To Isabel Cutler on her retirement

The church family of Christ Church Cathedral bids farewell to Isabel Cutler who is retiring from her position as Parish Nurse. Isabel has been Parish Nurse for 10 years and Chair of the Health Ministry Team for the past twelve.

Isabel had a vision and a calling to serve her church family and in this way be able to do God’s work.

John 10:10 says: I come that they may have life and have it abundantly. I believe this has been lived out by Isabel in many ways.

Parish nursing had been circling in Isabel’s thoughts well before her retirement from her position at the Chalmers here in Fredericton.

As a beginning,the Cathedral Health Ministry was established with members of the congregation serving on the Team. Members were already serving the church family in very many ways and these were all co-ordinated under the umbrella of the Health Ministry Team. As a certified Parish Nurse, Isabel began leading us on a remarkable journey.

A pebble dropped in a still pond sends out waves in an ever increasing circle. It all began here with Isabel’s vision, the support of Dean Joyce, Bishop and Chapter and of course our Cathedral family. Her vision slowly and surely began to spread outward to embrace and be embraced by the greater community.

Today the CCC Parish Nurse is a respected partner with River Valley Health, UNB Faculty of Nursing, Brunswick Street Community Health Clinic, and many other health related organizations in the community. There are close links with Parish Nurses ,other faith communities in the city and throughout the province and indeed the country.

As co-ordinator of the Health  Ministry Team and as Parish Nurse, Isabel’s one day of office hours was in reality a full time plus job.

Her days were filled with visiting in home and hospital, telephone calls, meetings, education programs for the public, for professional learning, UNB nursing community experience, the Monday morning outreach with UNB nursing students, office hours, staff meetings, Red Cross certifications for staff and congregational members. Did I mention telephone calls both incoming and outgoing working with families, health care and long term facilities to achieve safe living environments for clients but keeping the clients preferences in front all the time. Not an easy mutually satisfying outcome to achieve. There are BP clinics, fit club, visiting, helping hands and traveling throughout the Archdeaconry and beyond to spread the Parish Nurse vision. Did I say telephone calls, at any time, anywhere?

Isabel accomplished this and more with a deep, confident and abiding faith.

She will tell you this was not accomplished on her own and indeed one person could not do it! Our church family, health ministry team, the support of Bishop and Chapter, Dean Hall and the staff as well as many others made this vision a reality. It was Isabel’s gentle and determined leadership that made it all happen. As part of of the Health Ministry Team and the Parish Nurse team, we have been privileged to walk this path with Isabel.

John 10:10 says: “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”

I join the rest of our church family and Isabel’s family in wishing her a happy, peaceful and fulfilling retirement. May God continue to richly bless you.

Thank you.

Michele LeBlanc

The Canadian Association for Parish Nursing Ministry