Leadership in a Time of Pandemic Denise Viker, BSN, RN - Before being elected to the Board of HMA, I said that I wanted to see the organization become more innovative in working with our membership. Well, 2020 certainly granted that opportunity with our pivot to Zoominars and a virtual annual meeting. Kaul, Shah, and El-Serong [...]
Thank You Thank you to all of you who attended our HMA annual membership meeting on October 29! It was a wonderful time of being together and having some time to simply catch up with friends we haven’t seen in a while. We heard how HMA has risen to the challenge of COVID-19 through resources, [...]
Autumn Approaches As autumn approaches in this long, hard year, perhaps we look forward to new things. The beauty of trees full of colorful leaves, for example. Or here in the desert Southwest, we hope for an end to our long, very hot and dry summer. Or maybe new or renewed programs in your health [...]
PIECES OF PEACE In these confusing, painful, anxious times… a few nuggets of peace to nourish the faith, joy, and beauty within…. Peace, Shalom, Sala’am, Rev. Karen MacDonald, M.Div. President, Health Ministries Association May the Creator give you eyes to see the new creation springing forth— May Christ give you ears to hear the laughter of [...]
TRYING TIMES To put it simplistically, these are trying times. We were already dealing, physically and emotionally, with a global pandemic that’s claimed more than 105,000 lives in the United States, and more than 375,000 lives around the world. It’s upended life as we know it and thrown so many of us into grief. Now [...]
STAY THE COURSE AND FIND NEW COURSES Friends, I pray this HMA Today reaches you in good health and good spirits as you offer your vital health ministry in the continuing global pandemic that’s touching each of us locally and individually. Your presence and guidance grounded in faith, helping to ground those you serve in [...]
Uncertain Times When I went to my local hardware store the other day, a hand-written sign on the entrance door announced, “We’re sold out of masks. Sorry for the inconvenience.” As I checked out with my item, the store manager said that customers had bought out the masks for fear of the coronavirus. Now, construction [...]
New Year Every morning after I get out of bed and feed the cats who are clamoring for breakfast, I step outside. Whatever the conditions—cold, warm, dark, sunny, cloudy, rainy, clear—a few moments out in the new morning wakes my mind and centers my spirit. The Sun is still burning, the Earth is still turning, [...]
“Faith Based Approaches to Cultivate Healthier Communities”, HMA’s 30th anniversary conference and celebration, is a happy memory. What an uplifting gathering of learning from each other and from guest speakers, of good food and fellowship, of singing and dancing (yes, there was a conga line jiving during the gala evening!), of prayer and meditation, of [...]
Not so long ago I was writing a special letter to and on behalf of Health Ministries Association, expressing sorrow and encouragement after the mass shooting at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, PA. I’m compelled today to write another such letter, moved by grief, pain, and yes, anger. We have witnessed, or experienced, [...]
