Praying in the work place

[RipeTomato]

Hi everybody,

I'm three months into my new job as a hospice RNCM and have been learning a lot. I generally love, love, love my job.

My question today is about praying in the workplace. I know that Medicare requires a spiritual counselor on staff, but I also know that patients can refuse that service.

At my work place, meetings have recently started to begin with prayer lead by the SC. This seems a bit odd to me, coming from years of experience in the work world where things like prayer before meetings did not happen.

Also, I hear a lot of statements from fellow workers that I find offensive regarding patients having a hard time with EOL because they "don't have a belief system." They have a belief system, it just may not be the same as other people. From my limited experience, it seems people die differently, not relatable solely to their belief system. Some with strong beliefs have a hard time, others who don't believe find peace at the end.

I will pray with my patients all they want if that brings them peace and comfort, but prayer in the work place feels like a violation.

Thoughts?

[FSUNurse2b]

.Worship and a person's relationship with God is personal and should always be direct, without 'middlemen' who attempt to speak for you to God, or who attempt to speak for God to you. Even in Church prayer is silent since being led in prayer allows someone to speak to God for you and potentially manipulate your relationship with God and vice versa.

I do agree with this. The Word is specific on this:

1 Timothy 2:5-7

⁵ For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, ⁶ who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time, ⁷ for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle—I am speaking the truth in Christ^[a] and not lying—a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.

[itsnowornever, BSN, RN]

Yes, to some, "peace and safety" means the world is becoming a better place. But, what do you think the apostle Paul meant by these words in his letter to the Thessalonians, some 2,000 years ago? "History" says one thing. The Word of God, says another...

1 Thessalonians 5:1-15

5 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.

² For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.

³ For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

⁴ But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.

⁵ Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.

⁶ Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.

⁷ For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.

⁸ But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.

⁹ For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,

¹⁰ Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.

¹¹ Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.

¹² And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you;

¹³ And to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. And be at peace among yourselves.

¹⁴ Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.

¹⁵ See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.

I don't think "he"meant squat since no one can prove "he" did anything or existed

Posting from my phone, ease forgive my fat thumbs! :)

[Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN]

I think this thread about opening meetings with a prayer has run it's course...thread closed for review