Wednesday, April 15, 2020

DR. VITUS BLOG

Leave a Comment

DR. VITUS BLOG


Virginia congregation's Community Health Faith Nurse ministry provides holistic health services

Posted: 15 Apr 2020 12:01 PM PDT

April 15, 2020
COVID-19 resources available

The Office of the General Minister and President has compiled a collection of resources and statements from Church leadership in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. We are updating this page with more resources as available.

The Easter service featuring General Minister and President Terri Hord Owens will continue to be available on the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) YouTube channel.
Virginia congregation's Community Health Faith Nurse ministry provides holistic health services
For Linda Manns, RN, MSN, and Loudon Avenue Christian Church in Roanoke, VA, health care is a vital aspect of ministry.

In 1989, Manns, a community health nurse, started offering blood pressure screenings after Sunday worship service, and so began the congregation’s volunteer Church Nurse position.

Today, Manns is known as the Community Health Faith Nurse “to emphasize the focus on the intentional care of the spirit as part of the process of promoting holistic health and preventing or minimizing illness in a faith community.”

For the past 30 plus years, under Manns’ and Loudon Avenue’s leadership, this ministry has grown exponentially.

Loudon Avenue has also benefited, in addition to community grants, from support of the wider Church. They have received a grant from the National Benevolent Association and other funding from Week of Compassion.

Today, the faith health ministry at Loudon Avenue is visible in a variety of ways, like transportation to doctor appointments; weekly meals for seniors; annual community awareness events for men’s health, breast cancer awareness, and heart disease; a quarterly newsletter, The Faith Health Link; and a table full of resources in the congregation’s overflow area of the building.
What does hope look like in our changing landscape? What color is hope?

The Disciples AllianceQ invites you to “hope in color.” Using a new color each week, Colors of Hope encourages us to wonder, engage, embody, create and share. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic and life’s ongoing challenges, with a surge of digital content and an increase in screen time, this series invites us to experience the divine and all of creation through refreshing practices that require little or no online activity. The project features thought-provoking inspirational messages and practices. Every Tuesday there will be a 10-12-minute podcast featuring a Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) leader including Allen Harris, CJ Abramowitz-Rodriguez, Luther Young, Andy Deeb, Sophia Hayes-Jackson, Alysha Laperche and others. The podcast explores one of the week's lectionary texts and includes a transcript for accessibility. Apart from the Tuesday podcasts, the practices do not require online activity.

AllianceQ saw the need for individual and collective embodied spiritual practices. Supplemental resources are available on Well Fed Spirit, affiliated with the Office of Christian Vocations of the Christian Church (Disciples Christ).

The eight colors are from Gilbert Baker’s original Pride flag. Pink stood for sex, red for life, orange for healing, yellow for sunlight, green for nature, turquoise for magic, blue for harmony and purple for spirit. Gilbert Baker’s life story, like that of the gay rights movement, is one of resilience and transformation. AllianceQ will release mental health resources throughout April, which is mental health awareness month.
Invitation to join in prayer

Creator God, we are thankful for the faithful and creative work of the Oklahoma region as we move through this time of anxiety and uncertainty. Hold the congregations in your loving care as they struggle with the effects of physical distancing. Help them know that they are close to your heart no matter what is separating them during this time. Amen.
NBA offers COVID-19 response grants

To offer a rapid and impactful response to the Coronavirus pandemic, the National Benevolent Association is offering grant funding to support Disciples-related ministries that are working locally in response to this crisis. With this funding, we seek to offer relief to ministries that have been detrimentally impacted and to support new projects created in service to those suffering because of the pandemic. All Disciples-related health and social services ministries and congregation-affiliated projects in the United States and Canada are invited to apply. Eligible applicants must demonstrate in detail their financial need for support related to COVID-19. For more information and to apply, visit NBAcares.org/covid-19-grants.
General Minister and President offers census reminder

In the midst of all we're doing to respond to COVID-19, General Minister and President Rev. Teresa Hord Owens reminds us that 2020 is a Census year in the United States. Fill out the quick form at 2020census.gov to make a difference for your community for the next 10 years!
How to prepare your church building for an extended period of inactivity


With ‘shelter in place’ orders in effect, our houses of worship are sitting empty. But this can take a toll on our buildings. What can you do?

