Greetings From the Parish Nurse Center

Twenty-nine parish nurses and health ministers from across Montana gathered at Carroll College for a time of renewal on April 11-13, 2008. Patte Paquette, chaplain and parish nurse, led the retreat using the theme “Enhancing Your Health Ministry: Come Fill Your Cup.” The spirit-filled weekend included a presentation by Patte Paquette using Joyce Rupp’s book The Cup of Your Life, a Banquet Feast and High Tea. Those attending choose two breakout sessions on the topics of holistic healing, updates on diabetes and hypertension, using web resources, journaling, CPR and getting started in parish nursing. The retreat ended with a session on the parish nurse as integrator of faith and health and a worship service in St. Charles Chapel.

Here are some comments made by those who attended the retreat:
- Thank you for rejuvenating me-refilling my cup!
- Thank you so much for all of the wonderful words of inspiration and fresh ideas for our ministry.
- The cup idea was very touching and hearing the many ways it could be used was impressive.
- Wonderful! Wonderful! Came away with my cup over-flowing.

Our next Parish Nurse Basic Preparation Course will be held in Cheyenne, Wyoming June 15-19, 2008. Click here for more information.

Each one of us is a temple of the Holy One. Each of us carries a spiritual power in us that can cause even the tiniest of faith-seeds to grow. It is vital that we protect and nurture this relationship so that it thrives. The cup of our spiritual life must be cared for and replenished as it pours its contents away in loving service. Like the cup with its boundaries, we, too, need parameters so that our life does not seep away in endless busy-ness and unguarded, unfocused activity. Taken from The Cup of Your Life: A Guide to Spiritual Growth by Joyce Rupp, 1997, Ave Maria Press, Notre Dame, pg. 22

Blessings to you as you work in health ministry,
Cynthia Gustafson, PhD, RN
Director of the Parish Nurse Center