How can I encourage my churches to reach out more effectively in their communities?
That means we need to urge our congregations to make the connections between faith and health, between healing and wholeness, between spiritual life and physical activities. Not just for themselves but for the people who live and work around them.
If there are any registered nurses with community experience in your churches, they will have their professional background in health care, which, combined with their faith, can help the church to make these connections in their communities.
How about encouraging your churches to appoint a “Parish Nurse” to their ministry teams? (“Parish” can also mean community or neighbourhood.)
You could organise a local seminar for interested people. These, along with training and support networks are available through Parish Nursing Ministries UK.
What can a Parish Nurse do?
There are now 40 UK churches from different denominations with Parish nurses. Even on volunteer hours a Parish nurse has an average of 400 contacts per year, one third of which are with unchurched people.
Some denominations are developing appropriate recognition processes for their Parish Nurses.
If there is a church already enquiring about starting a Parish Nurse project, here are downloadable guidelines: guidelines for church and applicant : project checklist
Jesus came to bring life in all its fullness … life that includes physical, mental, social and spiritual wellbeing.Quote from a church leader
“Parish Nursing has the potential to transform a congregation and turn it to face new challenges. It inspires new motivation for volunteering and releases new leadership potential. It helps social action become more missional and mission become more compassionate.”
That means we need to urge our congregations to make the connections between faith and health, between healing and wholeness, between spiritual life and physical activities. Not just for themselves but for the people who live and work around them.
If there are any registered nurses with community experience in your churches, they will have their professional background in health care, which, combined with their faith, can help the church to make these connections in their communities.
How about encouraging your churches to appoint a “Parish Nurse” to their ministry teams? (“Parish” can also mean community or neighbourhood.)
You could organise a local seminar for interested people. These, along with training and support networks are available through Parish Nursing Ministries UK.
What can a Parish Nurse do?
- Visit congregational contacts who have health-related problems, and pray with them as appropriate
- Assist the church to offer relevant help at a person’s point of need
- Give personal health advice and help someone to get the most appropriate treatment or care
- Liaise with the local GP surgery and staff
- Encourage the congregation towards more healthy lifestyles
- Motivate volunteers and offer training and opportunities for service in the local community
- Support and work with those already engaged in pastoral care
- Talk to church-based groups about physical and spiritual health issues
- Accompany someone to a stressful medical appointment
- Make links with other voluntary groups and agencies
- Attend and assist with services for healing
- Help ministers and leadership teams to care for their own health
- Work within the Code of Professional Practice (Nursing and Midwifery Council)
There are now 40 UK churches from different denominations with Parish nurses. Even on volunteer hours a Parish nurse has an average of 400 contacts per year, one third of which are with unchurched people.
Some denominations are developing appropriate recognition processes for their Parish Nurses.
If there is a church already enquiring about starting a Parish Nurse project, here are downloadable guidelines: guidelines for church and applicant : project checklist
