IN these uncertain economic times, among the best advice might be to put your hands together and pray. Which is where Phillip Jones comes in.

The Reverend Jones, to give him his proper title, is Industrial Missioner for the Worcester Diocese and leader of Faith at Work, the church’s outreach team that visits shops, offices, factories, businesses and other workstations throughout Worcestershire.

The aim is not to spread the Christian gospel like 18th century missionaries moving among the heathen tribes in the Interior, but to be a shoulder to lean on if trouble comes calling on the workplace doorstep.

With the credit crunch biting, order books shrinking and companies closing there is plenty of trouble about.

“In the last two or three months, the problems have really started to filter through,” said Mr Jones.

“Being made redundant can be very stressful. Sometimes it gets to the stage where you are virtually talking about the meaning of life.

“The recent closure of Kays in Worcester was a case in point.

“It affected hundreds of people at what for more than a century had been a local institution.

“Fortunately our industrial team had very good relations with the firm because we had been going into Kays since 1995 and knew a lot of the people involved.

“It was sad to see what was happening and for many there were difficult choices ahead.”

The church first became involved with industry and commerce in the Worcester Diocese back in the 1960s, when clergymen began visiting the carpet factories in Kidderminster as their position as kings of the carpet trade was threatened by foreign imports and redundancies followed.

In the 1970s the Industrial Mission moved into Bromsgrove, Redditch and Worcester.

Phillip Jones was ordained into the church in 1985 after a career as a personnel officer with a local authority. So he had experience of the business environment before he joined the cloth “I had always been a keen churchgoer,”

he explained, “and I had this feeling I wanted to contribute something more to society.

“I hoped I could make a difference and I felt that through the church was the best way to do it.”

For the past 13 years, he has combined his work with the Industrial Mission with being vicar of Whittington, the village just south of Worcester bordering the M5.

Now he has moved a couple of miles around the edge of the city to a new home on Warndon Villages and taken on the role of full-time Industrial Missioner, which puts him at the head of an ecumenical team of four paid chaplains and more than 20 associate chaplains.

Their brief emphasizes they are not to “impose their beliefs” on those they visit, but to provide “a space to talk and share concerns in confidence”.

As Mr Jones explained: “It’s more of a personal support service. A shoulder to lean on and an ear to listen to personal problems.

“Of course we cannot, and are not qualified to, give business or financial advice. But what we can do is talk through problems and hopefully act as a stress relief.

“In my role, I will also work with local churches to ensure they understand the problems of the workplace and can offer help to anyone who comes to them.”

The work has many angles.

Unexpectedly, there is the trauma a sudden, and possibly substantial, redundancy cheque can bring to a household.

“We have to caution wise use of the money,” he added.

“There is probably an urge to blow some of it, but we have to point out this is in place of future earnings that might not be replaced.”

Then there was the collapse at work and subsequent death of a much loved staff member at a Worcestershire business.

“It had a great affect on her colleagues, some of whom took a long time to get over it.

“Fortunately the management treated the issue with great sensitivity and re-arranged the work practices, so that her position was not directly replaced.

“No one had to sit in her chair and take over her role.”

Mr Jones is aiming to liase closely with local job centres and the regional Chamber of Commerce so that possible future developments on the business and commercial front can be anticipated in advance and the ground prepared, particularly if they involve redundancies.

“In the current economic climate, both large and small organisations are having to make difficult decisions and we can provide confidential assistance at a time when people inevitably become very vulnerable,” he said.

Finally, just remember, Faith at Work in Worcestershire is a chaplaincy service that is available to people of all ages and any religion or none. It is not a formal counselling service.

For more information ring Mr Jones on 01905 755037 or visit www.faithatwork.org.uk.

Best of all, it’s free.