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President’s Passage Winter 2025 Dear FCNI Members and Friends, This is my last Passage as your FCNI President. As I reflect, it has been two years of change, transition, and growth. FCNI is a different organization in December 2024 than it was when I started my 2-year term as President in January 2023. And the organization is better because of our members and board. We celebrated our 10th anniversary in 2023 (and carried that theme through into 2024). Please go to our “About Us” section to see Dr. Renee Kumpula, Education Committee Chair, interview two of our FCNI Founders, Dr. Andrea West and Dr. Beverly Siegrist. Their stories share the legacy and future of FCNI, support our enduring mission, and advance the idea that this is the only professional specialty nursing membership organization that was CREATED By, is LED BY, and FOR faith community nurses and parish nurses, exclusively. Use our hashtags: #byFCNsforFCNs - #byfaithcommunitynursesforfaithcommunitynurses - #calledtoserve Here is a picture of the inaugural FCNI board, October 2015. Photo provided by Dr. Donna Callaghan.
For those of you who missed the annual meeting, here is a recap of our accomplishments and the benefits (many of which are free) that were achieved by and for our members:
Our growth goals demonstrate we achieved year-over-year increases in our membership and in the racial and ethnic diversity of our board to better represent the faces of our membership. The number of persons of color increased from 3 out of 13 (23%) in 2023 to 6 out of 14 (43%) in 2024 and will increase to 8 out of 15 (53%) in 2025. Research shows that organizations with more diversity achieve better outcomes! I would like to remind you that FCNI is a 24/7/365 accessible organization. Our members have access to member-only benefits such as the Practice Toolkits and Monthly Health Topics; the recordings of our 2023 and 2024 webinars with CNE credit are available on demand for everyone. Please let me know at contact@fcninternational.org if anyone has a passion for communication and is savvy with social media. We are recruiting a volunteer Communications Coordinator. Hold the date for our 3rd Annual virtual conference.
Saturday, October 18 from 10 am to 3:00 pm (CT) Finally, I’d like to wish everyone a blessed season of holy days and holidays. This quote from Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks resonated with me as FCNI has sought to maintain a welcoming interfaith perspective and make the world a better place through our ministry and practice. We recognize numerous religious and traditional holidays in the last few days of 2024 and early 2025. Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, and Happy New Year!
| I Am FCNI! This is a new feature intended to capture our FCNI members in action in our communities. Every month we will feature an FCNI member and their ministry and/or practice. Let us know if you’d like to be featured. We can accept videos, narrative, and/or pictures. Let's get to know each other better! I’m Amanda Thurman, DNP, FNP-BC and I serve the faith community and larger community in the San Diego, CA area who are suffering from food insecurity. Expanding on doctoral work I and my and my colleagues completed, we obtained grant funding to open a Fresh Marketplace near the free clinic where we work as nurse practitioners. I and my colleague, Kristin Kellog, DNP, FNP will be speaking at the FCNI Annual Virtual Conference on October 19th. You can hear more of our story then! 
L - Kristin Kellog and R – Amanda Thurman at the Fresh Marketplace grand opening.
Meet our FCNI Leadership Team! |
In service,
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Upcoming Webinars & Registration |
The FCNI Education Committee invites you to
“Innovation in Health Screening and Meeting Community Needs”
Stephanie Young, Paula Staab Polk, Mary Lynne Knighten, and Eugenia Graves
Date: Thursday, January 30, 2025
Time: 7 pm ET, 6 pm CT, 5 pm MT, 4 pm PT on Zoom
- Description of session: Four FCNs will share your experiences creating innovative screening, health education, health fairs, and free healthcare opportunities in diverse communities.
Learning outcomes: Upon completion of the activity, nurses will be able to:
- Identify unique partnerships to facilitate health promotion in their communities.
- Identify possible sources of funding for community health fairs.
- Stephanie Young is a Faith Community Nurse at Pierpont Church of the Nazarene and Suncrest United Methodist Church, both in Morgantown, WV. This work is a part of faculty practice for the West Virginia University School of Nursing where she is a Clinical Assistant Professor. She has organized multiple community health fairs and was instrumental in developing an interdisciplinary partnership in the community. She is Chair of the FCNI Marketing, Membership, and Outreach Committee.
- Paula Staab Polk has an extensive professional background in nursing, funeral service, event planning, and volunteering. She is a consultant, developing virtual programs for the homebound for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. She is the Health Ministry Leader for St. Finbar Church, in Burbank. Paula is fund-raising committee Chair for FCNI.
- Mary Lynne Knighten is a nurse leader with over 37 years of experience in many areas of nursing, including being credentialed as a Faith Community Nurse, with a post-masters certificate in Faith Community Nursing from Azusa Pacific University. She has been the Health Ministry Director at St. Dominic’s Catholic Church in Eagle Rock for 22 years and Adjunct Faculty at Azusa Pacific University. She serves as President of FCNI and is passionate about translating research and evidence to practice.
- Eugenia Graves served as a volunteer Faith Community Nurse at First Baptist Church Huntsville, AL for almost 20 years and retired in 2019. During that time, she was a founder of the Community Free Dental Clinic and still serves as the nurse coordinator for the clinic as well as secretary for the board of directors.
