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Health Ministry
Origins of Parish Nursing - Functions of a Parish Nurse
Questions about Health Ministry? Contact Sandra Nasr (817-424-3780).
GCISD Family Fun Walk & Health Fair
 On Saturday, May 15, members of the church participated in supporting GCISD with its first annual Fun Walk and Health Fair at Grapevine High School. The request for 500 toothbrushes and 500 toothpastes to distribute to families attending the fair was surpassed. A total of 1, 258 tubes of toothpaste and 1,479 toothbrushes were collected for the Health Fair. Many of these items were distributed at the fair, those remaining will be distributed within our ministry mile. Approximately 30 volunteers from the church were on site supporting the Health Fair in various capacities. On behalf of myself and GCISD, a heartfelt thank you for supporting this effort in all the ways that you did. I am proud to be a part of FUMC Grapevine. The community speaks highly of our church family and the many outreach opportunities that we provide.
~ Sandra Nasr, RNC (Parish Nurse, FUMC Grapevine)
When Jesus set out his disciples, he instructed them to preach, teach, and heal. Over the centuries, the church has done well with preaching and teaching. The church has had difficulty for years determining where it stands regarding Jesus' order to heal.
Parish nursing is rooted from the early efforts of deaconesses and other religious sisters who worked in parishes promoting health from a whole person perspective. In the early 1970's, the Reverend Granger Westberg, a Lutheran minister, concentrated on Parish Nursing, working with Wholistic Health Centers during this decade.
The philosophy of Parish Nursing is an emerging area of specialized profession of nursing practice. Such practice holds spiritual dimension to be central to its practice. It also encompasses the physical, psychological, and social dimensions of nursing practice. Parish Nursing is a participatory ministry.
The focus of Parish Nursing practice is the faith community and its ministry. The parish nurse in collaboration with the pastoral staff and congregational members participates in the ongoing transformation of faith community into a source of health and healing. As spiritual health is central to well being, Parish Nurses assist and empower individuals to become more active partners in the management of their personal health resources.
Functions of Parish Nurse Role
Health is a holistic way of living that embraces life in its fullness, including the pursuit of Integrator of Faith and Health, a healthy spiritual life and connection to God and God's people. A parish nurse assists parishioners to achieve higher levels of wellness by improving both their spiritual and physical health.
Health Educator
Parish nurses are available to their congregations for health education, and provide opportunities for a congregation to learn about health issues, individually and in groups.
Health Counselor
Parishioners may have visited their doctor but not fully understand a diagnosis or options for treatment. Parish nurse is available to discuss health concerns, emphasizing early response to health issues and encouraging healthy lifestyle changes.
Referral Advisor
Parish nurses spend a great deal of time networking and investigating the quality of service providers in many different arenas of health care. Provide referrals to health-care and social services within the community upon request from a parishioner.
Health Advisor
Parish nurse helps members of the congregation or community obtain needed health-related services.
Developer of Support Groups
A community often has needs for support groups such as AA, grief support, weight loss, cancer survivor and more. The parish nurse facilitates the development of support groups for the faith community and others served
Volunteer Coordinator
Often times, health related needs of a congregational member, such as transportation to a doctor or other medical appointment, food during convalescence or childcare during an illness can be provided through volunteers.
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