Maryland

R. Lorraine Brown D.Min.

The author researched how African Americans, age 18-28, who received care for sickle cell disease (SCD), were impacted by intentional sharing of clinic-based spiritual counseling. This spiritual intervention addressed the often unspoken concerns of this population. Understanding spirituality, while managing the many facets of SCD, is vital for holistic health. Participants found themselves at critical junctures in their spiritual development - seeking, exploring, even questioning - how spirituality plays a role in their overall well-being. The project collected both qualitative and quantitative data through a chaplain interventionist. The chaplain met 1:1 with participants to share strategies for increasing everyday coping and self-efficacy. The participants found spiritual care to be necessary and helpful as they navigated their daily lives and sickle cell disease. The author came to realize to truly be effective, an in-depth longitudinal study is needed for true impact.

R. Lorraine Brown M.Div.

The author researched how African Americans, age 18-28, who received care for sickle cell disease were impacted by intentional sharing of clinic-based spiritual counseling. This spiritual intervention addressed the often-unspoken concerns of this population. Understanding spirituality, while managing the many facets of SCD, is vital for holistic health. Participants found themselves at critical junctures in their spiritual development -- seeking, exploring, even questioning -- how spirituality plays a role in their overall well-being. The project collected both qualitative and quantitative data through a chaplain interventionist. The chaplain met 1:1 with participants to share strategies for increasing everyday coping and self-efficacy. The participants found spiritual care to be necessary and helpful as they navigated their daily lives and sickle cell disease. The author came to realize to truly be effective, an in-depth longitudinal study is needed for true impact.

David Tilghman Hemphill

The purpose of this project was to enhance the discipleship strategy of Riva Trace Baptist Church. The project director researched discipleship methods, aspects, formation, and models. Following the research, the compiled an annotated bibliography of selected discipleship models and then conducted an appraisement of selected discipleship models. From there, the project director surveyed the congregation and reviewed the existing discipleship making methods. The results of these inquires provided the project director with the needed information to develop reports on current practice and spiritual health. To fashion his learning into an enhanced strategy, he did research into strategy creation process from which he developed a report. The fruit of all the research was used to develop an enhanced strategy. A select team was then gathered to assist in the manufacture of a presentation. The team delivered the presentation to the pastors and elders. The pastors and elders asked for application details. Once provided, the strategy was accepted. The pastors and elders are praying about adaptations they should make.

Wesley Brian Jamison D.Min.

Progressive churches continue to struggle with retaining youth, who often seen little merit in the church's traditions and rituals. These spiritual practices are essential to nurturing the strength and vision necessary to create a more just, equitable, and sustainable world. This project offers a model for integrating these practices into the regular activities of youth ministry as a way of reconnecting them to the struggle for justice. It was tested by adding the observance of the daily offices of prayer to a youth mission trip and examining the views of participants concerning prayer and its connection to justice before, during, and after the trip. Noticeable changes were measured during and after the trip, indicating that youth came to see spiritual practices are more important to the work of justice. These findings suggest that the church would do well to look to its own history of monasticism as a model for youth ministry in the post-Christian era.

Steven M Hall

This project's purpose was to impact the spiritual formation of participants from Heritage Community Church in Severn, Maryland by increasing their awareness of the essential need to reconcile the physical witht he spiritual through an eight-week course. The design of the project included the administration of Pre- and Post-test assessments. The results of the course revealed that the participants had little understanding of the physical and spiritual divide. Upon increasign this awareness and offering interventions to better reconcile the physical and spiritual through the course, participants reported the impact being a more sensible, satisfying and holistic experience of spiritual formation.