Registration: CNE 1.0 ANCC contact hours $20 for FCNI members, $40 for non-members
FCNI Annual Virtual Conference – 2025
Practice drives Research . . . Research drives Practice
Saturday, October 18 from 10 am to 3:00 pm (CT)
Feedback from the Second Annual FCNI Conference in Fall 2024:
— “A very well curated conference.”
— “The conference was very well done. The topics were relevant and interesting.”
— “This was an excellent program/conference. The day went by quickly and the speakers were truly exceptional!”
— “Interesting and practice-relevant topics.”
— “The speakers really knew their topics well.”
— “Great organization and select of topics relevant to Faith community nurses.”
— “High quality conference! Thank you.”
— “Great conference speakers... perfect time from 10 am to 3 pm on a Saturday.”
— “It is an excellent annual meeting with valuable information to carry into the FCN arena.”
— “Outstanding conference!!!”
Registration available later in 2025
Teen-Senior Connections: An Intergenerational Approach for Building Teen Resilience Presented by: Marcia Davis, DNP, RN, CRNP-PC Description: Faith Community Nurses face challenges in creating relationships among the generations. In the literature, resilience had been identified as a protective factor against the alarming rate of teen suicide in the US. This presentation describes a study to build teen resilience by using an intergenerational approach within a faith community. Outcomes reveal potential benefit for both young and old including other options for exploring intergenerational activities among a congregation. Bio: Marcia Davis is a Certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioner in Primary Care. She received a Bachelor of Science degree and Master of Nursing degree from the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA), a Nurse Practitioner Certificate from California State University at Long Beach (CSULB), and her Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree from the Azusa Pacific University. She has over 45 years of experience with children in inpatient and outpatient settings, private clinics, and school settings, and has been an Assistant Professor for over 12 years at Loma Linda University and at Azusa Pacific University. Learning outcomes:
Registration: CNE 1.0 ANCC contact hours $20 for Members; $40 for Nonmembers  |
Community of Support for Research and EBP:
A New Benefit for FCNI Members
The FCNI Research Committee is thrilled to announce that we have developed a Community of Support for Research and EBP. The goal is to provide mentoring, networking, support and consultation to FCNI members who are conducting research studies or EBP projects and disseminating scholarly work related to those research studies and EBP projects.
We are NOW accepting applications for the FCNI Community of Support for Research and EBP Program. If you are interested in becoming a mentee, visit our “Research Webpage” and submit your application
FCNI Webinars for 2025 - Save the Date Webinars (on Zoom)
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FCNI Events
Presenting Offer From: Widener University School of Nursing
Presenting By: Dr. Donna Callaghan, PhD, RN-BC, CNE, Professor
Starting Date: May 12, 2025
Closing Date: August 24, 2025
Time: 6 pm to 7 pm Central Time on Zoom
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Widener University School of Nursing is offering the Westberg Institute for Faith Community Nursing’s Foundations of Faith Community Nursing Program for registered nurses who are interested in learning more about the specialty of faith community nursing and how to establish or enhance these ministries in their own faith communities (churches, mosques, synagogues).
The asynchronous 36.5 hour online program will open on May 12 and close August 24, 2025. Dr. Donna Callaghan, PhD, RN-BC, CNE, Professor of Nursing at Widener and certified Faith Community Nurse, will facilitate the program. The program consists of 15 modules that require from 1 – 4 hours to complete on a weekly basis. Registered nurses who complete the program will receive 36.5 PDC hours through Widener University School of Nursing, an ANCC-approved PDC provider.
PROGRAM DISCOUNTS!
1. The fee for the program is $400 plus purchase of the participant guide (approx. $50).
2. New and renewing members of Faith Community Nurses International (FCNI) can receive a code to take the program at a 50% discount ($200).
3.Please email Donna Callaghan at drdonnarn@comcast.net for registration information.
FCNI Opportunities |
Read Our Online Journal
| Not a Member Yet?
| Join a Committee! We are currently looking for additional members to join us on committees!
Help shape the future of FCNI and learn new skills! Email us at: contact@fcninternational.org | 
Incorporate the FCN Position Statements into Your Practice!
FCN Position Statements are offered by the Westberg Institute for Faith Community Nursing |
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Suggested Reading
The Future of Nursing 2020-2030 Charting a Path to Achieve Health Equity (2021)The Future of Nursing 2020-2030: Charting a Path to Achieve Health Equity explores how nurses can work to reduce health disparities and promote equity, while keeping costs at bay, utilizing technology, and maintaining patient and family-focused care into 2030. This work builds on the foundation set out by The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health (2011) report.
https://www.nap.edu/catalog/25982/the-future-of-nursing-2020-2030-charting-a-path-to | Other Recommended Reading
A comprehensive report published this month by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine strengthens the case for primary care as the foundation of the U.S. health care system. It also makes policy recommendations that reinforce several of the AAFP’s long-standing advocacy positions.
https://www.aafp.org/news/practice-professional-issues/20210504nasemreport.html |
Updated: 08/08/2023
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