  1. Shut off your main water supply
  2. Shut off or turn down your water heater.  
  3. Adjust your furnace/air-conditioner. Adjust your heat-setting to about 60° F (16° C) and your AC setting to about 86° F (30° C). 
  4. Turn on ceiling fans in the sanctuary
  5. Check your sump pumps. Pour a bucket of water into the sump-pit and confirm that the pump eliminates it.
  6. Fill floor drains. The water in the P-trap of your drain evaporates over time, allowing sewer gas and methane to seep into your building. Pouring two liters of water into the drain will refill the trap. Then, add a tablespoon of vegetable oil on top to slow water evaporation.
  7. Don’t neglect your lawn. Clean out gutters, downspouts, and drain lines. Make sure that all yard inlets are clear and that no debris is nearby that could be washed in.
  8. Let your alarm companies know that your building will be empty
  9. Check gas appliances. Shut off the gas to stoves and ovens with full-time pilot lights. 

For additional information, visit Disciples Church Extension Fund’s blog.
To advertise in Disciples News Service, contact Cherilyn Williams
Applications open for HELM scholarships

The Leadership Fellows program is a leadership development program for Disciples undergraduate students. Each of the four years of undergraduate education has a different focus: Community, Transformation, Global Awareness, and Mentoring. Click here to learn more about the Leadership Fellows program and to access the online application.

For Disciples students pursuing a PhD in the field of religion, HELM offers two scholarships, the William Gilbert and Florence Leonard Jones Scholarship and the Ann E. Dickerson Scholarship. Click here for more information on these scholarships and to access the online application.

All application materials for both the Leadership Fellows Program and PhD scholarships must be received by April 30. If you have questions, please contact Jon Barnes.
National Benevolent Association extends XPLOR 2020-21 application deadline

The NBA initiates ministries designed to establish and grow partnerships with health and social service supporters and providers. Drawing upon this rich history, NBA continues to assist Disciples to join systemic justice work with direct care and action.
 
In 2014, we launched NBA XPLOR, a prophetic movement of young adults who are considering lives of care and service. The Residency provides 10-month professional development and vocational discernment opportunities for 21- to 30-year-olds to live simply in community and engage in direct service and justice work. Through NBA XPLOR, we partner young adults with Disciples congregations, regional and general ministries, and wider communities—positively engaging neighborhoods, the congregations, and the young adults.
 
We are currently accepting applications for our 2020-21 cohort. Applications for this XPLOR cohort will be received until all spaces are full. Your applications are welcome and you will be contacted immediately with updated news on openings. For questions and more information, contact Rev. Ben Bohren. To learn more about the XPLOR program, visit nbacares.org/xplor.
Disciples News Service (DNS) is distributed by Communication Ministries, in the Office of the General Minister and President, and is supported by your gifts to Disciples Mission Fund. To change your subscription, or submit news for consideration in DNS, visit our website.

End of the day it's time to read the latest news ☝️

Posted: 15 Apr 2020 11:11 AM PDT

Latest News
Just in: Nigeria records highest increase in 24 hours as NCDC announces 30 Covid-19 cases
Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) on Tuesday night, April 14, announced eleven cases of coronavirus, bringing the total number of Covid-19 cases to 373....
READ MORE →
In video: Popular undertakers whose memes are all over social media have a message for the world
The leader of the Ghanaian group of pallbearers who have become a worldwide sensation on social media in many funeral memes speaks about the group's motivation....
Read More →
COVID-19: Donald Trump stops funding to WHO, gives reason
Donald Trump accused WHO of contributing to rapid spread of the virus and also playing a cover-up role thus complicating the fight against the global pandemic....
Read More →
Coronavirus: Ogun state relaxes lockdown, explains details
Following President Buhari's order to extend coronavirus lockdown by another 14 days, the Ogun state government has pledged to ensure compliance with the order....
Read More →
Governor Sanwo-Olu finally reacts, reveals steps Lagos will take as hoodlums invade houses to steal during lockdown
Amid burgeoning peace breach in Lagos, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu said he would not abandon the responsibility of protecting the state from thugs and thieves....
Read More →
Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube
Legit.ng - a brand of NAIJ.com Media Ltd
2018 All rights reserved

Reformed Worship - April 2020

Posted: 15 Apr 2020 08:06 AM PDT

April 2020
View this email in your browser

Reformed Worship is a collection of resources available through social media, monthly e-newsletters, a website, and a growing digital library, all based on a quarterly print magazine providing practical help and support to worship planners that is biblically-based with a Reformed accent. To learn more or subscribe go to: ReformedWorship.org

This year, the juxtaposition between the Easter resurrection and our reality couldn't be more stark. Unsure of what tomorrow will bring let us remember Christ's command "Do not be afraid. Go and tell" (Matthew 28:10).
May you continue to be used to bring this gospel message of comfort and hope that the world so greatly needs.

A Time to Weep: Voicing Lament Through the Psalms

This article, originally written by Dr. John Witvliet, is adapted to help us lament through the Psalms in times of crisis, particularly in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Friday Voice of Faith

Pastor and theologian Walter Brueggemann offers a few theological reflections on lament and grief and encourages us to find our own voice in the lament Psalms.

