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Spiritual Support Services at GBMC
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Spiritual Support services are available to GBMC patients and their families of all faiths and backgrounds
On many of the inpatient units, members of the Spiritual Support team will visit patients soon after their admission. If the patient wishes, regular visits can be scheduled throughout the patient's hospital stay. Additional support is always available upon request.
Spiritual Support Services welcomes you to experience our new home in the Louis and Phyllis Friedman Building. You’ll find our office just off the main lobby on a hallway that also houses the new Yvonne Kahlert Chapel, our Kosher pantry, a relaxing meditation room, and when weather permits, an outdoor meditation garden. We invite the faithful to gather, worship, find respite, pray, and meditate.
Spiritual Support Services has numerous opportunities for volunteering and community outreach. Contact our main office to find out more about the unique roles we have available.
Reverend Karyn Marsh, M.Div., BCC
Chaplain, Manager of Spiritual Support Services at GBMC Healthcare
Chaplain Marsh provides spiritual and emotional support to patients, their families, and the staff of GBMC hospital and outpatient offices, supervises on-call chaplains who provide spiritual support to patients and families overnight and weekends, and works with our Volunteer Department to recruit and train spiritual support visitors for patients and families. In addition to her clinical focus, she is a member of the hospital’s Ethics Committee, the Dr. John Adams Rounds Planning Committee, and the DEI Planning Committee, and is the Spiritual Support representative on the GBMC Cancer Committee.
Chaplain Marsh has a Bachelor of Science degree in Geosciences from The Pennsylvania State University, a Master of Business Administration degree from Villanova University, a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Maryland, and a Master of Divinity degree from Starr King School for the Ministry in Oakland, California. She is an ordained Unitarian Universalist minister and served as a parish minister for two years before becoming the Manager of Spiritual Support Services at GBMC. She is currently the affiliate community minister at Towson Unitarian Universalist Church.
Prior to serving as a parish minister, Chaplain Marsh was a per diem and on-call chaplain at several area hospitals including GBMC. She completed a one-year chaplain residency and then a one-year chaplain fellowship at Johns Hopkins Hospital where she served patients, families, and staff. Before answering the call of ministry, Chaplain Marsh worked first as an environmental scientist and then as an environmental attorney.
Our Services
Spiritual Support Services offers a multitude of services for patients and families, including:
- On Campus Chapel
- Spiritual/Religious Resources
- Spiritual Care Coordination
- Worship Opportunities
- Patient Room Spiritual TV Channel
- Pet Therapy
- Music Ministry
- Ethics Consultations
- Advance Directive Information
GBMC Spiritual Support Services
Our department seeks to meet the needs of our patients, families and staff through a variety experiences and opportunities that go beyond the bedside.
Chapel
Located on the third floor near the Main Lobby, the Chapel is open 24-hours-a-day for personal and devotional prayer.
Spiritual/Religious Resources
Free devotional literature, Bibles, the Koran, Tenach, Book of the Psalms, Muslim prayer rugs, Jewish Shabbat candles, Catholic rosaries, prayer shawls and other spiritual resource materials are available through Spiritual Support Services. Recently, GBMC published its own general book of prayers, which is available to patients.
Spiritual Care Coordination
At the patient's request, his or her Pastor, Rabbi, Priest or Imam can be notified of hospitalization. A visit from a patient's denominational representative may be arranged. With permission, Spiritual Support Services staff will contact the individual's spiritual leader to request a visit.
Worship Service Opportunities
- A Catholic Communion Service is celebrated on Tuesdays at 10 a.m. in the Hospital Chapel, near the Main Lobby. The service is broadcast live on the Spiritual Channel 3. Patients registered as Catholic will be visited by a Eucharistic minister offering The Eucharist on a daily basis.
- A Protestant Communion Service is celebrated on Thursdays at 1:00 p.m. in the Chapel, near the Main Lobby. Communion will be distributed to patients in their rooms upon request following the service. The service is broadcast live on the Spiritual Channel 3.
- Jewish Shabbat Prayers are available on Fridays in the Chapel upon request.
