Daffodils not only hold a special place in many gardeners’ hearts but are a lasting symbol of new beginnings. Growing up in the mountains we could count on the beautiful daffodils and crocus popping up through the ice and snow, giving our hearts and minds a much-needed glimpse of the coming spring. We may not see as much snow in all parts of North Carolina, but I hope that you too are seeing signs of hope and healing in this New Year.

The team at PHW is excited to kick off 2022 with our Collaborative communities and our partners. Like many of you, we expected 2021 to be quite a bit different than it turned out to be. The continuing challenges brought about by COVID kept us working virtually most of the time and kept our focus on the immediate needs in our faith communities. We know from the stories you have shared that you also have been rising to the challenge to provide food, clothing, shelter, and spiritual care, to those struggling the most. We are grateful to all of you.

In this newsletter, our PHW team will share what we have coming up this year in our webinars and our Sacred Conversation series. We will introduce you to the newest member of our staff, Krista Westervelt, and officially send our best wishes to our longtime colleague and friend Karen Richardson Dunn as she transitions to a new role.

Finally, don’t miss the dates for the opening of the 2022 Collaborative and mini-grant applications cycle.

We are looking forward to hearing what you're planning in your health and wholeness ministries.  Want to easily share what PHW is all about? Use our “Getting to Know PHW” video found here. 

As always, we welcome your feedback, thoughts, and ideas. Drop us a line at phwinfo@ncchurches.org. 

The North Carolina Council of Churches' Partners in Health and Wholeness Program is excited to be in partnership with North Carolina State University’s Citizen Science Program and online citizen science hub.  This project is intended to explore what it can look like to see our environment with eyes of wonder while thinking like a citizen scientist. The pilot project will have a cohort for winter/spring 2022 that participates in citizen projects such as Crowd the Tap (participants get  their water tested for lead), Inaturalist (can be tailored for youth groups and children ministries, outdoor worship and small group study) and Flu Near You. Participants can expect:

1) a $500 mini-grant to used towards an environment, faith and health project after completing the cohort

2) input into the development and access to a lending library for small group studies

3) input into the development of and access to worship tools 

4) Sacred Conversations and Faith and Health Connection Webinars

5) opportunity to test participants' water for lead and follow up if lead is found

6) support for undergraduate students in STEM fields who will serve as public science ambassadors

7) support from PHW staff in exploring the connections between faith, health and the environment

We hope you will join us for this pilot project. Sign up  here to learn more. To preview the citizen science portal (Click HERE view only) here. The first webinar, Wholly Sacred and Beautifully Ordinary: Water, will be offered on February 11, 2022 at 11 am and 6 pm (registration coming soon).

This month our Staff Spotlight features a new face to PHW, Krista Westervelt and our best wishes to a departing team member, Karen Richardson Dunn.

Krista Westervelt began her work with PHW through her Senior Practicum internship in Peace and Conflict Studies. She is a Peace and Conflict Studies major and Gerontology minor at UNC-Greensboro. Krista quickly became a valued team member, demonstrating warmth and compassion as she led our workshop discussions around conflict resolution and utilized her experience with the Chatham Council on Aging to continue our healthy aging initiative. We invite you to learn more about Krista and the focus she will be bringing to the PHW program by clicking here.

We would also like to officially thank Karen Richardson Dunn for the years of dedication she gave to us as a team and to our faith communities. Karen has transitioned out of PHW but I suspect you will hear her name again in the future as she pursues a new direction within the health and wholeness work. We especially thank Karen for her sense of humor and kindness when editing our newsletters and publications. Best wishes and much gratitude, Karen.

Left image: Karen Richardson Dunn                       Right image: Krista Westervelt

Every year the North Carolina State Parks Division challenges North Carolinians to complete 100 miles of physical activity outside. There are many benefits to being outdoors that extend beyond just being physically active. Being outdoors has been shown to reduce stress, cortisol levels, and heart rates, not to mention restore and strengthen our mental capacities. In the middle of the ongoing pandemic, being outdoors can provide a way for us to maintain social connections with others. Being connected to others can be one way to combat the isolation that many individuals and families have been experiencing during the pandemic. If you’re the caregiver for a child under 5 who can’t be vaccinated, or if you and/or a loved one is immunocompromised, the isolation is starting to feel never ending.

This year, we are again offering a mini-grant for faith communities who complete the NC 100 mile challenge in 2022. As in the past years, when a minimum of 10 people complete 100 miles outdoors during the course of the year, your faith community is eligible for $1000 (as funds available).

Staff Picks:

Black Girls Hike Too! - Hiking Trails, Hiking, Nonprofit

HOME | BlackAndCamping | United States

Meet the speaker: 

Courtney has over 20 years of nursing experience that includes practice in women's health and public health in both domestic and global settings. Courtney has translated her passion for nursing practice into nursing education and research and she is currently an Assistant Professor at the East Carolina University College of Nursing. Her career commitment is to improve the health outcomes of women at risk for or living with HIV by examining and addressing the social and economic determinants of their health. She is dedicated to using community-engaged research methods, reducing HIV-related stigma, and ensuring women of diverse backgrounds are included in her research. Courtney’s current federally funded research project aims to increase HIV care engagement and medication adherence among women living with HIV. When Courtney is not teaching or doing research, she enjoys spending her time with family and friends, and visiting the North Carolina mountains, where she was raised.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

February 10, 2022 11am-12:30pm : 

The Faith Health Connection: The Opioid Settlement 

In 2021, it was announced that North Carolina would receive $750 million from the multi-state settlement with opioid pharmaceutical distributors Cardinal, McKesson, AmerisourceBergen, and Johnson & Johnson. This money will soon be coming to counties, cities, and the North Carolina General Assembly.

Join us on February 10 from 11:00-12:30 for Faith Health Connection, the Opioid Settlement. Participants will learn about the background of the Opioid Settlement, the Memorandum of Agreement and what it is, and the ways congregations can get involved in advocating for the dollars to be spent on evidence-based practices.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER 

February 11, 2022 11 pm and 6 pm: Wholly Sacred and Beautifully Ordinary: Water 

Catch the previous Sacred Conversations here : 

Dec. 10th

Sacred Conversations: HIV 101 - YouTube

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