The people from the Left to right are: Ann Solari-Twadell, then Director of the International Parish Nurse Resource Center; Rev Granger Westberg, Conceptualizer of Parish Nursing. Rev Martin Marty, Lutheran Historian and Author and Rev Larry Holst, Director of Pastoral Care at Lutheran General Hospital in the 1980's. He was the developer of Parish Nursing with Anne Marie Djupe as it was offered through Lutheran General Hospital. the photo was taken at the 1997 Westberg Symposium


Dr Roberta Schweitzer who pioneered translation of Christian content of Faith Community Nursing to the Jewish Tradition.


This photo is of Dr. Mary Ann McDermott and Dr. Ann Solari-Twadell in the mid 2000's. The occasion is Dr. Mc Dermott's Retirement from Loyola University Chicago, Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing after over 40 years of service. We are holding the three parish nursing texts that we wrote and edited over the thirty years we were working together to support the development and advancement of parish nursing. Missing from the photo is Anne Marie Djupe who died in 1994. She was the third author on the first parish nursing text with Dr Solari- Twadell and Dr McDermott.




The photo is from a Parish Nurse Preparation class from July 28,1998.

Does anyone recognize a person in this photo? 

Can you tell us the location??

Email us at contact@fcninternational.org if you know the answer!

August's Moment 2021

You can see Rosemarie Matheus signing the Curriculum consensus document. Behind her is Rev. David Carlson from Iowa and Mary Ann McDermott sitting. The third person standing and waiting to sign the document is Janet Griffin who at the time was the Director of the Parish Nurse Program in the Quad Cities. This signing of the document was part of the closing worship for the Parish Nurse Educator gathering which summed up a years worth of work on reviewing and agreeing on content for a standardized core curriculum for parish nursing.

July's Moment 2021

This is the group that was present for the reception at Loyola University Chicago Cudahy Library on Lake Shore Campus for the opening of the Westberg Archives. The Westberg Archives holds a collection of Granger Westberg's papers. John Westberg, son of Granger Westberg is in the center of the photo. The archives are open by appointment for anybody that is interested in reading and doing research on the work of Rev. Granger Westberg.



Our May and June Moments 2021

Faith Community Nurses International (FCNI) began with a retreat at Charlson Meadows, August, 2013. Seven people were in attendance. During that weekend, Mission and Vision Statements were developed. At that meeting the following were chosen to serve in leadership positions:

Chair – Bev Siegrist

V-Chair – Carrie Whyte

Secretary – JoVeta Wescott

Treasurer – Wanda Alexander

The office location was designated and responsible agent was selected: Faith Community Nurse Network. Preparations were made for a second meeting in November and assignments were made. Work went forward but several of the persons attending the first meeting chose to withdraw, leaving Bev Siegrist, Andy West and Wanda Alexander, who moved forward taking the necessary steps to form the new organization, i.e. Incorporation Application, 501(c)3 Application, presentation at Westberg , active campaign for members, and Bylaws. The Bylaws were sent to the membership for a vote of acceptance, which passed.

The new member application asked for interest in various tasks for the organization. An e-mail was sent out to all those indicating an interest in “leadership” asking about serving on the Board of Directors; six additional members were chosen by the three founding members and invited to a retreat at Charlson Meadows October 29 - November 1, 2015 as per the Bylaws allowing up to 9 directors. This group was Alice Murphy, Wanda Alexander, Tamara Otey, Beverly Siegrist, Donna Callaghan, Susan Dyess, Andy West, and Susan Richards, and Judy Shackelford, who was unable to attend. Since the Bylaws specified two year terms, it was decided by the group to draw lots initially for who would have either a 1 year term or a 2 year term. Also, in accordance with the Bylaws, the President and Secretary were to be elected in the odd years for terms beginning in the even years and V-President and Treasurer were to be elected in the even years for terms beginning in the odd years. The results of this election by the initial board were:

President – Bev Siegrist, term of office, 2015-2017

V-President – Andy West, term of office, 2015-2016

Secretary – Susan Dyess, term of office, 2015-2017

Treasurer – Wanda Alexander, term of office, 2015-2016

Board Members at Large – Susan Richards , 2015-2016

Tamara Otey, 2015-2016

A. Murphy, 2015-2017

D. Callaghan, 2015-2017

Judy Shackelford, 2015-2016

This set in place the staggered terms of the board members and officers.





April's Moment 2021

There we were at a Parish Nurse Course sponsored by the International Parish Nurse Resource Center. It was the Summer of 2001, the last year of the International Parish Nurse Resource Center being Sponsored by Advocate Lutheran General Health System. None of us knew it at the time. From Left to Right: Dr. Mary Ann McDermott, Faculty, Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, Illinois; Rosemarie Matheus, Faculty , Marquette University School of Nursing, Milwaukee, Wisconsin and P. Ann Solari-Twadell, then, Director, International Parish Nurse Resource Center, Advocate Lutheran General Health System. This was a great collaboration that supported the roots of what is today, The Foundation Course for Faith Community Nurses sponsored today by the Westberg Institute.




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