How Could God Let This Happen?

The Psalms are full of lament. This preaching series, not limited to the Lent season, guides God's people to lament and to weep and wonder, Where is God?

No password is required to view these articles; however, please note that if you are not an RW subscriber you will be asked to provide your name and email address. For subscribers please sign in on the website for unlimited access.

  • After Easter: A Series for Ascension, Pentecost, Trinity Sunday—and Beyond Let's not lose sight of the significance of the important Sundays of the church year after Easter and the unique opportunities for teaching and worship they afford. These days hold big theological themes that are relevant to our own lives and for the whole world.
  • Made New: Easter to Ascension How do we balance our joyful celebration of Christ's resurrection with the enduring reality of our fallen world? The answer lies in the gospel we proclaim—a gospel of transformation.
  • Ten Reasons to Celebrate Ascension Day Why does Ascension Day matter? We don't celebrate it anymore, and I need to give my congregation a better rationale for why we should.
  • A Hymn and a Prayer for Ascension Day A contemporary hymn (sung or read as poetry) and a Scripture-based prayer for an Ascension Day service suitable for both in-person or online gatherings.

A Time to Mourn: Shepherding God's People Through Grief

By Robert C. DeVries and Susan J. Zonnebelt-Smeenge

Church communities deal with life and death on a continual basis. Grief is commonplace among God's people. This article includes some suggestions for incorporating the realities of grief and bereavement in worship.

"My God, My God, Why?": Understanding the Lament Psalms

By Stacey Gleddiesmith

It is our challenge, as worship leaders, to continue to cry out to God, to continue to expect an answer, and therefore continue to live in hope, trusting that our good, powerful, and just God does indeed reign.

Meeting God Where We Are

By Lisa A. Stracks

When you're tired, grumpy, or grieving, don't try to bury your feelings. Remember that God desires to commune with your authentic self, not some image of what you "should" be. By acknowledging the disjuncture of your worship ideals and your circumstances, you might find yourself worshiping where you are—in a new place.

Subscribe to the Print and/or E-Version Journal Today!

Reformed Worship is an award winning quarterly worship journal.
Renew or manage your Reformed Worship subscription here. Call (800.333.8300) or email us at info@reformedworship.org if you have any questions regarding your Reformed Worship subscription.

Copyright © 2020 Worship Ministries, Christian Reformed Church in North America.
All rights reserved.
You are receiving Reformed Worship updates because you are a current or past subscriber to our print magazine, signed up on the website, or talked with a customer service representative, asking to be subscribed to the mailing list.

Our mailing address is:
CRC Worship Ministries
1700 28th Street SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49508-1407

Add us to your address book

Update E-Newsletter Subscription Preferences | Unsubscribe
Email
Website
Facebook
Twitter

COVID-19: Donald Trump stops funding to WHO, gives reason

Posted: 15 Apr 2020 04:21 AM PDT

I named my baby David due to the love I have for Davido - Man says, singer reacts

Posted: 15 Apr 2020 03:15 AM PDT

Governor Sanwo-Olu finally reacts, reveals steps Lagos will take as hoodlums invade houses to steal during lockdown

Posted: 15 Apr 2020 03:03 AM PDT

In video: Popular undertakers whose memes are all over social media have a message for the world

Posted: 15 Apr 2020 02:45 AM PDT

Just in: Nigeria records highest increase in 24 hours as NCDC announces 30 Covid-19 cases

Posted: 15 Apr 2020 12:22 AM PDT

Breaking: Lagos identifies 119 people with COVID-19 symptoms during house-to-house search

Posted: 14 Apr 2020 09:11 PM PDT

Latest News
Breaking: Lagos identifies 119 people with COVID-19 symptoms during house-to-house search
In fight against coronavirus, Lagos state govt says it has identified 119 people with COVID-19 symptoms during the recently activated house-to-house search...
READ MORE →
Coronavirus: Why we can't lock down northern region - Lalong
Governors in the northern region of Nigeria on Monday, April 13, given reasons why they cannot impose a lockdown in their states amid the coronavirus pandemic....
Read More →
Nigerian coronavirus survivor in Ireland shares his recovery story
Recounting his experience, Obabola said he only survived the virus because he went in for treatment early enough and did not have underlying health issues....
Read More →
Reactions as Delta state anatomy graduate makes face masks with beads (photos)
A Delta state anatomy graduate, Grace Ishicheli Kenechi recently left social media buzzing with mixed reactions following her creation of face mask using beads....
Read More →
Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube
Legit.ng - a brand of NAIJ.com Media Ltd
2018 All rights reserved
If You Enjoyed This, Take 5 Seconds To Share It

0 comments:

Post a Comment