Parish Nurse Notes: August 2023

​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