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Spiritual Dimensions Of Care: Need For Spiritual Care Interventions In Nursing Clinical Practice, Jillian Jack

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Empirical research has identified emerging evidence concerning the value and importance of spirituality in the provision of nursing care. Spiritual well-being has important implications for a patient’s well-being and there is evidence that points to the association between spirituality, individual healthcare outcomes, and quality of life (QOL). Assisting patients in meeting their spiritual needs is also recognized internationally. Despite the fact that spiritual care is an essential part of nursing care, there remains a gap concerning spiritual care practices in the nursing clinical environment. The magnitude of the problem has to do with the lack of spiritual care education training. …

Gwu’S Annual Festival Of Lights Will Premiere In Virtual Format On Dec. 3, Office Of University Communications

Gardner-Webb NewsCenter Archive

Gardner-Webb University’s Festival of Lights, a beloved Christmas tradition since 1984, will continue this year in a virtual format. This annual start to the holiday season for the GWU community will premiere on Dec. 3 at 7 p.m. on the GWU Facebook page and YouTube channel. After the first showing, the event may be viewed on those social media platforms as well as the Gardner-Webb website.

Gardner-Webb President Names Brian Arnold As Interim Vice President Of Student Development, Office Of University Communications

Gardner-Webb NewsCenter Archive

Gardner-Webb University President Dr. William M. Downs has named Brian Arnold to serve as interim vice president of Student Development and dean of students. Now in his 13 year at GWU, Arnold also serves as director of Campus Recreation, Student Activities and New Student Orientation. Arnold’s appointment began Sept. 11, 2020, and will continue until the University completes its national search for a new vice president.

Gwu School Of Divinity Alumnus Comforts Families In Covid-19 Hotspot, Office Of University Communications

Gardner-Webb NewsCenter Archive

Despite protective masks and gowns designed to keep him and his patients safe, Will Runyon, chaplain director for Phoebe Putney Health System in Albany, Ga., found a way to offer comfort in agonizing circumstances. The 2005 School of Divinity alumnus of Gardner-Webb University became a bridge between dying patients and their families in a COVID-19 hot spot.

Gardner-Webb School Of Divinity Transitions Master Of Divinity Degree To 78 Hours, Office Of University Communications

Gardner-Webb NewsCenter Archive

Beginning with the fall semester 2020, the Gardner-Webb University School of Divinity will transition its 90-hour Master of Divinity degree to a 78-hour program. The accredited program streamlines the curriculum, which combines core requirements with six concentration areas. This adjustment maintains academic excellence and further promotes the overall goal of the School of Divinity—namely that of serving the church—by allowing prospective and practicing ministers to receive the theological training they need in a more timely and financially affordable manner.

High Schoolers From Six States Attend Gardner-Webb Honors Experience, Office Of University Communications

Gardner-Webb NewsCenter Archive

A group of 26 high school students, from 26 different schools in six states, recently spent a week on the campus of Gardner-Webb University previewing college life. As participants in The Honors Experience, the teenagers were introduced to dorm living and eating in the cafeteria, attended credit-bearing college courses, and completed service projects. This year’s group is the largest one to attend since the program began three years ago.

Gwu Master Of Divinity Student Recognized By Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, Office Of University Communications

Gardner-Webb NewsCenter Archive

While COVID-19 has prevented congregations from meeting in person, Lauren Evans Hamilton, a student in the Gardner-Webb University School of Divinity, recognizes the positive outcomes of streaming church services and Bible studies online. Not only does it provide regular attendees a chance to connect, but it also gives people who sometimes can’t attend in person another opportunity to engage.

Gwu President Names Interim Vice President For Advancement, Office Of University Communications

Gardner-Webb NewsCenter Archive

On Wednesday, July 1, Gardner-Webb President Dr. William M. Downs named Aaron Hinton as interim vice president for Advancement. Hinton, a member of the Advancement team since 2011, will serve in that capacity during Gardner-Webb’s national search for a new vice president.

