The Dove | May 2018
A publication of the Holy Cross Faith Community Nurse Program, serving faith community nurses, health ministers, clergy, and partners in faith and health.
Dear Faith Community Partner,
We hope that you had a good month and that you are making room for even more of God's goodness! Below you'll find additional resources to help you on your journey, including content related to the faith community's role in supporting positive mental health in all persons. As Mental Health Awareness Month comes to a close, we encourage continued dialogue in our communities on this topic so that we may grow in our understanding of the faith-mental health connection.

Please continue to spread the word about The Dove by forwarding this email to others who may have an interest in faith community nursing/health ministry or in partnering with our program. We are committed to supporting health ministry teams led by nurses and non-nurses of all faiths. Each faith community that establishes an active partnership with us is assigned an FCN coordinator to provide expertise, mentoring and on-site consulting as needed. Our support staff is primarily in the office on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Outside of these hours, feel free to reach out to us by phone, email or schedule a visit. We look forward to connecting with you!

Blessings,

Emeline Mugisha, Director
Holy Cross Faith Community Nurse Program
Partner Spotlight: Marilee Tollefson, Lutheran Church of St. Andrew
Mental Health Ministry Expands to Offer Support Group for Parents
Four years ago, Marilee Tollefson, faith community nurse at the Lutheran Church of St. Andrew, Silver Spring, worked with a passionate group of congregation members and health ministers to bring an official mental health ministry to their church. Since that time, St. Andrew's has been offering its members and the community a range of resources and programs—such as Mental Health First Aid classes—along with the strong message that people should no longer have to feel the stigma of suffering from mental health disease. More recently, members of the mental health team, in response to community needs, proposed an initiative to create a support group for parents and caregivers of children and young adults (21 and under) with mental health issues. The ministry reached out to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) seeking assistance and training for the development of a church-based support group for parents. In the journey to bring the group to fruition, notes Marilee, it was important to address any concerns that church members or leaders had along the way, especially if they had not experienced—or their families had not experienced—mental health issues. "We understood that education and enlightenment are keys to helping people separate misinformation from reality," said Marilee, "so we took every opportunity to meet with groups, provide resources and answer questions." As a result, St. Andrews was able to finalize a partnership with NAMI and now hosts a thriving support group for parents and caregivers in the church and community. For additional information, contact Marilee at 301-384-4394.
Inspiration: A Proper Send-off
By Isabel Tom, Hospice Educator
fly_to_heaven.jpg
My grandpa died two years ago, and although he was really grumpy to most people, I loved him a lot. Just like I absolutely love my grandma. When I was young, my grandma used to hold me in our rocking chair whenever I cried. She’d wipe my tears and tell me she wouldn’t love me anymore if I kept crying. Yet as my tears continued, she would hold me tight. My grandpa would pick me up after school in the elementary years. And in high school, he’d conveniently meet me as I walked home from school. He’d hand me something heavy that he bought from the grocery store (usually a gallon of milk), and we would walk home together. My grandparents and I spent over 20 years living as housemates—we aged and even lost teeth together. My grandparents and me. We were close. Period.

I don’t remember when, but sometime during my first few years of working in the senior care field, I had an epiphany that transformed the way I thought of my grandparents and made me care for them much more. Let me explain.

4 Ways Churches Can Respond to Mental illness
By Antony Sheehan
Former President, Church Health

Connecting spirituality to issues of mental illness and recovery will not look the same in every congregation, but some broad categories will help both clergy and laypeople consider how to respond to the need for help in incorporating spirituality with less fear of these conditions. Congregations can make a difference by exploring four key areas.

1. Recognition . Clergy and others in the faith community know people in their real lives. They recognize when someone is in trouble. But do they know what to do? One tool the Church Health Center in Memphis has begun using is Mental Health First Aid, a public education course from the National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare. Participants learn to recognize risk factors and warning signs and to take concrete action steps to help people in crisis.

2. Referral.  Telling people to pray more and try harder does not work for mental health or recovery any more than it does for diabetes or near-sightedness. And few pastors are trained counselors. Every faith community would benefit from keeping on file a directory of local resources. Sometimes it is enough to help people know where to go. Often, however, they need friendship in the form of help getting there or an invitation to coffee later to talk about how it went.

Library Spotlight: Mental Illness as Stations of the Cross Journey
"Stations of the Cross: Mental Illness" by artist and author Mary Button addresses the cross-cutting theological implications of the treatment of people with mental illness. The 14 stations of art and essays cover a spectrum of reflection, ranging from the gifts and insight of those living with mental illness to social justice issues such as race, gender, homelessness and stigma. This book is available in our Holy Cross Faith Community Nurse Program library.
Learning Opportunities
Monday, June 4 through Friday, July 27
Faith Community Nursing Course — Online
Hosted by West Virginia University School of Nursing

Thursday, June 14
9 to 10 a.m.
Practical Strategies for Conversations on End of Life and Hospice
Sunrise of Chevy Chase, 2201 Colston Dr., Silver Spring, MD
Hosted by Montgomery Hospice Center for Learning

Wednesday, June 20
Ongoing series through August 16
2 to 3 p.m.
Webinar: engAGED — Increasing Social Engagement for Older Adults
Hosted by the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging
Events
Saturday, June 2
9:30 a.m. to Noon, every Saturday through July 7
Spanish Diabetes Self-Management Workshop
Holy Cross Resource Center, 9805 Dameron Dr., Silver Spring, MD

Saturday, June 2, 16 and 30
10 a.m. to Noon
Daughter to Daughter: A Caregiver Workshop Series
Jane E. Lawton Community Recreation Center, 4301 Willow Lane, Chevy Chase, MD
Hosted by Montgomery County Caregiver Support Program

Saturday, June 2, 16 and 30
2 to 3:30 p.m., every other Saturday of the month
Drop-in Grief Support Groups
Holy Cross Resource Center,  9805 Dameron Dr., Silver Spring, MD

Early Bird Registration Deadline: Friday, June 8
Health Ministries Association 2018 Annual Meeting and Conference
September 7 to 10
St. Elizabeth Training and Education Center, 3861 Olympic Blvd., Erlanger, KY
New Network Partners
Please join us in welcoming our new network partners:

  • Emebet Demissie, International Ethiopian Evangelical Church, health minister
We Want to Hear from You
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 June issue, please send events/classes that occur in July no later than June 15 to FCNprogram@holycrosshealth.org .
Join Our Email List
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-mails, please contact us at FCNprogram@holycrosshealth.org .
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

These resources are provided to assist you and not to endorse any particular entity, service or event.