A publication of the Holy Cross Faith Community Nurse Program, serving faith community nurses, health ministers, clergy, and partners in faith and health.
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Dear Faith Community Partner,
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In
Deeply Woven Roots: Improving the Quality of Life in Your Community
, Gary Gunderson writes, "Faith needs the language of health in order to understand how it applies to life; health needs the language of faith in order to find its larger context, its meaning." Our ministry at the Holy Cross Faith Community Nurse Program is committed to nurturing the fullness of life that God intends for every human being by supporting this vital link between faith and health in our faith communities. Toward that end, we invite you to share
The Dove
with anyone who is not connected to our network and has expressed a commitment to show the love of God through the promotion of health, healing and wholeness in the faith community and the community at large. You may also
click here
for a flyer
that may be printed and shared with others to inform them of who we are and what we do.
This is a journey that we are all on together, and we hope that
The Dove
as well as the other support services our partnership program provides will continue to encourage new ministry ideas (and new ministry leaders) that can help bring whole-person health into a greater reality in our faith communities.
In His service,
Emeline Mugisha, Director
Holy Cross Faith Community Nurse Program
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Partner Spotlight: Betty Baklarz, St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church
Health Ministry Event Explores End-of-Life Issues and Advance Directives
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For the fifth consecutive year, faith community nurse Betty Baklarz and her health ministry team at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, Derwood, Md., have offered congregants and community members an opportunity to explore the medical, legal, ethical and moral dimensions of end-of-life care and decision-making. In February, the health ministry hosted a seminar, “Honoring the Dignity of Life,” with presentations by a priest who is a professor of moral ethics and an attorney with expertise in elder law, advance directives and the MOLST (Medical Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment) form. The health ministry team held the seminar in advance of “National Health Care Decisions Day” (April 16) to bring early awareness to the importance of documenting end-of-life preferences and wishes. Participants in the seminar were offered breakfast, received literature to take home and completed evaluations to provide feedback to the health ministry team. To learn more details about the development of the event, contact Betty (who is also a staff member of the Holy Cross Faith Community Nurse Program) at
Elizabeth.Baklarz@holycrosshealth.org
or 301-754-7917.
- Please also see the Events section below for information on “Advance Directives Day” at Holy Cross Senior Source on April 16.
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Community Resource Spotlight: Hope Connections
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Research has shown the many quality-of-life benefits that people with cancer can receive from emotional support and connection, as well as from stress management and access to education and resources. Janet Hadley, who sees these benefits every day as the program director of Hope Connections for Cancer Support, emphasizes the importance of encouraging people dealing with cancer to access support systems as soon as possible. "Cancer is isolating, which can lead to depression—and negative emotions don't help you when you're healing," says Janet. "It's so important for people to be able to talk to other people going through the same thing. They come away feeling more empowered and more hopeful." Hope Connections, a nonprofit organization based in Bethesda, Md. with a branch in Landover, Md. was founded more than a decade ago to offer a variety of free non-medical services under one roof: support groups, classes on cancer and cancer treatments, exercise (yoga and pilates), stress management (meditation, hypnosis, art, knitting), nutrition workshops, and a wide variety of educational resources. "Everyone is not the same," says Janet. "Some people just want information, and some just want to talk it out in a support group. It's important to be aware that different people have different needs." To learn more about Hope Connections,
click here.
For information on Holy Cross Health cancer support groups,
click here.
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Inspiration: The Wheelchair Miracle
By Janis Perry, Faith Community Nurse, Grace Brethren Church
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I had a very strong inward urging to go to the thrift store that day. My daughter and three grandchildren accompanied me. I had no idea why I was there, or what I would be purchasing. Surely God had something in mind, though, as He always does when He nudges.
“Miss, excuse me, but do you know where I might get one of those motorized wheelchairs?” the voice behind me inquired. I turned around to see an elderly stranger sitting in the chair of his walker, staring at me intently.
“Uh, no, I don’t think so,” I slowly responded, startled from my ponderings over whether I would purchase a certain toy for my grandchildren. He said nothing, but seemed to patiently wait for me to gather my scattered thoughts.
As I continued to mull over his question, and slowly emerge from my shopping daze, some ideas began to formulate in my mind. “Oh, wait a minute! Funny you should ask me that, because I do belong to a faith community nursing network,” I thought aloud. “Sometimes people give donations of medical supplies and equipment to churches in the network.”
He smiled, and asked if we could exchange contact information, which we did. I assured him that I would investigate the possibility, but not to get his hopes up, as I had no idea if such a wheelchair would have been donated...
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National Public Health Week: Striving for Healthiest Nation 2030
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This year's April 2-8 National Public Health Week celebrates our public health system's goal to create the healthiest nation in one generation ("Healthiest Nation 2030"), as well as the power of prevention, advocacy and partnerships. Find resources for topics designated on each day of the observance (behavioral health, communicable diseases, environmental health, injury and violence prevention and ensuring the right to health). Each topic section answers the questions "why should I care?" and "what should I do?" with information and resources.
