Pastoral Care Week 2007
On October 24, 2007, the Department of Chaplaincy Services and Pastoral Education hosted a conference for clergy and allied professionals, "Spiritual Care Response to Disasters and Pandemics." The day-long event was well-attended, and hosted a variety of speakers as well as visual displays. Poster presentations were provided by the American Red Cross Central Virginia Chapter and Spiritual Care Response Team, Virginia Department of Emergency Management, the Medical Reserve Corps, Community Emergency Response Team, and Thomas Jefferson Health District.
Marjorie Sidebottom, Director of UVa Emergency Preparedness, gave an overview of disaster response. Robert Boyle, MD, Professor of Pediatrics, Chair, UVa Health System Ethics Committee, addressed the healthcare impact of influenza pandemics.
Edward Kantor, MD, UVa Associate Professor of Psychiatry, and Chair of Disaster Psychiatry, Psychiatric Society of Virginia, spoke on disasters and mental health--
early responses and volunteer opportunities. The role of the supportive responder was addressed by Mary Beth Williams, PhD., Member, American Academy of Police Psychologists; Director, Trauma Recovery Education and Counseling Center, Warrenton. A brief question and answer period followed, with a panel including Alvin Edwards, Pastor, Mt. Zion Baptist Church; Marge Thomas, Emergency Management Coordinator for Charlottesville, UVA and Albemarle County; and Jan Tobias, Disaster Response Coordinator, Lutheran Disaster Response in Virginia.
The presentation of the 5th annual Clyde M. Watson Jr. Distinguished Service Award for Pastoral Care and Education was made to 
Dr. Joel Jenkins, Senior Pastor, First Baptist Church, Park Street, Charlottesville. Presenters included Dr. Richard Haines, Director, UVa Health System Chaplaincy Services and Pastoral Education, and Dr. Pamela Cipriano, UVa Health System Chief Clinical Officer and Chief Nursing Officer. (See NBC Channel 29 news story below.)
Pastoral Care Week Ceremony Held at UVA
Reported by David Douglas
October 24, 2007
Last updated @ 6:09 p.m.
If you are sick, recovering, or going through a traumatic time, medical and counseling care can be important. But this week, UVA Medical Center is recognizing the importance of spiritual care as well.
Part of Pastoral Care Week at the hospital included honoring Joel Jenkins, pastor of First Baptist Church in Charlottesville, with the Clyde Watson Distinguished Service Award. Jenkins not only ministers at the hospital, but also served in Iraq as a military chaplain.
Jenkins stated, "What I saw over there was that faith tended to give folks, especially those who were out there every day, on the convoys in the war zone where they were under threat, it gave them a sense of peace, that they were connected."
UVA followed the ceremony with a conference on providing spiritual care during disasters and medical emergencies. 
Past Pastoral Care Week Themes
October 1997--Diversity of Gifts
October 1998--Diversity of Cultures
October 1999--Diversity of Spirituality
October 2000--Valuing a Each Person Wholly
October 2001--Valuing Life's Passages
October 2002--Valuing a Growing Spirit
October 2003-- Imaging Community