Gardner-Webb Professor Shares Videos In Spanish On How To Face Current Crisis, Office Of University Communications

Gardner-Webb NewsCenter Archive

As emails referring to the Coronavirus pandemic began to fill Dr. Hebert Palomino’s inbox earlier in March, he wanted to respond in a timely manner. Many of the questions were the same and related to facing the current crises while providing care to others. Palomino, professor of pastoral care and counseling at Gardner-Webb University, also serves as member care coordinator for missionaries in the Americas with the International Mission Board.

I D Psychology And Deaf Studies Presentation 2: The Role Of Faith In Post-Traumatic Events, Cary Pou

Life of the Scholar Multidisciplinary Conference

No abstract provided.

Nurturing Emotional Intelligence To Encourage An Increase In Compassion Among The Members Of Ecclesia Baptist In Asheville, North Carolina, Aileen Mitchell Lawrimore

Doctor of Ministry Projects

God’s infinite chesed for humanity, embodied in Jesus, calls Christians to claim their inherent brokenness and their infinite beauty and to offer the same grace to others. This chesed, experienced as compassion, enables Christians to extend compassion to themselves and others. To encourage this behavior among members of Ecclesia Baptist, this project paired psychology with theology and biblical study to nurture emotional intelligence (EQ). Participants attended five two-hour sessions and spent time on reflection and practice outside of meetings. Results indicated that increased EQ boosts confidence in compassionate behavior and increases intentions to continue practices formed from the study.

Crying Out Together: Forming A Hermeneutic Of Powerful Suffering, Harley Burgess

MA in Religion Theses

Process theology, along with its connection to questions of suffering and theodicy, presents a perspective that is largely absent within biblical scholarship. Similarly, a lack of clear cohesion with the biblical text is an evident critique of process theology. A hermeneutic that is directly informed by process-oriented passibilism meets a need that is present in both biblical scholarship and process theology, allowing for a deeper understanding of biblical depictions of suffering. This thesis aims to incorporate the theological conclusions of passibilist process theology into a new hermeneutical strategy that will allow for a more comprehensive examination of suffering in the …

Gardner-Webb, The Magazine 2020, Fall (Volume 55), Noel T. Manning

Gardner-Webb, The Magazine

Gardner-Webb, The Magazine, previously titled The Webb Magazine, focuses on alumni news and campus events from Gardner-Webb College; now Gardner-Webb University. This issue includes articles on the COIVD-19 pandemic, alumnus Clayton King's mission work in Africa, GWU students standing against racism, the installation of new football coach Tre Lamb, the Fay Webb Gardner Collection and O. Max Gardner Foundation, and the Brinkley gift of the GWU Marching Band uniforms.

Issue was awarded the Davey Award. The Davey is sanctioned and judged by the Academy of Interactive and Visual Arts.

October 2019: Sharpening Our Institutional Identity, Gardner-Webb University

President William Downs' Blog

Welcome to October, my friends.

As I have traversed campus and listened to faculty and staff over the past three months, one of the (many) recurring themes has been an undercurrent of some anxiety over whether Gardner-Webb University’s identity as a faith-based institution has eroded or been adrift for several years. The narrative, as I have heard it, is that GWU “might not be as Christian as it once was.”

Gwu Alumnus Shares The Wisdom He Learned In Divinity School With Others, Office Of University Communications

Gardner-Webb NewsCenter Archive

As he entered the School of Divinity at Gardner-Webb University, the Rev. Brack Ballard told his professors, fellow students and anyone who would listen that he did not want to become a pastor. “I said, ‘God can call me wherever he would like to call me, but I am not working in a church,’” he reflected. “I feel like those feelings are shared amongst a lot of millennials. Working in the church is tough, it’s hard. A lot of my colleagues are working in non-profits or working in a ministry outside of the church setting and that’s kind of what …

Mission Team From Gardner-Webb Works With Clinic And Center In Guatemala, Office Of University Communications

Gardner-Webb NewsCenter Archive

A mission team from Gardner-Webb University traveled to Guatemala over spring break to work with Good Shepherd Clinic and Center in Quetzaltenango. The group of 14 included eight nursing students and was led by Melissa McNeilly, instructor in nursing, and Stacy Simmons, associate minister to the University for pastoral care. Simmons praised the team for adapting when mishaps occurred.

