A regular feature of our services at Christ Church is a ‘This Time Tomorrow’ (TTT) slot, where we find out about the life and faith of a church member.
Recently we heard from Angie Moller, a community nurse at St Peter’s Hospice.
Tell us a little about yourself and what you’ll be doing this time tomorrow? What does your role involve?
Well for those who don’t know me, my name is Angie Moller. I was brought up in a Christian home and although I’ve always believed in God, I didn’t really develop a personal relationship with him until after I had my children, Dave and Matt, when I realised that something was missing in my life. I started coming to Christ Church about 12 years ago and it felt so welcoming that it felt like coming home.
I’ve been through some challenging times since then, including divorce, but I have received so much love and support from many here that it has helped me to grow much closer to God.
This time tomorrow I will be at work in my role as a community nurse specialist for St Peter’s Hospice, where I’ve worked for 26 years. I visit people suffering from life limiting illnesses and offer advice around managing symptoms such as pain, but I also provide time and space for patient’s and their families to discuss any worries they may have.
Tell us a bit about how your faith is worked out in your daily life at work?
I guess I have a heart for people. I think that I demonstrate and share some of the character of God by showing compassion and creating a sense of calm allowing patients to explore their feelings.
What do your colleagues make of that?
My colleagues are aware that I’m a Christian but I remember an occasion about 6 months ago when one of them commented that no matter how stressful things were, I always seemed to be calm and this helped her to feel calmer too. She had noticed something different in me.
And I believe it was through a patient sharing their faith with you that you came back to Church/God after a time away- tell us about that?
Yes, Maria was losing her fight against cancer and was very isolated socially but she said that she was very content and wasn’t afraid of dying. She knew that God was with her and had a place prepared for her when she died. She often discussed her faith with me and although I believed, my faith wasn’t what it should be. Maria encouraged me to pray and read my Bible. She had a major influence on me and helped me to turn my life around. I just hope that I brought her comfort in some small way too.
One final question- if you had an opportunity at work tomorrow to say something about your faith, what would you say in a couple of sentences?
Like Maria, I know that God is with me. I don’t claim to understand why God allows bad things to happen, but I have experienced his love first hand and him carrying me when I have been too weak to carry on. That’s why I feel called to show compassion to others and want to share God’s love, because He has done this for me.