With Great Compassion: Nurses Seek to Revive Baptist Nursing Fellowship in Virginia
Nurses are like angels of the Lord sent to provide compassionate healing care, sometimes even under the harshest conditions. If we never realized their worth in years gone by, during this pandemic we know the labor of love of these frontline workers.
WMU of Virginia for many years trained and certified nurses to serve their congregations and communities in what was then called Parish Nursing. At about 48 years young, I learned that I had high cholesterol all because a Parish Nurse was in the lobby taking blood pressure readings and pricking fingers for cholesterol checks. Christian nurses are living out their faith in Christ in many ways.
As WMU is the host of the Baptist Nursing Fellowship (BNF), WMU of Virginia was able to rebirth an emphasis on congregational and community nursing as a Christian witness about three years ago. New to Virginia was Marilyn L. Graves, MSN, RN, CWCN (pictured above serving in Kenya). Calling the WMU of Virginia office, she quickly learned that we were no longer mobilizing nurses to be on mission. This former IMB Missionary to Chile and college instructor wanted to take the lead to make it happen, again!
Marilyn has done the following:
Invited nurses to join BNF
Led BNF members to provide care packages to student nurses as a Christian witness
Consulted with our CrossRoads Camp & Conference Center Staff on COVID safety protocols
Hosted a S~P~A: Missions and Racial Reconciliation Cohort focused on solutions to healthcare disparities
Connected Virginia Baptist nurses to become members of the national body
Led a Nursing During COVID panel for our 2021 online Getaway
Recruited 10 students to serve on a WMUV sponsored medical mission trip to Kenya
Now, BNF of Virginia members are eagerly preparing to host Foundations of Faith Community Nursing Course: Faith Community Nursing in collaboration with Shenandoah University, May 20 – 22, 2022 at CrossRoads. Look for finalized details on this course on our website.
It is no wonder why the Executive Committee of the National Baptist Nursing Fellowship has recently elected Marilyn Graves as its new Executive Director/Treasurer. We are proud of you Marilyn, and we are thankful that the Lord sent you this way! We celebrate with you as a co-laborer in Christ!
Dr. Valerie Carter Smith
WMUV Executive Director/Treasurer