Health Ministry

The Health Ministry is a part of a broader outreach - Health Ministry. This ministry focuses on the health and healing needs of its members and neighbors and extends beyond its walls into the faith-based communities. In faith-based communities people find continuing connectedness, encouragement, hope and love. Health ministries continue this tradition by centering on personal presence, listening and teaching.

Examples of Health Ministry services include:

  • Visiting the homebound or sick;
  • Encouraging healthy lifestyles;
  • Providing support – individually or in groups;
  • Presenting information on health promotion and disease prevention;
  • Monitoring individual concerns/needs;
  • Connecting through written or telephone communications; etc.

This Health Ministry is any extension of the faith-based community that is perceived as caring. It does not require a medical background. Any person can be involved in health ministry. It merely requires a heart for caring, time and training directed toward improved listening skills, therapeutic communications and spiritual presence. Health ministry and parish nursing frequently coexist and sometimes the faith-based Program Administrator and Nurse are the staff persons responsible for the V.O.H. Health Ministry Outreach.

Here are just some of the services a Faith-Based Nurse can provide:

  • Help in accessing and navigating the health system
  • Programs to promote healthy exercise and nutrition
  • Education on health issues
  • Support groups
  • Health screenings
  • Assistance to new parents
  • Support for hospitalized or homebound family members

A Faith-Based Nurse focuses on the whole person to emphasize wellness, disease prevention and health promotion, including healthy spirituality. Care is based on the belief that health is growth toward well being and emphasizes the interrelationship of body, mind and spirit. Health is related to everything a person does, thinks, and feels and is not merely the absence of disease.  

 Roles of the Program Administrator / Coordinator

  1. Health Educator - focusing on a variety of educational activities for all ages that explore the relationship between values, attitudes, lifestyle, faith and health.
  2. Facilitator of Volunteers - recruiting and coordinating resources within the faith-based community to serve in its various health ministries.
  3. Developer of Support Groups - facilitating the development of support groups to meet member needs and those of the external community.
  4. Integrator of Faith and Health - seeking, in all activities and contacts, to promote the understanding of the relationship between faith and health.

Roles of the Faith-Based Nurse

  1. Personal Health Counselor - assisting individuals to deal with health issues and problems and may include hospital, home, nursing home, etc. visits.
  2. Referral Agent - providing congregational and community resources for healing and wellness.
  3. Health Advocate - encouraging all systems (congregation, faith-based community, primary health resources) to find the best solution for healing and wholeness - body, mind and spirit.