Faith Community Nursing


“I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you.”   3 John 1:2

As stated by the United Methodist Virginia Conference, the mission of the Faith Community Nursing Ministry is to “continue the healing ministry of Jesus Christ”.  It is a health promotion, disease prevention ministry that combines the spiritual and physical components of health.  Click on any underlined item below to read additional information.  Parish nurses provide the following services:

  • Health Consultation:  This includes personal medication review, assessing travel plans and other health planning needs.
  • Visitation in Homes and Health Care Facilities:   This includes working with the visitation and member care committees.
  • Referral Resources:  Referral resources include making available advance directives/Five Wishes, First Aid Locations in the church, Companion Sitters’ list,  Health Closet Items,  Caregiver Resource websites, and Books To Loan.  Services are provided to assist in accessing care and helping to navigate the system for options for services by Local Resource Numbers/Sites such as hospices.
  • Assistance in Pastoral Care:  Parish nurses help the ministers know about congregational needs and help make visits to the hospitals. Follow-up and reports are made to the ministers.
  • Health Education and Volunteer Training:  This includes providing information to specific groups or individuals about exercise, nutrition and other medical topics.  It includes CPR training for those working with children and information for committee members when requested. Participating in the NRV Interfaith Network is a vital role. Including and updating congregational nurses is another.
  • Health Advocate and Developer of Support Groups:  This component includes the Caregiver Consulting Services, Balance and Strength group for over 50, helping with VBS, assisting with blood and marrow drives, holding regular blood pressure screening days, organizing the Holiday Weight Challenge and other events such as the Walk to Jerusalem.

The  parish nurses are Barbara Bonham, Jan Notter, and Oneda Burleson-Dyer.  Barbara can be reached at 552-0284 or Barbara.bonham@comcast.net.  Jan can be reached at 951-7515 or jmcnott@yahoo.com.  Oneda is at  552-0085 or MomBFly@aol.com.  A message may be left at the church office 552-5424.  (If you do not receive a call back soon, please call the administrative assistant back with the message or call them directly.)  The nurses are usually in their office on Monday mornings.

In order to protect the privacy of all parishioners, no information about the health status of any parishioner will be shared with other individuals by any of the staff members of this congregation without that person’s explicit permission.

HOW TO VOLUNTEER-  Nurses may volunteer to help with BP monthly screenings,  VBS first aid, CPR training, bulletin board, support groups, and special wellness programs.  Other church persons may help with blood drives, balance class, special programs, retreats, and luncheons.

For more information about Faith Community Nursing, see www.parishnurses.org.