Hand Washing

When you work in a hospital, as I once did, you learn some useful things. For example, before I was cleared to see patients (as a chaplain) I first had to learn proper hand washing technique. A nurse explained to a group of us that hand washing is the number one method for clinicians to avoid spreading disease from patient-to-patient. Even when you haven't actually touched the patient, merely by being in the room you have come into contact with a contaminant inadvertently. Thus, washing hands between patients is absolutely critical. Then we were shown a short film on how to properly wash your hands. I'll give you the highlights:

1. Turn on the water, adjust the temperature to be comfortably warm
2. Wet your hands
3. Out of the water stream, soap up your hands and scrub vigorously at least to half way up your forearm for at least 20 seconds
4. Rinse your hands in the water
5. Dry your hands with a paper towel
6. Use the paper towel to turn off the water tap... Do not touch the handles

This simple procedure saves thousands a day. Lots and lots of studies have confirmed just how important hand washing is to controlling infection in a clinical setting. And yet mistakes are made. I remember reading a study about how various clinicians were observed to see how often they remembered to wash hands, and Chaplains scored better than doctors! (And so did nurses.)

I'm thinking of this because we took Henry to his six-month well baby doctor visit yesterday. His initial exam was performed by a medical student and both Betsy and I observed that she did not wash her hands correctly before putting hands on the baby. To be fair, it's possible that she washed her hands before entering the room (although, that would require using the door knob between sink and infant). All we saw a brief rinsing of her hands with water, drying with a paper towel, and then turning off the sink with her bare hand. I thought about saying something, but didn't want to be a pushy, germ-obsessed parent. Nor did I want to embarrass her with her Supervisor (who wasn't in the room for the exam). She must be very new to clinical pediatrics, because she had never seen a cloth diaper before. But I now I regret not saying anything. She was there to learn, after all.

-t

Birth Story Pre-Posting

Betsy gave birth to our son, William Henry Moss (we'll call him "Henry") on Saturday afternoon at 1:34 PM. He was 8lbs 6oz. of joy right from the get go. He was born at home, which was an awesome and beautiful experience, but then Betsy developed a rare and unforeseeable complication that required her to go into the hospital for surgery. The surgery was successful and hopefully she will be able to come home tomorrow (Tuesday). I've been with her and Henry in the hospital, but I'm just coming home to take a shower, nap and post this update.

Big thanks to everyone for their prayers and concern. It means a lot to us that so many people have been apart of this time in our lives. I'll be able to share more details and lessons learned and other blog-worthy tid-bits after we've had a chance to get our bearings again. Right now I'm just gonna go down for a nap!

-t

Prison Hospice

Given that 1 out of every 32 is under "Correctional Supervision" (that's 6.7 Million people), it's not surprising that there is a large geriatric population in jail. More than 3,000 inmates die from natural causes in prison each year, so many prisons are starting to develop hospice programmes staffed with inmate volunteers.

As courts have handed down longer sentences and tightened parole, about 75 prisons have started hospice programs, half of them using inmate volunteers, according to the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization. Susan Atkins, a follower of Charles Manson, died last month in hospice at the Central California Women’s Facility at Chowchilla after being denied compassionate release.

Joan Smith, deputy superintendent of health services at the Coxsackie prison, said the hospice program here initially met with resistance from prison guards. “They were very resentful about people in prison for horrendous crimes getting better medical care than their families,” including round-the-clock companionship in their final days, Ms. Smith said. (source)

Not surprisingly, the experience has become transformative for the volunteers in a way that the rest of their prison experience has not been.

Benny Lee, 38, has spent half his life in prison for manslaughter, and for most of that time, he said, “the only thing I regretted was getting caught.” Four months ago he began as a hospice volunteer, feeling he needed a change. “I’m trying to offer some payback,” he said. (source)

Recently I ran into a friend I hadn't seen in many years. Turns out, several years ago he spent 18 months in jail for DUI and Cocaine possession. He says that it was the best thing that ever happened to him--really turned his life around. He told me that when you are sent to prison you really have a choice--you can waste the time passing the hours or you can use it to improve yourself mentally, spiritually, or physically. He took advantage of the time to change himself and was glad for it. He also said that prison is like anywhere else, there are good people and bad people and you can survive if you make wise choices.