Kan In Don Nah (All Are Welcome Here): A Framework For Developing Intercultural Worship Practice At First Chin Baptist Church Of New Bern, North Carolina, Janice Daynette Snead

Doctor of Ministry Projects

The process of intercultural ministry across human boundaries is modeled throughout the ministry of Jesus Christ. Regardless of culture, the scriptures actively engage understanding of God’s Word for all the people and His love to reach each one. This project sought to encourage a biblical understanding of intercultural discipleship by guiding the worshiping community of First Chin Baptist Church through a four-week ministry project to welcome and worship with non-Chin guests. Through a series of study on John 21:1-17, the community discovered a new biblical and theological foundation for understanding and guiding non-Chin guests before, during, and after worship to …

Empowering The Church To Promote Hope And Healing To Those Suffering From Addiction Emmanuel Baptist Fellowship In Lexington, South Carolina, Donna Seay

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Addiction continues to be on the rise in the United States. “Empowering The Church To Promote Hope and Healing to Those Suffering From Addiction” was designed to educate, equip, and empower members of the church to journey with those who suffer from addiction. The four-week curriculum was based on the four functions of Pastoral Care which are healing, guiding, sustaining, and reconciliation. The project utilized a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods to analyze the results.

Minister As Mentor: A Biblical Model For The Preparation Of A Mentoring Ministry At First Baptist Church In Reidsville, North Carolina, Thomas Leroy Barksdale Ii

Doctor of Ministry Projects

A preparation model was developed to equip mentors to effectively engage, encourage, and guide community youth. Members of the Christian faith have a responsibility to reach out and impact positively the next generations of leaders. Potential mentors were led through developmental sessions to prepare for the mentor relationships. Surveys, journal entries, pre-posttests, and questionnaires measured the effectiveness of the developmental weekly sessions and engagement.

Storytelling As A Pastoral Care Intervention That Ministers Healing To Adult Parishioners Of St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church In Canton, Georgia Who Have Experienced Violence, Lemora Dobbs

Doctor of Ministry Projects

The goal of this project was to test whether storytelling could be used to facilitate healing in adult parishioners who had experienced violence. The project engaged congregants of St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church in Canton, Georgia in a series of five workshops that taught, modeled, and used storytelling as a pastoral care intervention. The personal stories of five research participants were recorded in individual sessions. Common themes within the individual stories shared were identified and discussed with the research group. The group brainstormed ideas about how the church could use storytelling to minister healing to violence victims. The outcome …

Prayer: An Instrument For Assessment Of Spiritual And Psychological Concerns For Burundian Refugee Women In Maison Shalom Rwanda, Ornella Umubyeyi

Doctor of Ministry Projects

A qualitative research methodology was designed to analyze how prayer can be used as an instrument to reveal various spiritual and psychological issues Burundian women refugees face in Rwanda. Six Burundian refugee women were surveyed throughout the seven weeks of the research. Various modalities of prayer were used to assess different concerns that they might have had. Participants met in both one-on-ones and group sessions. Data gathered suggested that prayer was a crucial tool that allowed the participants to reveal their traumatic events and created a strong bond among participants. The collected data indicates that the practice of prayer became …

Gardner-Webb Alumna Leads Dropout Prevention And Youth Development Program, Office Of University Communications

Gardner-Webb NewsCenter Archive

In North Carolina, several community organizations focus their efforts on helping high school students graduate. One such group serves 1,800 adolescents in Charlotte and is led by an alumna of Gardner-Webb University. Tayuanee Dewberry is the executive director of Right Moves for Youth (RMFY), a non-profit dropout prevention and youth development program.

School Of Divinity Student Experiences Spiritual Renewal In Gardner-Webb Program, Office Of University Communications

Gardner-Webb NewsCenter Archive

Chaplain Kevin S. Crowder of Fredericksburg, Va., chose to attend the School of Divinity at Gardner-Webb University because of his past experience with Dr. Doug Dickens, professor of pastoral studies. Crowder respected Dickens and knew he would be involved in an exceptional program. “More than 25 years ago, Dickens was my pastoral care professor at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (Fort Worth, Texas),” Crowder explained. “As an Association for Clinical Pastoral Education (ACPE) certified educator, I wanted a doctoral program that had experience with ACPE certified Educators. I got that with Dickens, as he is an ACPE certified educator.”

