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Parish Nurse and Congregational Health Blog

Parish Nurse Notes: August 2023

8/24/2023

1 Comment

 

​Ephesians 6:10-11 ​Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able  to stand against the schemes of the devil. 

  This summer, I celebrated my 20th year of nursing! Looking back over the years, beginning on a medical-surgical unit, then community health nursing, caring for adults with developmental disabilities and school nursing, I remember feeling well equipped and skilled to begin my journey as a Parish Nurse. The joys and heartaches that I have experienced serving as a Parish Nurse are very well explained in Dr. Bruce Hartung’s book “Holding up The Prophet’s Hand”. One of my favorite excerpts from this book about supporting church workers below: 

“ ...I see church workers at an increased risk for sadness, despair, stress, frustration, cynicism, anger and disappointment... Day by day, these workers deal with the crises of others -unemployment, financial distress, personal illnesses and the death of loved ones...Stress often increases when one’s vocation asks the worker to connect the challenging human experience with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Church workers most often have personal relationships with those they serve. Unlike counselors, whose clients come and go, or firefighters, who meet the emergency needs and then leave the scene, church workers walk closely with those they serve in day-by-day, ongoing relationships.(Hartung 8,9)

As church workers of all kinds, we need to be intentional about supporting one another. Through this intentional support, we can vastly improve the health of our congregations and our pastors, and therefore enable us to be better equipped at sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ as we serve. Join us on Saturday, November 9th from 9am-3pm, as we gather together as church workers, elders, pastors, parish nurses, women’s ministry leaders, educators and church staff (and all types of church workers) for a seminar on “Holding Up The Prophet’s Hand” hosted by Dr. Bruce Hartung and sponsored by the NJ District LCMS and the Ministerial Health Committee. Location: Somerset Hill Lutheran Church, Basking Ridge, NJ. 

All details are included in the flier below, and on the Grapevine Newsletter. 

In His joy and service, 
Colleen Bottcher RN, BSN, FCN 
NJ District Parish Nurse Rep
Adult Ministries & The Ministerial Health Committee
Picture
1 Comment
Robert Holsten
8/25/2023 07:20:59 am

Thanks, Colleen. Let me know how I can help with Bruce Hartung's visit.

In Christ,
Bob Holsten

Reply



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  • Home
    • About Us
    • What We Believe
    • Administration
    • Board of Directors
    • Find a LCMS Church or School Near You >
      • NJ District Congregations
      • NJ District Schools
      • Find an LCMS Church, School, or Rostered Worker
    • Contact
  • EVENTS
    • Calendar
    • Mission Classic Golf Outing
  • SERVICES
    • Congregational Services >
      • Early Childhood Centers
      • Parish Nursing
      • Worker Wellness >
        • Wellness Blog
    • Outreach & Missions >
      • Adult Ministry
      • Disaster Response
      • Stewardship & Financial Support Services
      • Lily the Comfort Dog
      • Mission and Ministry to Military, Veterans and Their Families
    • Partners in Ministry
  • AID & GRANTS
    • Financial Aid for LCMS Students
    • CHEF Grants
  • RESOURCES
    • Curated Articles & Papers
    • Resources on Racism
    • Recorded Workshops
    • Legal Resources
    • District Documents
    • Resources for Clergy >
      • Call Process
      • District Directory
      • In Commemoration of the Reformation
      • 2020 Winter Pastors Conference Presentation Slides
    • Resources for Congregations >
      • Congregations & Workers
    • District Convention 2018 >
      • Reports
  • DISTRICT CONVENTION
    • Convention Information
  • BLOG
    • Health Blog
  • Give
  • District Convention 2018