Parish Health Ministry
Last Updated on Thursday, 01 July 2010 06:38 Written by Nancy Barber Tuesday, 29 June 2010 16:34
The Parish Health Ministry is led by Jane Sbardella, RN (parish nurse). Members are Nancy Barber, Mary Carnahan, Janet Cramer, Trudy Crites, Betty Elwell, Carey Lane, Joan Pinilla, Dodo Rice, and Ruth Tilghman. Our Vestry Liaison is Sue Dyer. The group meets on the second Saturday of the month, 9-10:30AM, in the Dunham Room. Each member is associated with one or more ministries: Transportation (Carey Lane), Crisis Food (Mary Carnahan), Prayer Shawls (Joan Pinilla), Companions (Ruth Tilghman), Intercessory Prayer (Jane Sbardella), Healing (Janet Cramer), Eucharistic Visitors (Jane Sbardella), Hospital/nursing home/home visits (Jane Sbardella).
Transportation provides rides to church services, hospital, and/or doctor visits; we have 9 volunteers who drive. Crisis food provides food for parishioners who have had or will have surgery, new babies, death in the family, etc.
Prayer shawls are knitted by parishioners and are given to members in the hospital or who are undergoing surgery, or who experiencing a crisis. Shawls are sometimes given to friends of the parish. The knitting ministry has expanded its program to making and giving baby blankets to new babies born into the parish or for any baby that might need the comfort of a blanket.
Companions make home visits to those who cannot come to church or who need a strong connection to the parish besides attending services.
The intercessory prayer group meets monthly; members commit to pray daily for people on the parish prayer list.
The Healing team meets monthly and serves every Sunday during both the 8AM and 10AM services; they plan one or more study or reflective retreats a year.
Eucharistic Visitors take communion to parishioners who cannot attend services. Visits to members in the hospital or nursing homes or confined to home are conducted as needed.