St. Saviour’s has a Pastoral Worker/Parish Nurse, Madeleine Watts RGN
Health, wholeness and faith have long been promoted in churches, but in recent years there has been a distancing of health care and faith. Parish Nurses hope to help mobilise the “Church” to embrace more fully its healing function.
A Parish Nurse is a registered nurse who acknowledges the basic need for a relationship with Jesus Christ and has had some theological training. Parish Nurses come from many varied Christian denominations.
So what does Parish Nursing mean for us at St. Saviour’s?
We assess the health needs of the people of the Parish both inside and outside the Church’s walls, and services complement the work of other Health Agencies and Church Ministries. We provide teaching about specific aspects of health, offer advice and support, refer people to various health agencies, and train and co-ordinate volunteers.
An important aspect of Parish Nursing is to encourage and assist people to integrate their faith and health, for example, how having an unforgiving spirit impedes on a person’s relationship with others, with their community and most importantly, with God.
Parish Nursing is a health ministry where the Christian ethos of care is of paramount importance to include body, mind and spirit. My hope is that we can reach out to others in our community where there is so much need that is not being met by the NHS.
St. Saviour’s has a passion for the Healing Ministry of our Lord and I pray that Parish Nursing is another step towards fulfilling our mission statement:
‘Passion for Christ – Compassion for All’
Madeleine
www.parishnursing.org.uk
The international Parish Nurse Symbol