Implications of Acts 1:8 for Ghanaian Neo-Pentecostal Missiology

The book of Acts is often referred to by many scholars and preachers when discussing Christian missions with emphasis on Acts 1:8 as the centrality of the book. Unfortunately, very little exegetical study is done on the text by scholars in relation to missions. It appears that Luke fails to provide a detailed blueprint strategies or approaches to the command for missions (witnessing) in the text. This article therefore considers Acts 1:8 exegetically to establish its missionary importance. In the light of this, the article assesses the mission strategies of the Early Church, Historic Missions and Neo-Pentecostal/Charismatic Churches in Ghana. The article contends that, a reflection on the current trend of Neo-Pentecostal/Charismatic approaches or strategies to missions in Ghana gives a valuable insight of a departure from the early missionary strategies in general. The article acknowledges that, the recent widespread involvement of Pentecostal and Charismatic churches in the use of radio, social media, television, open-air crusades, street evangelism, preaching in buses, prayer and prophetic meetings/conventions, medical outreach work and social welfare are ways to fulfill missions in the light of Acts 1:8. The article also highlights the need to broaden the understanding and task of Christian missions to meet the challenges of the recent changing Ghanaian Christian religious landscape. Keywords: Missions, Missiology, Neo-Pentecostal Churches, Early Church,Strategy, Book of Acts, Historic Churches.

Constructing the Public Concert Hall

In the current discourse surrounding classical music institutions, issues of inclusion and diversity are regularly to the fore. There is pressure to prove the relevance of orchestras and ensembles to wider society, with outreach work in educational settings and in communities already an established part of their output. Using data gathered from a research project with the International Music and Performing Arts Charitable Trust Scotland (IMPACT Scotland), which is responsible for planning a new concert hall in Edinburgh to be called the Dunard Centre, this article extends these debates by relocating them to a new arena: the buildings classical institutions inhabit. First, the public nature of the concert hall is explored by examining three ‘strategies for publicness’ identified in concert-hall projects: the urbanistic strategy, the living building strategy and the ‘art for all’ strategy. These will be discussed in relation to the extensive literature on public space. The second part of the article examines recent developments in musicology and arts policy which encourage more ‘democratic’ arts practice. These will be used as the basis for asking how the concert hall (and its primary tenant, the orchestra) might better achieve the publicness that is so often promised on their behalf.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the experiences of hepatology nurses in Canada

Background: In March 2020, COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic, directly affecting the management of liver disease. Aims: This study aimed to gain insights on the impact of COVID-19 on Canadian hepatology nursing care practices, on the personal stress levels of nurses and on strategies employed in the delivery of care. Methods: The 129 members of the Canadian Association of Hepatology Nurses (CAHN) were invited to an online survey, with a mixed-methods design consisting of 22 quantitative and seven optional qualitative questions. Findings: Of CAHN members, 41 (32%) responded to the survey; 90% reported moderate-to-severe negative impacts on practice settings, while 68% reported hepatitis C testing and treatment delays. The qualitative data identified six main themes within two broad categories: barriers in access to care and strategies employed by nurses. Conclusions: Participants identified that COVID-19 had negative impacts on themselves personally and on their delivery of healthcare to patients. Hepatology nurses led positive changes through collaboration with community partners and mobilisation of outreach work.

Care Poverty Within the Home Space: Exploring the Emotional Experiences of Unmet Care Needs

Older adults face inequalities in care. The concept of care poverty has been developed to point out how unmet care needs are not just an individual issue but a phenomenon linked to social and economic disadvantage and societal inequality. In this paper, we approach the question of care poverty by focusing on its intertwinement with emotions and the home space. We analyze how the presence, or more commonly absence, of care shapes interviewees’ descriptions of emotional experiences tied to the home space. Our data consists of 12 semi-structured interviews conducted in 2019 and 2020 with customers of outreach work for older adults in Finland. These customers typically face a situation that can be characterized as care poverty: their care needs are not (or have not been) met by either the service system or informal sources. When analyzing the data, we followed the guidelines for thematic analysis proposed by Braun and Clarke. Our analysis shows how care and lack of care transform interviewees’ emotional connections with the home space, highlighting particularly three main themes: insecurity, isolation and belongingness. Our analysis reveals how lack of care can transform the home into an unsafe place; a space characterized by isolation, or a space where one sometimes ceases to feel at ease or “like oneself.” The emotional experience of home and being adequately cared for is also tied to the sense of (not) belonging to a place. Based on our analysis, we argue that as an experience, care poverty is not just about individual unmet needs and/or a scarcity of resources at the societal level; it should also be understood as deeply relational—born and shaped in interactions (or the lack of interactions) among people, and lived in and through relationships with others. Furthermore, we highlight the importance of a sense of belonging to the feeling of being adequately cared for.

