Mission Statement:
The Parish Nurse and the Health Ministers promote wholeness of mind, body, and spirit within the congregation, to each other, and to the community by providing sacramental, educational, prayerful support, and by following Christ's example of love, compassion, and service to others.

A Parish Nurse is . . .

• A licensed Registered Nurse who has completed the educational preparation program for parish nurses and has had diverse clinical nursing experiences.
• Who integrates faith and health practices by communicating and collaborating with other ministries in the church to meet the faith and health needs of the congregation.
• Who provides health education by supplying health information through a variety of resources.
• Who becomes a personal health counselor when discussing health concerns with parishioners where they are living, recovering, or in other settings.
• Who acts as a referral agent by networking within the church and community to assist parishioners to gain access to appropriate resources and services.* The Parish Nurse aids the transformation of the faith community into a source of health and healing by building on people's strengths and guides them in caring for themselves and each other within the context of their faith and relationship with God and the faith community. This goal is accomplished through the process of "walking alongside" the person that is in need of care from the Parish Nurse.

Walking alongside another person is the means of providing them the support that they need - but not taking over for them. Walking alongside encapsulates the ethics of nursing practice by treating people with dignity and respect while encouraging autonomy and independence in decision-making.

The ministry of Jesus Christ included physical, emotional, and spiritual healing. The Parish Nurse Health Ministry is committed to the healing ministry of the church and to its mission to be an example of Christ's love through service to all people, helping everyone to learn and to experience God's love in the struggles and triumphs of daily life!

*The Parish Nurse and the Parish Nurse Health Ministry does not replace medical care, pastoral care, home health or public health nursing. Direct care is not provided. All concerns and information shared are held in the strictest confidence.

Programs & Resources
The Reverend Granger Westberg, a Lutheran pastor and considered by most to be the father of the modern parish nurse movement, believed that health, healing, and a sense of wholeness were achieved through the existence of a mind, body, and spirit connection. He believed that the Christian nurse played an integral role in accomplishing this.

The Parish Nurse Health Ministry is a service available to all members of the congregation at St. Stephen Lutheran Church. This ministry provides opportunities to its members for health promotion and disease prevention through services and educational opportunities within the church, and offers the same opportunities through outreach ministries to the community of White Bear Lake.

As the health ministry continues to grow other services will be added to fill the needs of the congregation. Presently, the health ministry offers screening clinics, such as blood pressure, health education, and counseling, and home/phone visits.

Health Ministry Team
The Health Ministry Team advises and supports this ministry. It is composed of 7 members of the congregation, known as Health Ministers. Its purpose is to promote the general health and wellness of the congregation and community through the endeavors of the Parish Nurse Health Ministry.