Faith Community Nursing

Parish Nursing began in the 1970s in Chicago by Rev. Dr. Granger Westburg, a Lutheran minister. He opened a wholistic health center at his church.  But healing ministries in the church have a history that dates back to  the New Testament when special people were appointed by the apostles to take care of the sick and needy.

Faith Community Nursing, formerly called Parish Nursing, is about wholeness of mind, body and spirit. It is not just about healing physically or preventing physical disease. It is about integrating the whole person, physically, emotionally, and spiritually.  In the Mennonite faith we believe that Jesus provided a model for wholistic care by his concern for physical, emotional, and spiritual healing and that the congregation is called to be a community of care and support for one another. 

Activities may consist of but are not limited to the following: providing resources and information for individual health concerns; help with needs in times of illness, hospital admissions and discharges; refers to available resources in the church or community; organizes and /or teaches classes and seminars on health issues; coordinates and trains volunteers for health functions; provides flu clinics; coordinates a community health fair; gives health counseling; starts support groups; and is responsible for a medical device loan closet. Activities are determined by the needs of the community and the congregation. 

The nurse will be available as needed to both the congregation and the surrounding community.  

The Faith Community Nurse is called to integrate faith and health in the promotion of wholeness.(taken from the Nurse in the Congregation Guidebook).   The Faith Community Nurse is one of the many hands and feet of Jesus in the church and the congregation.  The Faith Community Nurse is under the direction of the HSC Board and works in conjunction with the pastoral and leadership staff of Trinity Mennonite Church.    

If you know of someone in the community or church that could benefit from a visit, please call Sheryl at 928-210-5260.