A new community service group has formed to help local churches extend their healing hands.
The recently-incorporated Peace Parish Nursing Cooperative began under the sponsorship of Peace United Methodist Church, with grant money from the Cooperative Development Foundation, and hopes to extend its administrative, fundraising and grant-writing services to other churches in town to provide greater care of parishioners and the community at large.
“It’s more efficient and practical to share resources, and hopefully to attract other churches,” said Reggie Gorter, administrator for the cooperative. “Pastors are so overworked today. Anyway that we can get a ministry that partners with a pastor to fill a hole that helps the church, that’s what we really want to do: to help them fulfill their mission as a church.”
The vehicle ministry for that extension and outreach is through parish nurses. Referred to as the “silent ministry,” parish nurses have only been around for about 20 years. They are registered nurses who visit people who may be lonely or depressed, have experienced a loss, been hospitalized, or have minimal support systems, safety issues or stressful environments.
Their approach is holistic and the care offered within the comfort and familiarity of the person’s home.
“They really address the whole body, mind and spirit to make sure people get what they need,” Gorter said.
Jill Mabon, a Pipestone resident since 2001, is the parish nurse who was hired last November by Peace United Methodist Church in conjunction with Avera McKennan and Avera Health Foundation. Currently, she is the only parish nurse employed by a Pipestone church.
A parish nurse’s role is to augment services delivered by healthcare professionals, not to replace those services. They cannot diagnose or treat an illness or dispense medications or treatments. Instead, they talk to people and act as health counselors, advocates, educators and resource/referral sources.
“I get to do the best things about being a nurse,” Mabon said. “I get to talk with them, find out what their concerns are, instead of treating them for one thing they’re coming in for.”
Parish nurses are also committed to the healing mission of the churches they serve, and work to strengthen the connection between health and faith.
“I just happen to have the honor of being the visible presence of the connection between health and faith,” Mabon said. “It’s a way of telling parishioners they’re not alone and we do care.”
In the future, the cooperative would help staff other churches with parish nurses. For the time being, the members are focused on introducing the coop and its mission to the community and area churches. It’s also working on the implementation of some of its ideas, such as a hands-on health fair; a volunteer network that would include household help and transportation for the elderly or homebound; an exercise program for seniors; and community education in the areas of a healthy body, mind and spirit.
The cooperative is acting as its own board of directors currently, but will soon invite individuals to fill those positions. They also need volunteers and office space. To learn how you could help, contact Gorter at 605/695-8626.
