
LSF Victoria's chaplains
Contacts and locations

What is a chaplain?

Chaplains at tertiary institutions (universities and TAFEs) in Victoria are ordained and lay men and women who are representatives of their faith bodies and accredited by the Council for Chaplaincies in Tertiary Institutions. Chaplains at tertiary institutions are available to help the personal and spiritual growth of people in the tertiary community—students and staff. Most universities will have a chaplaincy team made up of people from a variety of faith backgrounds. Chaplaincy teams will work together to provide opportunities for issues of faith and meaning to be talked about or presented.

Individually, chaplains are available to listen to and talk with students and staff about personal and spiritual matters. Each chaplain will take your situation seriously, and will aim to respond to your needs with care and respect.

Chaplains are available to:

listen and speak with people of any background about spiritual or personal issues
pray with people
help people to grow in faith
lead bible studies on university campuses and at other locations
connect students with others who want to explore the spiritual side of life
help prepare people for baptism, confirmation, first communion, or marriage
investigate accommodation options for students
help with the transition from school to tertiary life.

A lot of what chaplains do involves hanging out with people and “walking” alongside them.

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Questions about seeing a chaplain

What can you see a chaplain about?
Any person could see a chaplain to talk about any issue that is of importance to them at the time. It could be related to life issues—it doesn’t have to be about faith or religion.

You might:

be looking for advice or a listening ear
want to get to know more about some of your options
want someone to pray for a difficulty you’re experiencing
just want to get something off your chest.

If it happens that a chaplain can’t help you, they will always help you to find someone else who can!

Do you have to be a Christian to see a chaplain?
Nope! Chaplains accredited to work on campus will talk with anyone! This includes staff and students; people with faith and those who have no faith. While most chaplains are Christian, the multi-faith context of universities means that chaplains are also available to people of any faith. Our two Lutheran chaplains welcome everyone from the tertiary community.

Our chaplains won’t try to convert you or anything like that. They won’t even talk about God or pray for you if you don’t want them to. But they will probably be looking for where God might be at work in your life, and as they listen to you, they will be coming with a Christian perspective on life.

Do you have to be a current uni/TAFE student to see a tertiary chaplain?
No again! Chaplains will talk to anyone.

Can you bring a friend along to see a chaplain?
Yes, that would be great!

Does it cost anything?
No. Chaplaincy is a service offered free to the tertiary community and beyond by both the university and the sponsoring faith body. The sponsoring faith body for LSF Victoria's chaplains is the Lutheran Church of Australia's Victorian/Tasmanian District.

Is it confidential?
Absolutely! What you and the chaplain talk about remains confidential between the two of you, unless you give the chaplain permission otherwise.

However, there are two exceptions to this, where a chaplain may pass on information about you without your permission:

For concern that there is a risk that you may harm yourself or others.
For where it is required by law of the chaplain, such as for cases of abuse.

These exceptions are for your protection and/or the protection of others, not because the chaplain cannot keep a confidence!

Chaplains are safe people to talk to about something that’s really sensitive in your life. They have all been trained to uphold confidentiality.

Do you have to make an appointment to see a chaplain?
No, you don’t have to make an appointment. You might just want to wander in to the chaplain’s office. A chaplain’s work involves listening to you. Most times a chaplain will be pleased to drop everything and listen to you and talk with you. However, if you want to see a chaplain at a specific time, it would probably be best to contact the chaplain first to make sure you can both be there.

LSF Victoria's chaplains

We currently have two chaplains: Judy Bowman and Nathan Hedt.

Judy Bowman
Coordinator of Tertiary Ministry

I am employed part-time by the Lutheran Church of Australia Victorian/Tasmanian District, with the official title of Coordinator of Tertiary Ministry. As part of my role, I am accredited to work as chaplain, at The University of Melbourne (Parkville campus) and Monash University (Clayton campus). My main focus is pastoral care and transition and therefore I am always happy to visit students at other universities, TAFE colleges and campuses. I also regularly attend the SNAS worship service at St John’s on Sunday evenings.

I am married with two young adult children. My home church is Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church, Knox, where I currently serve as a pastoral assistant and the chairperson of the church council. In my spare time I like to immerse myself in a variety of craft activities, or during football season, watch my beloved Hawks!

I believe sharing people’s life journey and story is one of the greatest privileges and joys of my position. Therefore I’m always happy to have people drop in on me on campus or to meet at a coffee shop for a conversation!

Nathan Hedt
Pastor for Tertiary and Youth Ministry

I’m a pastor of the Lutheran Church of Australia, and a tertiary chaplain at The University of Melbourne (Parkville campus) and RMIT (city campus). I’m married, with three rapidly growing daughters. I serve as Pastor for Tertiary and Youth Ministry at St John’s Southgate.

Part of that service is leading worship and preaching at St John’s on Sunday nights at 7pm. Another part of it is hanging out at Melbourne Uni and RMIT, making myself available to listen and give spiritual counsel, and helping people to grow in faith and to follow Jesus in their daily lives.

There are many things I really love in life. Among the most important are helping people “get” the good news of Jesus—that his presence in our lives is good news for us right now—my wife and daughters, playing cricket, reading a good book, and playing a good hard game of Scrabble...not necessarily all at the same time!

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Contacts and locations

Judy Bowman

vicchaplain[AT]lsf.org.au
0409 097 294

Availability:

Monday	10 a.m. to 4 p.m.	Monash University, Clayton campus
Tuesday	9.30 a.m. to 3 p.m.	Monash University, Clayton campus
Wednesday	10 a.m. to 4 p.m.	The University of Melbourne, Parkville campus
Friday	12.30 p.m. to 3.30 p.m.	Monash University, Clayton campus

Nathan Hedt

vicpastor[AT]lsf.org.au
0423 429 195

Availability:

Monday	St John's Southgate
Tuesday	RMIT, city campus
Wednesday	The University of Melbourne, Parkville campus
Thursday	The University of Melbourne, Parkville campus
Sunday	St John's Southgate

Chaplaincy locations

Monash University, Clayton campus
G11
Religious Centre (Building 9)
Monash University
Clayton
Map of Monash University, Clayton campus [opens in a new window]

RMIT, city campus
Chaplaincy offices
Spiritual Centre (Level 1)
Building 11
Old Melbourne Gaol
Off Franklin St.
Melbourne
Map of RMIT, city campus [opens in a new window]

St John's Southgate
20 City Rd
Southbank
Google map of St John's Southgate [opens in a new window]

The University of Melbourne, Parkville campus
Union House Chaplaincy Rooms (Level 3)
Union House (above the noodle bar)
Map of The University of Melbourne, Parkville campus [opens in a new window]

AND

Chaplaincy offices (Level 1)
Health and Wellbeing building
138 Cardigan St.
Carlton
Google map of Health and Wellbeing building [opens in a new window]

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