From the parish nurses: Stewardship includes staying healthy

from Bruce Strade, executive director, Northwest Parish Nurse Ministries

When we think of stewardship within faith communities, what generally comes to mind is contributing money, utilizing talents, maintaining buildings and property and respecting and protecting the environment. Rarely is self-care or healthy living a stewardship emphasis. Yet if we are serious about being good stewards of God’s creation, then taking care of ourselves and being concerned about the well-being of others ought to be an essential ingredient in any stewardship program. That’s where health ministry comes in.

Health ministry is based on the premise that we are fearfully and wonderfully made, as the Psalmist states, and as such need to take responsibility for our health and make choices that will help us lead as full a life as possible. The emphasis is on wellness and wholeness, taking into consideration the physical, spiritual, emotional, intellectual, and relational components of good health. All work together to form a whole. When one area is hurting, all, in one way or another, hurt.

A health ministry program takes health care seriously and sees it as part of our response to God’s goodness and grace. It promotes a culture that encourages people to exercise regularly, eat nutritionally, maintain a healthy weight, and not smoke, one or all of which over 87% of the population in the United States fail to do. It recognizes that just as healing was central to Christ’s ministry, so also is the Body of Christ a healing community. By design and intent we are meant to live in relationship to one another. We are called to establish a place of nurture and support and create a context where people are validated and see themselves as partners in healing. Health Ministry upholds the power of prayer, values the contribution of medicine and health care professionals, connects people to community resources, provides reliable education and encourages self-responsibility. Health ministry puts CARE into health care.

If you already have a health ministry program, including the services of a Faith Community/Parish Nurse, you might want to:
• Schedule a Health Ministry Sunday to highlight the importance of health care and to thank the Faith Community/Parish Nurses/Health Ministers/Prayer Shawl Ministers, etc., for their service.
• Offer Services of Prayer for Healing and Wholeness as a vehicle of God’s healing presence and an expression of the church as a healing community.
• Make it a point to address health-related issues from the pulpit, in Bible study and through newsletter articles.
• Encourage funding for Health Ministry and explore the possibility of a paid Faith Community/Parish Nurse.

If you do not currently have a Health Ministry Program, you might target 2011 as the year to put one in place. To begin:
• Check out the webpage of Northwest Parish Nurse Ministries (www.npnm.org), especially the Toolkit section in Congregational Resources. Feel free to call us at: 503-413-4137. Your national faith community webpage might also have additional resources and information.
• Identify people interested in this ministry and put together a Health Ministry Committee. You might also invite a Faith Community/Parish Nurse in your area to talk about the health ministry program in his/her church.
• Develop a plan for a health ministry program and designate funds to send a member, possibly a licensed nurse, to the Basic Preparation for Faith Community Nurses and Health Ministers. Dates of classes are listed on the NPNM webpage.

Joan Chittister in her book of meditations on The Psalms states: To praise the Creator it is necessary to care for the creation. (p. 139) When we consider humankind as the crown of creation, made in the image of the Creator, then we have ample reason to praise God by taking good care of ourselves. So pour on the praise. Exercise good stewardship. Make health ministry a priority in 2011.