By and For Jewish Women Only: The Musical Film "The Heart That Sings"

The musical film, “The Heart that Sings” (2011), written and directed by Robin Saex Garbose, is part of a genre of films created by and for Orthodox Jewish women. Heart provides a case study that illustrates the depth and breadth of Lubavitch Rebbe Menachem Mendel Schneerson’s (1902-1994) influence on Jews and Jewish life well beyond his own community members. Schneerson’s outreach work via his shlichim, or emissaries, to unobservant Jews is well-recognized. The extent and nuance of his influence on a broad cross-section of Jews, however, has yet to be fully traced. Heart tells its viewers that Jewish women from all backgrounds can create an empowered, unified community, if religiously observant, Orthodox practices are in place, perpetuating Schneerson’s message with a feminist bent and musical twist.

A EXTENSÃO UNIVERSITÁRIA: espaço de comunicação e de transformação social

Este artigo problematiza a relação da extensão universitária dialógica e emancipatória com as metodologias participativas, no contexto atual do ensino superior público, a partir da análise de três ações extensionistas, realizadas na Universidade Federal do Tocantins (UFT), Câmpus de Araguaína. Esta pesquisa ancora-se, metodologicamente, na análise qualitativa, com triangulação de pesquisa documental, entrevistas com docentes e relatório do Sistema de Informação e Gestão de Projetos (SIGProj). Tais ações evidenciaram caminhos para a materialização da comunicação entre universidade pública e sociedade que, comprometida com a inclusão social pela educação, poderá promover a (co)produção, o compartilhamento, a comunicação, as trocas e a integração de culturas na sociedade. As experiências extensionistas analisadas demonstraram que a universidade poderá ampliar a construção de conhecimentos socialmente relevantes e de transformação social pela ação, a partir da aprendizagem colaborativa entre agentes da Comissão Pastoral da Terra (CPT), acadêmicos, camponeses do Quilombo Grotão, docentes da universidade, grafiteiros, servidores técnico-administrativos estudantes da Educação Básica, professores das escolas rurais e de pequenas cidades, moradores de povoados e de comunidades rurais. Conclui-se que, apesar dos desafios atuais da universidade pública, algumas estratégias desenvolvidas demonstraram possibilidades de diálogos socioculturais, fortalecidos pela participação daqueles que estão fora da academia, reconhecidos como importantes coprodutores no processo de construção de saberes.Palavras-chave: Extensão universitária. Metodologias participativas. Educação emancipatória.UNIVERSITY OUTREACH WORK: space for communication and social transformationAbstractThis article problematizes the relationship between dialogical and emancipatory university outreach work applying participatory methodologies, in the current context of public higher education, based on the analysis of three outreach actions, carried out at the Federal University of Tocantins, Araguaína campus. This research is methodologically anchored in qualitative analysis with triangulation of documentary analysis, interviews with professors and the analysis of the Information and Project Management System reports. Such actions evidenced pathways for concrete communication between public universities and society, committed to social inclusion through education that promotes (co-)production, sharing, communication, exchanges and cultural integration in society. The outreach experiences analyzed showed that the university will be able to expand the construction of socially relevant knowledge and social transformation through actions based on collaborative learning among agents involving members from the Pastoral Land Commission (CPT), academics, peasants from the Quilombo Grotão community, graffiti artists, technical-administrative servants, students enrolled in basic education, teachers from rural schools and small towns, as well as residents from villages and rural communities. We conclude that, despite the current challenges of the public university, some strategies developed in te case studies demonstrated possibilities for socio-cultural dialogue, strengthened by the participation of those who are outside the academy and are recognized as important co-producers in the process of building knowledge.Keywords: University outreach work. Participatory methodologies. Emancipatory education.EXTENSIÓN UNIVERSITARIA: espacio de comunicación y transformación socialResumen Este artículo problematiza la relación entre la extensión universitaria dialógica y emancipadora con metodologías participativas, en el contexto actual de la educación superior pública, basada en el análisis de tres acciones de extensión, realizadas en la Universidad Federal de Tocantins, Câmpus de Araguaína. Esta investigación está anclada, metodológicamente, en análisis cualitativo, con triangulación de investigación documental, entrevistas con profesores e informes del Sistema de Información y Gestión de Proyectos. Dichas acciones evidenciaron caminos para la materialización de la comunicación entre las universidades públicas y la sociedad que, comprometidos con la inclusión social a través de la educación, pueden promover (co) producción, intercambio, comunicación, intercambios e integración de las culturas en la sociedad. Las experiencias de extensión analizadas mostraron que la universidad podrá expandir la construcción de conocimiento socialmente relevante y la transformación social a través de la acción, basada en el aprendizaje colaborativo entre agentes de la Comisión de Tierras Pastorales, académicos, campesinos de Quilombo Grotão, profesores universitarios, artistas de graffiti, servidores técnicos-administrativos, estudiantes de educación básica, maestros de escuelas rurales y pequeñas ciudades, residentes de aldeas y comunidades rurales. Se concluye que, a pesar de los desafíos actuales de la universidad pública, algunas estrategias desarrolladas demostraron posibilidades de diálogos socioculturales, fortalecidos por la participación de aquellos que están fuera de la academia, reconocidos como coproductores importantes en el proceso de construcción de conocimiento.Palabras clave: Extensión Universitariav. Metodologías participativas. Educación emancipadora.

