Celebrate
National
Nurses Week!
May 6-12, 2008

Nurses Christian Fellowship (NCF) joins other nursing organizations to recognize and encourage nurses during Nurses Week.  Jesus Christ is our joy and strength. In the midst of our many challenges in nursing, we come together to receive encouragement and direction from the Lord.

Planning an event
Nurses Week events can be small and simple, or big and elaborate. Here are some ideas:

Getting the word out
Be brave! Go beyond your own circle of friends. Invite everyone you can think of, including colleagues who may not share your Christian commitment.

Program ideas
For smaller gatherings, a brief time of Bible reading with discussion, followed by prayer is a sufficient program. Larger meetings, such as prayer breakfasts, will need a more formal program and a schedule to keep things moving.

Almost everybody enjoys sharing a meal together. Plan to have food—anything from simple snacks to a full breakfast. Plan your budget, and ask others to share the cost. Many church groups will enjoy bringing or preparing food for the occasion, so ask! Some larger groups get a caterer and charge a fee. If you are serving food, be sure to ask for an advance sign up, so you will know how much to prepare.

Many groups enjoy having an inspirational speaker, some possibilities might include:

Sample schedules

A Prayer Breakfast
8:30 Welcome and opening prayer
8:45 Breakfast
9:00 Speaker
9:30 Break
9:45 Bible discussion (see below)
10:45-11:30 Prayer for Nursing

A Prayer Brunch
11:00 Welcome, singing & prayer
11:15 Brunch
11:45 Singing and speaker
12:15 Bible discussion (see below)
1:00 Closing prayer

A Prayer Luncheon
12 N Welcome and opening prayer
12:15 Lunch
12:30 Speaker
1:00 Break
1:15 Bible discussion (see below)
2:15-3:00 Prayer for Nursing

An Informal Potluck
5:30 Eat
6:00 Bible discussion (see below)
7:00 Pray
7:30 Conclude

A Cafeteria Gathering
12:00 Bible discussion
12:15-12:30 Prayer

Nurses Christian Fellowship
Celebrate Nurses Week 2008

Making a Difference Every Day
(speaker or panel)

Invite a speaker or a panel of Christian nurses who have made a difference in nursing while communicating the love of Christ.

 

For example:

• A nurse who has been involved in relief work
• A missionary nurse
• Someone serving in a free clinic or other outreach to the poor
• A nurse who has made positive changes in a work situation
• A nurse who has expertise in spiritual care
• Creative nursing roles that serve in unique ways

Bible Discussion

Warm-up question:  What do you do when you feel overwhelmed?

Read John 21:1-19
After these things Jesus showed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias; and he showed himself in this way. ²Gathered there together were Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples. ³Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will go with you.” They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. ⁴Just after daybreak, Jesus stood on the beach; but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. ⁵Jesus said to them, “Children, you have no fish, have you?” They answered him, “No.” ⁶He said to them, “Cast the net to the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in because there were so many fish. ⁷That disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on some clothes, for he was naked, and jumped into the sea. ⁸But the other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, only about a hundred yards off. ⁹When they had gone ashore, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish on it, and bread. ¹⁰Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.” ¹¹So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, a hundred fifty-three of them; and though there were so many, the net was not torn. ¹²Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” Now none of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” because they knew it was the Lord. ¹³Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. ¹⁴This was now the third time that Jesus appeared to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.

¹⁵When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.” ¹⁶A second time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Tend my sheep.” ¹⁷He said to him the third time, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter felt hurt because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” And he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. ¹⁸Very truly, I tell you, when you were younger, you used to fasten your own belt and to go wherever you wished. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will fasten a belt around you and take you where you do not wish to go.” ¹⁹(He said this to indicate the kind of death by which he would glorify God.) After this he said to him, “Follow me.”

All Bible quotations taken from Today's New International Version, International Bible Society, © Copyright 2001, 2005 © 2006, Nurses Christian Fellowship, prepared by Judy Shelly

Ideas for Prayer

Invite Requests
You can serve and encourage nurses who work with you by asking them to share prayer requests that can be included in your Nurses Week gathering. You may want to develop a creative form for the requests, or just place a shoe box labeled “Prayer Requests” and slips of paper in the chapel or another accessible place.

Guide the Prayer Time
Whether you lead from the front, or provide a written guide, help participants to move along in the prayer time. Let them know when to begin and end. Honor advertised schedules, so participants will feel comfortable leaving at the appointed time.

Conversational Prayer
Prayer with others can take the form of a conversation, simply directing your group discussion toward God. In this informal style of praying, a participant speaks about only one topic at a time, allowing others to add other dimensions to the request. Prayers are short and topics change naturally, as in a conversation with friends. One person can be asked to begin the conversation, and another appointed to conclude at the set time.

Prayer Partners
This is a more personal, and often less intimidating, style of prayer. Ask participants to choose one other person with whom they feel comfortable praying. Prayer can be guided, either through a written list of suggestions or a leader can suggest topics or requests from the front.

Formal Prayers
Many nurses will feel more comfortable praying formal, written prayers. Several examples are given below. You can also find excellent examples in prayer and service books developed by liturgical churches, or the following books:

Prayer in Nursing: The Spirituality of Compassionate Caregiving, by Mary Elizabeth O'Brien (Sudbury, MA: Jones & Bartlett, 2002)

Moments of Grace: Hymns, Worship Services and Meditations for Caring and Healing Ministries, prepared by David Christian with John Eckrich and Arden Mead (Fenton, MO: Creative Communications for the Parish, 2002). www.creativecommunications.com

Prayers for Help and Healing, by William Barclay (Minneapolis, MN: Harper and Row, 1995)

A Prayer for Nurses
Almighty God our heavenly Father, you declare your glory and show forth your handiwork in the heavens and in the earth: Deliver us in our nursing practice from the service of self alone, that we may do the work you give us to do in truth and beauty and for the common good; for the sake of him who came among us as one who serves, your Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (Adapted from the Book of Common Prayer, 1979)

A Litany for Nursing (responsive prayer—all respond “Hear our prayer”)

Heavenly Father, you gave your Son to live among us, suffer and die for us that by His wounds, we might be healed. Lord in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Lord Jesus, you healed the sick and cared for the poor when you lived upon earth. Help us to love those in our care as you love them. Lord in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Holy Spirit, our Comforter and Counselor, it is only by your power and direction that we can comfort others. Fill us anew today. Lord in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Lord, we commit to you our nation’s health care system. Use us as your instruments to make it compassionate, just and fair. Lord in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

We pray for those who lead our nursing organizations. Give them wisdom, courage and integrity. Lord in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

We also pray for those who teach nursing, that they would be encouraged and refreshed. Bring more faithful, competent teachers to instruct the next generation of nurses. Lord in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Uphold the administrators of our health care institutions and facilities. Make them wise and just, faithful and kind. Strengthen them to stand for goodness and truth, and support them when they are weak. Lord in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

We pray for our colleagues, that you would encourage, strengthen and uphold them in their daily work. Lord in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Lord, we bring our own petitions before you (fill in your personal prayer and read it aloud in turn) ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ Lord in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

© 2008, Nurses Christian Fellowship, prepared by Judy Shelly