- Muslim Friday Prayer is available at 1:00 - 2:00 p.m. every Friday in the chapel.
- Various religious celebrations and seasonal services are held throughout the year.
Spiritual Channel
Spiritual Channel 3 broadcasts certain spiritual/religious services and events throughout the hospital including:
- The Elma Donovan Memorial Concert Series — Spiritual Support Services offers the Wednesdays at Noon Concert series in honor of Elma Donovan, through the generosity of the Board of the Hospital for the Women of Maryland, Baltimore City, on the second Wednesday of each month. Concerts are performed in the chapel or the Baetjer OB Entrance of the hospital. The concerts are available to patients, visitors and staff. Concerts and recitals are broadcast throughout the hospital on the Spiritual Channel 3.
- Catholic and Protestant Communion Services are also available
Pet Therapy
Spiritual Support Services offers pet therapy through National Capital Therapy Dogs, a non-profit, all-volunteer organization that provides animal-assisted therapy and other activities to people in health facilities, shelters, schools and libraries. NCTD is recognized as one of the top animal-assisted therapy organizations in the country, providing a full range of therapy services to approved facilities, visiting medical and psychiatric patients, stroke and trauma clients, palliative care patients, and others.
Music Ministry
Through the Spiritual Support Services music ministry Mr Christopher Maggitti, classical guitarist plays soothing classical music to our patients on the ICU units.. These performances feature a blend of religious, contemplative, classical and popular music. In addition, the Alma Donovan Memorial Concert Series, is presented the first Wednesday of the month, entitled, Wednesdays at Noon. The concerts take place in Main Lobby B or in the OB Atrium.
Ethics Consultations
Ethics consultation is a service offered by GBMC to facilitate discussion between patients, family, physicians, nurses and/or other involved persons faced with deep concerns or conflicts over patient care decisions. The committee provides guidance and offers opinions and suggestions to resolve disputes regarding care. The committee Chapel consists of representatives from various clinical and administrative departments of the hospital, including Chaplain Joe Hart, as well as members of the surrounding community.
You or a family member may request an ethics consultation by paging 410-232-0716. You may also ask any member of your health care team to initiate the consultation process on your behalf. For more information, visit GBMC's Ethics Consultation page.
Advance Directive Information
An Advance Directive is a legal document that allows individuals to communicate their decisions about end-of-life care before the situation arises. Making these decisions in advance gives patients the peace of mind that their wishes will be followed while also taking the decision-making burden off of their loved ones.
Chaplain Joe Hart is available to those who wish to discuss creating an Advance Directive and can be reached at 443-849-2054.
Additional Information can be found at the following websites:
Maryland Attorney General - Advance Directives
This website gives more information about Advance Directives for Maryland residents and provides links to print Advance Directive forms for individuals with impaired vision as well as forms in Spanish,Chinese, French, Korean, Russian, and Vietnamese.
Advanced Directive documents by state
Here, users can find downloadable Advance Directive forms based on the state in which they live. The website also contains resource information on planning ahead for advance directives, caring for others, living with an illness and grieving.
U.S. Living Will Registry
This website provides information about Advance Directives and links to various Advance Directive Documents. It is a tool that allows individuals to submit these documents, which are stored electronically in the registry for easy access in case of emergency.
Five Wishes information
Five Wishes is a living will document written in everyday language that allows users to address their personal, emotional, spiritual and medical wishes should they become seriously ill. The website provides information and instructions on how to complete the Five Wishes form.
Interpretation of the Chapel's Stained Glass
The two GBMC chapel windows are daring and unparalleled presentations of light which envision religious and dialogue for the 21st century...
Our History
Incorporated in 1965, GBMC HealthCare consolidated the operations of two specialty Baltimore hospitals: The Hospital for the Women of Maryland, of Baltimore City and Presbyterian Eye, Ear and Throat Charity Hospital. In continuing with the heritage of the hospital's founding, Spiritual Support Services at GBMC is committed to fostering relationships with all congregations, keeping in mind the rich religious traditions of the greater Baltimore community.
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