Health and Welfare Ministry Team Leader

Result Expected

An effective leader will lead the congregation to attend to the physical, mental, and spiritual health of individuals in the congregation in order to fulfill the mission of making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. This leader will offer direct services and education for the physical, mental, and spiritual health of people of all ages so that people’s lives may become whole.

Spiritual Gifts and Qualifications Helpful for the Job

• This ministry coordinator benefits from having one or more of these spiritual gifts: servanthood, teaching, exhortation (encouragement), leadership, compassion, faith, healing, miracles, discernment, helping/assistance, and administration. This leader should show evidence of passion for Jesus’ ministry of healing and evidence of prior leadership in healing and wholeness ministry.
• Useful skills for this position are the ability to listen to and communicate with people of all ages, the ability to work with church members and community people, and skills for planning and delivering effective programs and events for healing and wholeness of body, mind, and spirit.
• This leader should show genuine interest in responding to the hopes and concerns of all people in the community.

Responsibilities of the Position

• The coordinator will pay attention to the hopes, concerns, and needs of people for healthcare in the community (including the congregation) to determine how the congregation might serve these people, especially those with disabilities and/or limited resources.
• The coordinator will lead planning and implementation of a comprehensive health and welfare ministry program to align with the overall goals of the congregation.
• The coordinator will be a liaison with organizations, people, and resources in the community and congregation that minister through health and welfare programs.
• This leader will help the congregation become knowledgeable about the services offered by the various United Methodist-related health and welfare agencies in the community and conference, including hospitals, clinics, advocacy groups, retirement homes, and others.
• This leader will encourage the congregation to be aware of the needs of people with handicapping conditions and of the need for the church to be structurally accessible.
• The team will promote observance of Golden Cross Sunday and other efforts to provide financial support for health and welfare ministries.
• The coordinator is accountable to the charge conference through the church council.

Getting Started

1. Learn from others who have developed and implemented health and welfare ministries. Explore the websites suggested for ministry ideas. Learn about people in your community. Which individuals and groups are left out or ignored? Seek to identify gaps in your church and community where your congregation can lead the way in making a positive difference by sharing God’s love.
2. Soon after you are elected, gather a group of interested people to help you plan. Share the ministry with others by delegating projects to people in the church who share your passion for health and wellness.

People and Agencies That Can Help

• People in your congregation, the community and other congregations who share your interest and/or work in the area’s social, health, and welfare agencies. Be alert to community groups committed to increasing the health and welfare of all people.
• Center for Health, www.gbophb.org/cfh
• InfoServ, the information service for the church, provides current information about United Methodist resources, programs, and staff services. Email: [email protected]; Website: infoserv.umc.org.

Web and Print Resources

• The Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church, 2016 (Nashville: The United Methodist Publishing House, 2016)
• Center for Health, www.gbophb.org/cfh
• Forgiving Your Family: A Journey to Healing by Kathleen Fischer (Nashville: Upper Room Books, 2005)
• Faith Community Nursing (Parish Nursing), www.parishnurses.org
• Fear Not: Learning from Your Cancer by Judy Gattis Smith (Upper Room Books, 2008)
• Health Ministry for United Methodist Clergy and Congregations, www.gbophb.org/assets/1/7/4380.pdf
• Interpreter, www.interpretermagazine.org
• Lay Pastoral Care Giving by Timothy M. Farabaugh (Nashville: Discipleship Resources, 2009)
• Miracle: When Christ Touches Our Deepest Need by Flora Slosson Wuellner (Nashville: Upper Room Books, 2008)
• No Act of Love Is Ever Wasted: The Spirituality of Caring for Persons with Dementia by Jane Marie Thibault and Richard Morgan (Nashville: Upper Room Books, 2009)
• Not Alone: Encouragement for Caregivers by Nell E. Noonan (Nashville: Upper Room Books, 2009)
• Pocket Prayers Series: Prayers for Encouragement (Nashville: Upper Room Books, 2007)
• Safe Sanctuaries®, www.umcdiscipleship.org/leadership-resources/safe-sanctuaries
• United Methodist Association of Health and Welfare Ministries, www.umassociation.org