I've just remembered something that happened to me about 10 years ago. I had had surgery, but had quite a bad post-operative infection. When I was finally well enough to recuperate at home I received a visit from our village's vicar. He wanted to know if I needed anything. Not knowing what my religious convictions were, he didn't ask and we didn't talk about it. We chatted about Leicester City FC (he was their chaplain), he made sure I didn't need milk or bread or my loo cleaning or my daughter picking up from school - and then he left.

He clearly felt a duty of pastoral care and general neighbourliness. He may have even gone home any prayed for me on his own. But he did NOT offer to pray for me, or with me. I can only assume that this is because he understood his job a lot better than the nurse in question, and understood where the boundaries are, especially in a person's own home. If I had asked, no doubt he would have prayed with me, but it was up to ME to ask. I find it interesting that a person whose stock-in-trade is spirituality can be wise enough to know where those boundaries are and respect them.