ABSTRACT
Various ministry opportunities are emerging for churches in relation to the current discourse on health, healing, and wholeness in and among communities of faith. Ministries in nursing are considered such an opportunity. Many terms are related to health programs in local churches, such as parish nursing, congregational nursing, health ministries, and church-based health promotion, to name a few. The varying terms used to describe ministries of health can be confusing and cloud underlying philosophies that may be difficult to distinguish in the beginning. The purpose of this text is to offer a clearer lens through which to view nursing programs in churches, and to provide a basic handbook with resources for the practice of parish nursing in the new millennium. A new landscape for parish nurses is being painted. This text will bridge the Westberg era of parish nursing to the next stage of expansion with the goal of contributing to the development of solid structures for parish nursing programs.
