Celebrate National Nurses Week
Nurses Christian Fellowship (NCF) joins other nursing organizations to recognize and encourage nurses during Nurses Week. In the midst of our many challenges in nursing, we can come together to receive encouragement and direction from the Lord. We can be thankful that Jesus Christ is our joy and strength.
Planning an event
Nurses Week events can be wonderful opportunities to introduce nurses to God’s love and healing grace. Whether small and simple, or big and elaborate, ask God to show you what he wants you to do to celebrate nursing and tell others of his love. Here are some ideas:
- Reserve a conference room at your work place and invite nurses to come together to pray for nursing, perhaps during a meal or break time.
- Ask people in your church to sponsor a prayer breakfast for nurses in your church and community on Saturday morning.
- Plan a potluck meal (breakfast, lunch or dinner) with your NCF group or nursing friends and invite other nurses to join you.
- Gather several Christian nurses to take a prayer walk in and around your workplace. As you walk, pray for employees, administrators and patients, and commit the facility, the employees, and the patients to the Lord’s care.
- Get together with another nurse or a group to pray for nursing, your nursing practice and workplaces.
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. This is a great time to invite the co-worker that you’ve been praying for.
- Word of mouth is the most effective advertisement. Personally invite people!
- Send handwritten notes to the people you think might be interested.
- Distribute flyers to colleagues and nurses in your church.
- Post notices in elevators or public bulletin boards (be sure to request permission if needed!).
- For larger events, put notices in your institutional newsletter, local nursing publications, on radio community bulletin boards or newspapers.
Program ideas
For smaller gatherings, use the special NCF Bible discussion guide for a great discussion on the Nurses Week theme. Include a time for prayer. Larger meetings, such as prayer breakfasts, will need a more formal program and a schedule to keep things moving and on-time.
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:
- A Christian nurse who can share from the Scriptures and personal experience.
- A Christian nurse who has made a difference through participating in a creative ministry (such as a clinic for the poor, a program for teaching abstinence to teens or assisting single mothers), an overseas missionary experience or serving on a task force to effect positive faith-based institutional change.
- A former patient who appreciated the ministry of a praying nurse.
- A pastor who is also a nurse.
Sample schedules
A Prayer Breakfast
8:30 Welcome and opening prayer
8:45 Breakfast
9:00 Speaker
9:30 Break
9:45 Bible discussion
10:45-11:30 Prayer for Nursing
A Prayer Brunch
11:00 Welcome, singing and prayer
11:15 Brunch
11:45 Singing and speaker
12:15 Bible discussion
1:00 Closing prayer
A Prayer Luncheon
12:00 Welcome and opening prayer
12:15 Lunch
12:30 Speaker
1:00 Break
1:15 Bible discussion
2:15-3:00 Prayer for Nursing
An Informal Potluck
5:30 Eat
6:00 Bible discussion
7:00 Pray
7:30 Conclude
A Cafeteria Gathering
12:00 Bible discussion
12:15-12:30 Prayer
Whatever your activity, encourage those around you to look to Jesus to bring God’s love and healing to nursing and healthcare.