Click here to learn more.
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Registration deadline: April 2
Online Health Minister Certificate Course
April 22 to June 30
Hosted by Wesley Theological Seminary
Tuesday, April 10
1 p.m. to 2 p.m. EST
Webinar: Trauma Informed Care for People Living with Dementia
Hosted by the American Society on Aging
Thursday, April 12
9 to 10 a.m.
The Truth About Opioid Usage at the End of Life
Hebrew Home of Greater Washington, 6121 Montrose Rd., Rockville
Hosted by Montgomery Hospice Center for Learning
Tuesday, April 17
9 to 11 a.m.
Ethical Dilemmas in Working with Older Adults
18131 Slade School Rd., Sandy Spring, MD
Hosted by Brooke Grove Rehabilitation and Nursing Center
Tuesday, April 17
First of six-part series each Tuesday through May 22
8 to 9 p.m. EST
Webinar: Bringing Advance Care Planning Conversations to Your Congregation
Hosted by The Conversation Project
Wednesday, April 18
1 to 2:15 p.m.
Everthing You Need to Know About Long-term Care Insurance
18131 Slade School Rd., Sandy Spring, MD
Hosted by Brooke Grove Rehabilitation and Nursing Center
Tuesday, April 24
Noon to 1 p.m.
Webinar: With All I Have to Hold—
Coping with End-of-Life Caregiving
Hosted by Montgomery Hospice Center for Learning
Registration deadline: April 28
Faith Community Nursing Foundations Course
May 17 to August 3
Hosted by Children's National Medical Center
Thursday, May 3 and May 10
8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
End-of-Life Nursing Education Consortium (ELNEC) Core Course
Hosted by Montgomery Hospice Center for Learning
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Tuesday, April 10
6 to 7:30 p.m., every Tuesday through May 22
Freedom from Smoking Group Clinic - Spanish
Holy Cross Health Center, 13975 Connecticut Ave., Aspen Hill
Hosted by Holy Cross Health and the American Lung Association
Tuesday, April 10
10:30 a.m. to Noon
Dementia Conversations
Holy Cross Resource Center, 9805 Dameron Dr., Silver Spring, MD
Thursday, April 12
11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Advance Directives Day
Holy Cross Senior Source, 8580 2nd Ave., Silver Spring, MD
Friday, April 13
11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Holistic Health Day
Holy Cross Senior Source, 8580 2nd Ave., Silver Spring, MD
Monday, April 16
1 p.m.
"Defining Hope" film screening
518 South Frederick Av., Gaithersburg, MD
Hosted by Hospice Caring
Sunday, April 22
9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Red Cross Blood Drive
4101 Norbeck Rd., Rockville, MD
Hosted by St. Patrick's Catholic Church
Thursday, April 26
10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
A Conversation: Women and Heart Health
12621 Old Columbia Pike, Silver Spring, MD
Hosted by St. Mark's Episcopal/Anglican Church
Thursday, April 26
6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Breast Health and Disease
Holy Cross Germantown Hospital, 19801 Observation Dr., Germantown, MD
Friday, May 4
8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
A Day of Reflection and Renewal for Parish Nurses and Health Ministers
The Purple Iris,
1956
Winchester Ave.,
Martinsburg,
WV
Hosted by Meritus Health Parish Nursing Program
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National Health Observances
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Click the links below to view toolkits:
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Need a CPR or First Aid Instructor?
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Cheryl Lubbers, faith community nurse at Oakdale United Methodist Church, Olney, MD is a certified First Aid, CPR, ACLS, PALS, and Neonatal Resuscitation instructor and is available to teach in faith communities interested in offering these classes. Please contact her at 301-655-4706 if you are interested.
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We are interested in hearing from you! Please feel free to share:
- Feedback on this issue and future issues
- Suggestions for health ministry stories, resources and inspiration
- Learning opportunities or events sponsored by your health ministry
The Dove
is published the last week of each month and features calendar events for the following month. For our April issue, please send events/classes that occur in May no later than April 15 to
FCNprogram@holycrosshealth.org
.
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Got this as a forward? If you would like to partner with the Holy Cross Faith Community Nurse Program and sign up to receive our future e-mailings, please contact us at
FCNprogram@holycrosshealth.org
.
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Holy Cross Faith Community Nurse Program
FCNprogram@holycrosshealth.org
301-754-7066
Emeline Mugisha, Director -
emeline.mugisha@holycrosshealth.org
Daria Berman, FCN Coordinator -
bermad@holycrosshealth.org
Betty Baklarz, FCN Coordinator -
elizabeth.baklarz@holycrosshealth.org
Teresa Fulton, Communications Specialist -
fultont@holycrosshealth.org
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