We in the Episcopal Church in the Diocese of Ohio recognize the biblical obligation that each person in our diocese is responsible for their neighbor.

As Episcopalians, we have an enduring commitment to work for and support health care for all people as a shared endeavor. God continues to call us to work in society for the individual, collective actions that promote health and ensure care for those who suffer. We seek to participate in and supplement health care services for all people who are in need. As stated in Luke 10.27 states "... love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as your self".

Accepting health care as a share endeavor requires commitment of all people to the well being of their neighbor and themselves. By Episcopalians joining together they can bring their gifts, work together in integrated ways and share ideas and experiences. They can meet one another in community to work for a just social system and for peace and integrity of creation and health.

Health & Scriptures

Health and Christianity

God wants wholeness and salvation for each individual. As Christians, our task is to use whatever means possible to bring wholeness and health. Christians are called to understand health, healing and wholeness as a portion of their faith responsibility. Individually and corporately, we are to celebrate and give thanks for God's love for us and for all people. As we respond to this love we unite together as a justice seeking, compassionate and healing community. Justice is fair distribution of benefits and burdens of health care as Ezekiel 18:16 states "...as not to oppress anyone, give bread to the hungry and cover the naked with a garment".

We are mandated as Christians to seek compassionate ways to meet the health care needs of others. We are to responsively and responsibly care for others as well as our selves, meeting others at the point of their need. This is especially so in a social and economic context where this is a great disparity. We as Christians are called to be active participants in fashioning a just and effect health care system.

Health and Episcopalians

We in the Episcopal Church in the Diocese of Ohio recognize the biblical obligation that each person in our diocese is responsible for their neighbor. As Episcopalians, we have an enduring commitment to work for and support health care for all people as a shared endeavored. God continues to call us to work in society for the individual, collective actions that promote health and ensure care for those who suffer. We seek to participate in and supplement health care services for all people who are in need. As stated in Luke 10.27 states "... love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as your self".

Accepting health care as a share endeavor requires commitment of all people to the well being of their neighbor and themselves. By Episcopalians joining together they can bring their gifts, work together in integrated ways and share ideas and experiences. They can meet one another in community to work for a just social system and for peace and integrity of creation and health.

Possible Health Care Activities

In Titus 3:14 it is stated "And let people learn to devote themselves to good works in order to meet urgent needs...". There are many kinds and types of activities that can be done individually, as a congregation or at a diocesan level. Here are a few of them:

• Collect and develop resources and teaching materials related to access to health care within the diocese, congregation as well as individually.
• Assist people in evaluating avenues of care and treatments in various complementary systems.
• Seek ways to collaborate with and support the church's social ministry organizations such as meal programs and various wellness clinics.
• Make arrangements for various types of transportation that will help people gain physical access to health care.
• Advocate health ministry in and through our local parishes
• To become involve with other organizations within the diocese and or nation that are concerned about accessing quality health care for all people
• Provide and/ or teach health care and health care policy to continue to develop a Christian approach to pressing issues that affect the health care of the nation.
• Provide prevention information and/ or teach methods to prevent spread HIV in sschools, churches and other educational settings.
• Provide updated educational materials and/or classes to Medicare, prescription cards and Medicaid to the diocese, parishes and individually.
• To educated our youth as well as adults about various drugs and alcohol and to say"NO".
• Within the diocese, deaneries, and parishes develop a policy to assist those that do not have dental, hearing aid and vision insurance.
• Promote education program to increase public awareness of elder abuse and to work with agencies on prevention program to inform elders of  the availability or help from Elder Hotline or their county Adult Protection Services
• To work with the public and private sector to ensure that all citizens have access to quality institution and community based long term care services which would include such services as home, medical and nursing care, home health care homemaker services, assisted living facility and adult day care services. (In most cases comprehensive major medical insurance policies or federal government through Medicare does not cover long-term care)

Health Ministry

Health ministry in a local congregation is an intentional ministry focusing on both healing and health, combining the ancient traditions of the Christian community and the knowledge and tools of modern health care.

The ministry addresses the interconnectedness of mind, body and spirit. It is a living witness of the healing activity of God through the local congregation. It encourages whole-person health through:

• integration of mind ,body and spirit
• increase of self-knowledge
• personal responsibility
• interdependence among God's people.

Health ministry looks different from congregation to congregation, reflecting the needs, interest and resources of the faith community.

It does not replicate services that already exist in the community, but rather works with community partners and resources. The local congregation is a place where professionals and lay people can work together to keep people well, empower and educate, to advocate for health and to care for people in need. According to Jeremiah 30: 17, "For I will restore health to you and your wounds I will heal, says the Lord...".

Parish Nursing

Parish nursing is a movement that asks churches to renew their role in health care, which includes promoting health, preventing diseases, responding to crisis and emphasizing a holistic approach to health care. This ministry stems back to healing ministry of Jesus, who promoted wholeness to body, mind and spirit. Health is not just the absence of disease, rather it is the maximum attainable state of a person's emotional, intellectual, physical, social, spiritual and vocational well being.

Parish nurses wear many hats. They often alert parishioners about need for medical attention or refer them to appropriate health care providers or community resources. As a health promoter they help those to understand relationship between lifestyle, attitudes, faith and well-being. They also advocate for those with regard to their health care. Some other roles include being a health educator (provide speakers and educational information on health and wellness), facilitator, monitoring and screening (provides non-invasive health screening) as well as personal health counselor (asses one's health needs, delivers information when need, and make hospital and nursing home visits). They also train volunteers to assist them in various activities.

There are four working models of parish nurses. There are the parish nurse/health minister model which has four variations, lay/pastoral model, healing congregation model and hospital-related partnerships. The needs of the congregation determines the type of model to be used. There are parish nurses that are paid and there are those that volunteer. Again that is determined by the congregation and the nurse and/or nurses.

National Episcopal Health Ministry

National Episcopal Health Ministry believes that local congregations need to live out Jesus's command to heal and to be good stewards of health. they are trying to lead the way for congregations to become vibrant, caring places of health and wholeness.

Their mission is to promote health ministry in  the Episcopal Church, assisting local congregations to reclaim the Gospel mission of health and wholeness. According 1 Corinthians 12:4-7, "Now there is a varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit;and there are a varieties of activities,but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good".

National Episcopal Health Ministries does the following:

• Teaches courses to equip Episcopal health ministers and parish nurses
• Networks and supports those involved with health ministry in Episcopal congregations
• Publishes educational and start-up materials for local congregations and dioceses
• Acts as a voice for health ministers within the Episcopal Church

National Episcopal Health Ministries
6050 N.Meridian Street
Indianapolis, IN 46208
317.253.1277, ext.34
317.726.0569 FAX

Parishes with Health Ministry / Parish Nurse

"...Whenever we have an opportunity, let us work for the good of all, and especially for those of the family of faith."  Galatians 6:10

Resources

John 10:10 states "I come that they may have life and have it more abundantly".