The Chapel at Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital celebrated 20 years of serving the community yesterday during a special ceremony. Chaplain Dick Denson, Phoebe’s first chaplain, was the keynote speaker. He worked at Phoebe for eight years and stated it was the best ministry work he had ever done.
 
The chaplaincy program at Phoebe began in 1996. Chaplain Denson assembled a group of five key ministers from the community to provide consultation and support for the new department, and its ministry to the hospital and community.
 
With the help of 18 key community leaders and lay persons, more than $300,000 was raised to remodel the existing space, furnish the chapel, and develop programs of the chapel. On March 10, 1998, the hospital chapel was dedicated and for the past two decades has provided comfort for patients, families and staff members.
 
The focus of the Spiritual Care Department is to provide ministry to patients, family members and employees with the help of volunteer chaplains.  Phoebe’s interfaith chapel is available 24 hours a day for prayer and meditation. Outside the chapel there is a prayer board for prayer request. The prayer requests are read aloud during the Sunday worship service.