This situation of the Prison Hospice programmes reminds me of the cemetery in New York where they bury the abandoned dead. If they can't find a family to claim remains, they are eventually buried in a cemetery which is maintained my prisoners. Being on the cemetery detail is considered a privilege, as the inmates take the care of the cemetery very seriously.

-t

Updates: Stewardship, ARC, Healing Prayer, Geeks for Jesus, OHC Website, OH MY!

I'm still really buzzed about the ideas the Stewardship Committee came up with. I was at a dinner party with a professor from Wycliffe last night and I ran the idea by him and he saw the potential immediately. In fact, David Reed and I seemed to eye-to-eye on a lot stuff about Mission and Ministry and the future of the churches. I'm anxious to share more about this project, but it's still too young an idea to expose just yet...

Meanwhile, some of my other projects roll on. Next week we have an ARC meeting to start looking at the physical space and making plans for transforming it. we also need to start thinking about a job description: "ARC seeks Noah." I know that the grant committee is only just starting to consider applications, but there is plenty to do even before we receive word. If we don't get the grant we can still start building the ARC, only it be a lot more difficult!

The Healing Prayer service continues to delight me. We had another first-timer today. The folks that have been gathering have been wonderfully loving and generous-hearted. I'm really happy about the vibe and the way this ministry is flourishing right from the get-go. It will be fascinating to see how the Mother's Group starts rolling. After that I'll start getting the down town bible study established again.

Geeks for Jesus hasn't had a lot of movement lately. I think we need to schedule our next meeting now that we are all through Easter. If we want to pull together a conference in the fall than we need to set a date for that and start planning. Not to mention fleshing out our Wiki with useful stuff!

I've decided that during my vacation this summer I'm going to go to Holy Cross for a few months and revamp their website. We are already having some preliminary conversations about what the community would like from the new website. Personally, I'm looking forward to adding more media. Randy has been building a very impressive catalogue of photos and several of the brothers, including the Prior, have blogs. So channelling this content into the website is going to be more about setting up structures than getting the community to change much about what it is doing already. My goal is going to be establish something that makes their lives easier and connects them more to the world in the ways they wish to be connected. Candles under bushel baskets and all that...

-t

Encouragement

Remarkably, eight people showed up for the Healing Prayer Service (plus me makes nine). Even cooler, three, yes three, were simply people from the neighborhood who felt the need for some healing prayer after seeing our posters. How cool is that! It actually worked. I had my doubts--but there are people who actually saw my little poster and came because of it. Amazing. I know three might not sound like a lot, but for us that's a big deal. I'm pleased as punch.

-t

Healing Prayer Service Progress

Today was the third Healing Prayer service here at the church. Thought I would offer a few quick reflections.

Liturgy... We follow this outline:

• We sit in a circle in front of the chancel. Three candles burn on a table near the presider.
• Greeting and opening collect from BAS pg. 554.
• A reading from scripture (related to healing)
• Silence for contemplation
• Sharing about the scripture
• Extemporaneous, open prayer time
• Laying on of Hands and Anointing (those who wish to receive it take turns sitting in a chair in the middle of the circle. Everyone gathers around and puts a hand on the person's shoulder or arm. Presider lays hands on the person's head. Silent prayer for three or four breaths, then anointing using the BAS formula pg. 555)

Attendance... The first Saturday it was just two of us. The second there were six. And today we had six as well. Until today it was entirely parishioners--but then today we had a visitor who came because she saw our banner out front. Sweet! Now this person is a life-long Anglican who has known of our church, but not been inside before. That's just great. It's exactly the kind of encouragement I needed!

Spirituality... It has been quite moving to share prayer together in this way. I think doing the open intercessions followed by the anointing flows really nicely. I think that as we continue to meet the feeling of intimacy and connection will grow and the prayers will feel even more powerful.

So I'm feeling pretty good about this. I think we need to post even more flyers and advertising and we'll see how this goes...

-t

Sermon - Epiphany 6 2009

This week for a change of pace I asked John McClaverty to preach. He's a well known church consultant and a very experienced preacher (as well as a member of my congregation), so I'm always glad to have him at my pulpit!



Here's a direct link to the MP3 file...

-t