Student’S Experiences In Gwu School Of Divinity Equip Her To Serve, Office Of University Communications

Gardner-Webb NewsCenter Archive

After surviving a diagnosis of melanoma in 2011, Christi Hollifield, a student in the School of Divinity at Gardner-Webb University, began to earnestly seek God’s plan for her life. She asked herself, “What does God want me to do?” And, “Why did he chose me to continue on?” She found the answer while homeschooling her children and helping at church.

Gwu School Of Divinity Classes Challenge Pastor To Live Her Faith Beyond The Pulpit, Office Of University Communications

Gardner-Webb NewsCenter Archive

During all but one of her 18 years in ministry, Pastor Paulleatha “Paula” Bruce has also worked as an educator. In 2008, she became the lead pastor of Freedom Baptist Church in Greenville, S.C., but continued to work as a school administrator for nine years. Despite her practical experience, she wanted to further her theological education and enrolled in the School of Divinity at Gardner-Webb University.

Gardner-Webb Divinity Student Preparing To Serve In Youth Ministry, Office Of University Communications

Gardner-Webb NewsCenter Archive

Will Raybon, a student in the School of Divinity at Gardner-Webb University, serves with the Baptist Student Fellowship at the University of North Carolina at Asheville (UNCA). As he connects with and ministers to students on the campus, he appreciates the relevance of his GWU studies. “I am responsible for the students’ exploration of the Bible every time we meet,” Raybon ’19 affirmed. “When one of them is facing a hardship or experiencing overwhelming anxiety, I provide pastoral care. Every spring break and throughout the semester, I help plan mission trips. Above all, I feel that I am able to …

Gwu Alumnus Discovered God Had Different Plan For His Life, Office Of University Communications

Gardner-Webb NewsCenter Archive

Rev. Wesley Smith thought he was following God’s will for his life in 2001 when he received his bachelor’s in criminal justice from Gardner-Webb University. However, he became discouraged when he didn’t find a job in juvenile probation and parole and wasn’t sure what to do. Direction came during a church revival service.

Transforming Organizational Climate After A Transitional Change In Leadership At The Unitarian Universalist Church Of Catawba Valley, Elizabeth Lee Braun

Education Dissertations and Projects

In the summer of 2016, the Unitarian Universalist Church of Catawba Valley saw the retirement of its long-time minister and the hiring of a quarter-time consulting minister. In the 3-5 years leading up to that, the church had been experiencing a drop in general attendance, a decrease in overall membership, minimally functioning committees, defunct committees, and low morale.

Applying Morgan’s (2006) metaphor of organizations as cultures, which shows “how organization ultimately rests in shared systems of meaning, hence the actions and interpretive schemes that create and re-create that meaning” (p. 138), and which allows organizations “another means of creating and …

Helping Clinical Pastoral Education Students Develop An Integrated Theology Of Judgment In A Hospital-Based, Cpe Program At Mary Washington Hospital, Fredericksburg, Virginia, Kevin S. Crowder

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Many Clinical Pastoral Education students are averse to judgment. Some do not want to be critiqued or critically engaged. Others believe that pastoral ministry should not include judgment, critique, or conflict whatsoever. This project was conceived to help both groups appreciate that judgment is integral to pastoral care. Between pre- and post-curriculum surveys where changes in students’ attitudes and understanding about judgment were assessed, students participated in judgment-related curriculum including readings, didactic seminars, verbatim presentations of clinical cases, and written assignments. There was some movement in student attitudes and understanding, but not necessarily as anticipated.

Professors In Gwu School Of Divinity Prepare Alumna For Calling Into Ministry, Office Of University Communications

Gardner-Webb NewsCenter Archive

Martha Dixon Kearse has felt God’s presence on every step of her journey—as a high school English teacher, stay-at-home mom, and an associate minister at St. John’s Baptist Church in Charlotte, N.C. When she accepted God’s call into pastoral ministry, Kearse chose to attend the School of Divinity at Gardner-Webb University. She earned her Master of Divinity in Pastoral Studies in 2007 and her Doctor of Ministry in Christian Ministries in 2017.