Coalition Newsletter

Moses Cone Congregational Nurse Program

Guilford County is blessed to be a resource rich community. One of those strong local resources is an active, vibrant faith community. Did you know that there are over six hundred congregations in Guilford County representing a rich diversity of religious backgrounds and ethnicities? Congregations represent a gathering of people who are like-minded and meet on a consistent basis to live out their faith and support each other through caregiving in a variety of ways.

Each congregation, regardless of size, religious affiliation, ethnicity, or financial resources, has members who are facing difficult life challenges. Members often reach out in woundedness to their clergy and fellow members, who represent a trusted environment, in seeking direction and comfort. Sometimes the issues are overwhelming to clergy and caregiving individuals who seek to provide not only a listening ear but also accurate information to help the individual/family discern a path that hopefully will lead to healing and wholeness. Substance abuse is always one of those universal, difficult issues.

In 1998, the Moses Cone Health System, in conjunction with the Moses Cone-Wesley Long Community Health Foundation and the Duke Endowment, established the Moses Cone Congregational Nurse Program. The goal of the program is to support ministries of health, caring and healing which integrate spiritual, physical and emotional health. The Moses Cone Congregational Nurse Program is designed to build on and strengthen capacities of individuals, families, and congregations to understand and care for one another in the context of their faith and their relationship to the broader society.

Through continued funding from the Foundation, the program has expanded to include forty-four congregations with plans for continued expansion over the next two years. The congregations are diverse in religious affiliation, ethnicity, location and financial resources. Currently, the combined membership of these congregations represents over 70,000 people in Guilford County. Each faith community must apply and be chosen to participate. Congregations then must establish a Congregational Health Ministry Program with a registered nurse and congregational members. The roles of the congregational nurse include personal counseling, coordination of health fairs and screenings, presentation of health education programs, advocacy and facilitation of caregiving activities.

In every faith community setting, the congregational nurses have worked with individuals and families who have been impacted by substance abuse issues. Substance abuse touches people across the age continuum from adolescents to older adults. In the health education role, the Congregational Nurses connect with community agencies to present programs to educate and empower youth and adults to make wise choices. In the advocacy role, the nurses provide a listening ear and try to help individuals and families connect with community resources to find treatment alternatives. Many of the congregations provide space for AA and NA support groups and encourage their members to seek out others who are walking the journey of healing and wholeness.

On behalf of the Moses Cone Congregational Nurse Program, we are appreciative of the work of the many agencies that comprise the Substance Abuse Coalition. The information that has been complied and distributed as a result of this Coalition has provided a valuable tool in our practice.