C&MA in Canada - Parish Nurse Ministries

One of the foundations upon which The Christian and Missionary Alliance was built is the belief in Jesus as Healer. Hand in hand with that spiritual healing ministry was a ministry of practical care ? homes of rest and recuperation, homes for orphans, rescue homes for women, and medical missions.

These ministries were begun because our founder A.B. Simpson recognized that meeting people at their point-of-need opened people's heart to the good news of Jesus Christ. It is still true today.

People often need someone who will listen and advocate for them. We still have people who will never be healed by traditional medical means. They need a touch of God and of the community of God's people to heal their bodies, their emotions, their spirits. And in the face of perplexing ethical issues around health care, global concerns about health and just the complex care that individuals often require some assistance in managing, Parish Nurses are registered nurses who can competently assist the local church in understanding and addressing some of these matters.

In Canada, in 1997?98, after planning and preparation, Parish Nurse Ministries was launched at Paramount Drive Burlington and Ancaster Alliance Churches in Ontario. Under Dr. Stuart Lightbody, Canadian Ministries embraced the vision of Parish Nurse Ministry at the national level and Parish Nurse Ministries are now growing throughout Canada ? both within the Alliance and beyond.

As the Alliance moves into the 21^st Century, we want to find ways to revitalize our traditions of healing ministries and practical care giving in a way that is culturally relevant to the church of today.

Alliance Parish Nurses are at the forefront of creating a viable and sustainable response to that desire.

How do we do that?

Firstly, Parish Nurses offer Prayer.

The mission of Parish Nurse Ministry is to encourage people who face health related challenges to seek Jesus first.

God always wants to be first in our hearts, in our minds, in all of our lives. Prayer opens us to God's miraculous healing ? his touch on our bodies, minds and spirit. Parish Nurses encourage people to search the Scriptures and to spend time in his presence in order to lay hold of the spiritual truth that Jesus is our Healer.

We are called to recognize Jesus Christ as Healer ? He is able and willing to redeem and to heal the whole of our lives ? body, mind and spirit. Like the woman in the crowd who only touched the hem of His garment we too need to press through our circumstances to touch Jesus. When we do this through His Word through prayer and worship, we find that Jesus is faithful to meet us at our point of need and He is willing to direct us in our unique pathway to health.

Jesus may chose to heal us in many different ways?but they are all through his saving graces.

He created us to heal;

He has given us herbs & plants to give us the foods and medications our bodies require to heal;
He has given us people like physicians, nurses, therapists to guide us in the healing process;
sometimes He touches our lives in miraculous or unexplainable ways and brings healing ? and sometimes, in His grace and mercy, he takes us home to be with him ? where there are no more tears, or pain or suffering.

But then secondly, Parish Nurses offer to Jesus our Hands of Care.

We are socially responsive when we looks at the culture around us and, with compassion and practical care, meet the health needs of people where they live, where they work, where they play and where they worship.

Parish Nurse Ministry may just be the most practical way that the local church can be strengthened in its endeavor to present Jesus Christ as Healer.