Pastoral Care

Pastoral Care is care provided by a Board Certified/Board Certified Eligible Professional, or specially trained Volunteer clergy or lay leader. Examples of such care include emotional, spiritual, religious, pastoral, ethical, and/or existential care. At Cape Fear Valley Health, a Chaplain is trained to attend to the Spiritual and emotional dimension of Health Care.

Reasons to Call a Chaplain

  • Requests for prayer
  • Need to talk about grief, life change, faith, medical diagnosis, etc.
  • Facing tough times/anxiety
  • Sacraments and religious rituals
  • Devotional material and religious supplies (rosaries, prayer mats, etc.)
  • Sacred texts such as Bibles (English and Spanish), Korans, Torahs, etc.
  • Family support in decision making, grief support, life change, etc.
  • Contacting a local Religious Representative

Mission & Vision

Mission

Deliver exceptional pastoral care for all our patients, families, staff, and volunteers.

Vision

Through pastoral care, the Department of Pastoral Care attends to the spiritual dimension of the hospital's mission within the Health System..."In every way, improving the quality of every life we touch", facilitates collaboration between the Health System and other agencies, and strengthens the relationship between the Health System and the larger religious community.

Professional Organizations

Contact Us

In the case of an emergent need for a Chaplain: Call Switchboard at 910-615-4000 and ask for the on- call Chaplain

Interfaith Chapel (Open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week) locations:

  • Cape Fear Valley Hospital Main: first floor near the main lobby.
  • HighSmith-Rainey Specialty Hospital: second floor located beside the Intensive Care Unit
  • Hoke Hospital: first floor next to cafeteria

Chaplain Cynthia Brasher, MDiv, BCC
Corporate Director of Pastoral Care
Office: (910) 615-6019
Email: cbrasher@capefearvalley.com

Chaplain Melanie Swofford MDiv, MPH, BCC
Clinical Staff Chaplain
Office:(910) 615-6105
Email: mswofford@capefearvalley.com

Reverend Marvin Tyrone Clowney, Sr.
Clinical Staff Chaplain
Office:(910) 615-1539
Email: mclow@capefearvalley.com

Biographical Information

Chaplain Cynthia Brasher, MDiv, BCC

Cynthia W. Brasher joined the Pastoral Care Department as Corporate Director in March, 2018. Originally from Charlotte, North Carolina, she returns to the state after having served in hospital chaplaincy positions in other states. Prior to this role, she was System Director of Spiritual Services for a health system in Florida for fourteen years.

Cynthia is a graduate of Wingate University, Southern Seminary, and completed advanced studies at Columbia Theological Seminary. She is Board Certified through the Association of Professional Chaplains. She is a Minister of Word and Sacrament with the Presbyterian Church (USA) and serves as a validated minister with the Presbytery of Coastal Carolina.

Chaplain Melanie Swofford MDiv, MPH, BCC

Chaplain Melanie Swofford is serving as a Clinical Staff Chaplain for the Cape Fear Valley Health System. She has been with the system since 2010.

Chaplain Swofford is an ordained United Methodist clergy who is endorsed for hospital ministry. She is Board Certified through the Association of Professional Chaplains. Chaplain Swofford has presented at both the Health Care Chaplaincy National Conference and the Association of Professional Chaplains national conference.

Chaplain Swofford earned her Bachelor in Music Education from the University of NC at Greensboro where she specialized in clarinet performance. She studied music therapy and clarinet performance at Arizona State University. Melanie then went on to receive her Masters in Divinity from Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, Kentucky. She studied counseling at Lindsey Wilson College. Chaplain Swofford did her Clinical Pastoral Education Internship at Gaston Memorial Hospital in Gastonia, NC and her Clinical Pastoral Education Residency at New Hanover Medical Center in Wilmington, NC. She earned a certification in Palliative Care Chaplaincy from the University of Southern California at San Marcos, Institute of Palliative Care. She went on to earn her Master of Public Health from George Washington University with a concentration in Health informatics where she did her master’s thesis on spiritual care with pediatric patients. Chaplain Swofford has a case study published in the book “Chaplains as Partners in Medical Decision-Making: Case Studies in Healthcare Chaplaincy”. 

Reverend Marvin Tyrone Clowney, Sr.

Reverend Marvin Tyrone Clowney, Sr. is a native of Kannapolis, North Carolina. He is the son of the late Reverend Marion and Mattie Clowney, the seventh of ten children. He is married to the former Tonda Lynn Stafford and they are the proud parents of three children and seven grandchildren.

Reverend Clowney graduated with a diploma from A. L. Brown High School, Kannapolis, North Carolina; Bachelor in Theology Degree from Sugar Creek School of Religion, Charlotte, North Carolina; Bachelor of Religion and Philosophy from Campbell University, Buies Creek, North Carolina; Master of Divinity with Languages from Campbell Divinity School, Buies Creek, North Carolina; and graduate of Cape Fear Valley Hospital Clinical Pastoral Care Program.

Reverend Clowney serves as President of the Sampson County Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance; First Vice President of the Union of Union Association; Instructor at Sampson County College of Theology - Clinton and Fayetteville locations; former Moderator of the Western Union Association; serves in the following capacities of the General Baptist State Convention: Executive Committee, General Board, and former Dean of Ushers. Reverend Clowney is a staunch supporter of the Lott Carey Baptist Foreign Mission Convention and the National Baptist Convention.

He has served as Associate Pastor of First Baptist Church, Kannapolis, North Carolina and Interim Pastor of First Baptist Church, Concord, North Carolina. Reverend Clowney served as Pastor of: Mt. Vernon Baptist Church, Lincolnton, North Carolina; Macedonia Baptist Church, Taylorsville, North Carolina; and First Baptist Church, Clinton, North Carolina. He is currently the Pastor of Christ Missionary Baptist Church, Clinton, North Carolina; Chaplain of Cape Fear Valley Hospital, Fayetteville, NC serving Highsmith Rainey Specialty Hospital, Fayetteville, NC.

Reverend Clowney's philosophy of life is Christ-Centered; Bible-Based and Mission-focused.