Green Blessing

Tess Ward - Biography

Love

I live in Oxford with my husband Pete and our two children Eleanor and Callum. We also have a boundlessly enthusiastic collie dog called Georgie.

Work

I spend half the working week at a hospital up the road being the chaplain and am proud caretaker of a beautiful new multi-faith room there.

I was ordained a Church of England priest in 2000. I did my curacy in a rural parish. I then returned to Oxford and was a part time chaplain in an arts centre called the Ark-T Centre in Cowley for 2 years. I have been a hospital chaplain since September 2005.

Writing

I have always written poetry but since 1997 have found my voice in prayers, liturgies and ceremonies. Amongst these I wrote the Greenbelt Festival Eucharist 2005 on the Tree of Life. I have published an Advent table liturgy in Doing December Differently ed. Nicola Slee and Rosie Miles, Wild Goose publications 2006.
My first book is “The Celtic Wheel of the Year” O-Books 2007 (link)

Ceremonies

I have had the privelege of “curating” ceremonies for friends and family for different ages and stages of life. I am particularly drawn to funerals. I offer spiritual but not necessarily religious ceremonies. I hope to do more of this in the future so watch this space.

Psychological training

Before being ordained I was a psychiatric nurse for 10 years. I did a counselling course during that time. Later on I gained a post-graduate diploma in psychodynamic counselling from Reading University in 2005. I was a trainee counsellor in a health centre in Oxford for 2 years and taught pastoral skills and human development at Ripon College Cuddesdon for 3 years.