Harm reduction via online platforms for people who use drugs in Russia: a qualitative analysis of web outreach work

Background Harm reduction services to people who use drugs (PWUD) in Russia are insufficient in terms of quantity, government endorsement, and accessibility. The situation has recently deteriorated even further because of social distancing measures of the COVID-19 pandemic. Several organizations have started to provide some harm reduction services via online platforms by web outreach. However, little is known on how online outreach services are organized and implemented. Drawing on the example of St. Petersburg-based NGO “Humanitarian Action,” we explored web outreach work in Telegram instant messenger. Methods Our data were comprised of 4 semi-structured interviews with the NGO staff and 301 cases of web outreach work with PWUD. We used thematic analysis to study the process of web outreach, harm reduction service provision, and needs of PWUD. Results Three stages of the process of web outreach work were identified: clients initiating communication, NGO workers addressing clients’ needs, and NGO workers receiving clients’ feedback. Communication proceeded in group chat or direct messages. Challenges in addressing clients’ needs happened when clients turned for help after hours, sent recorded voice messages, sent unclear messages, and/or were unwilling to transition to telephone communication. All web outreach workers reported receiving only positive feedback on their work. The needs of PWUD were categorized into two major themes, depending on whether they can be addressed fully or partially online. In cases of online only provision of services, web outreach workers helped PWUD treat minor injection drug use complications, obtain verified harm reduction information and receive general psychological support. In instances of partial online services provision, PWUD were assisted in getting treatment of severe injection drug use complications, overdoses, and in accessing offline medical, psychological, social, legal and harm reduction services. Conclusions Our research demonstrated that web outreach work is a convenient tool for delivering some harm reduction services to PWUD either partially or completely online and for recruiting new clients (including hard-to-reach PWUD that avoid attending brick-and-mortar facilities). Harm reduction organizations should consider incorporating online harm reduction services into their activities. However, further research is needed to explore relative advantages and disadvantages of online harm reduction services.

Opening pupils' eyes to the Sun

Ryan French and colleagues discuss their Hinode/EIS outreach work and the resulting resources available for A-level classes.

A Wonderful Change

This chapter explores the musical career of Walter Hawkins and the many ways he enriched the gospel sound during the 1970s and 1980s. It details how Hawkins created a body of work that remains central to the black liturgical experience. The chapter situates Hawkins’s early musical development within the cultural politics of black Oakland before detailing how the smash hit “Oh Happy Day” catapulted his family into the national spotlight. The focus then shifts to his Love Alive album series, as well as his production work for his ex-wife, Tramaine Hawkins. Through an analysis of Hawkins’s music and the outreach work of his church, the Love Center, this chapter also highlights how the minister confronted a variety of social problems, including the AIDS epidemic.

Harm reduction via online platforms for people who use drugs in Russia: A qualitative analysis of web outreach work

Background Harm reduction services to people who use drugs (PWUD) in Russia are insufficient in terms of quantity, government endorsement, and accessibility. The situation has recently deteriorated even further because of social distancing measures of the COVID-19 pandemic. Recently several harm reduction organizations have started to provide some harm reduction services via online platforms by web outreach. However, little is known on how online outreach services are organized and implemented. Drawing on the example of St. Petersburg-based NGO “Humanitarian Action” we explored web outreach work in Telegram instant messenger. Methods 4 semi-structured interviews with the NGO staff and 301 cases of web outreach work with PWUD comprised the dataset. The process of web outreach, service provision to PWUD, and PWUD’s needs were thematically analyzed. Results Three stages of the process of web outreach work were determined: clients initiating communication, NGO workers addressing clients’ needs, and NGO workers receiving clients’ feedback. Communication proceeded either in group chat or in direct messages. Challenges in addressing clients’ needs happened when clients turned for help in nighttime, sent recorded voice messages, sent unclear messages, and/or were unwilling to transition to telephone communication. All web outreach workers reported receiving only positive feedback on their work. PWUD’s needs were categorized into two major themes, depending on whether they can be addressed fully or partially online. In cases of online only provision of services, web outreach workers helped PWUD treat minor injection drug use complications, obtain verified harm reduction information and receive general psychological support. In instances of partial online services provision, PWUD were assisted in getting treatment of severe injection drug use complications, overdoses, and in accessing offline medical, psychological, social, legal and harm reduction services. Conclusions Our research demonstrated that web outreach work is a convenient tool for delivering some harm reduction services to PWUD either partially or completely online and recruiting new clients (including hard-to-reach PWUD that avoid attending brick-and-mortar facilities). It indicates that harm reduction organizations should consider incorporating online harm reduction services into their activities. However, more research is needed to explore relative advantages and disadvantages of online harm reduction services delivery.