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"Meeting the Challenge of the 21st Century: Fulfill Your Ministry"
Carol Ann Frizzell, RN

The Health Ministry concept is based on the belief that the interrelationship of body, mind, and spirit is such that when one is touched the whole is affected. One third of the recorded Gospels demonstrate Christ's concern for the physical and emotional, as well as spiritual needs of those to whom he ministered.

The church is a natural caring community that consistently interacts with individuals from birth to death in all socio- economic groups. Historically, the community of faith has been a place of hope and healing. Today, nurses, and other medical professionals, as well as laypersons, through their act of caring, are bringing a unique role to this ministry of healing within the church.

As a member of the church, the health minister! congregational nurse facilitates use of the resources within the congregation and the community to provide services based on the assessed health needs of the faith community. The health minister does not duplicate existing health services, but seeks to bridge the gaps, delivering and coordinating educational, preventive, and supportive services not otherwise available.

The roles of the health minister may include the following:

Health Educator: Provides information to raise the health awareness of the church community through a variety of options that include classes, workshops, newsletters, seminars, support groups, and health fairs.

Personal Health Counselor: Advocates for individuals by offering knowledge of options for health and a supportive presence as members of the church make choices for their lives. Reinforces physician's plan of care.

Facilitator and Resource: Helps to identify the many health and wellness needs within the faith community and coordinates resources within the congregation. Recruits, trains, and supervises volunteers for many support functions within the church, such as visiting the sick, providing transportation, and organizing support groups.

Referral Source: Serves as a liaison between the church and community resources. Helps them access health care through county facilities if they have no insurance.

Advocate: Helps parishioners navigate their way through managed care and helps them articulate their concerns to the health care community.

—For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." —Ephesians 2