Creating Health and Care Giving Ministries Rev Betsy

Creating Health and Care Giving Ministries Rev. Betsy Ritzman Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor 831 South Oak Park Avenue Oak Park, IL 60304 Phone: 708. 848. 9900 Fax: 708 848. 9902 Email: betsyritz@comcast. net Website: www. tenditmendit. com

Take the first step in faith. You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Fitting together the beginning pieces: What is calling you? Who is calling you? What does the still small voice say? What do the Spirit people say? How does it matter to the poor and vulnerable? What does your heart say? Heart What are you already doing? What are others already doing? What’s Calling? Vulnerable People Vision Who Calls? Spirit People

Ministry Checklist: Start at the very beginning… Where can you connect your project into existing ministries? What are basic first steps to respond to the need? Congregational Prayer Support groups Church School Lessons Sermon Series Prayer Chains Stephen Ministers

Model Ministries:

Faith in Action A National program For the support of volunteers: Funding Technical Assistance Model Programs Tools Collaboration http: //www. fiavolunteers. org/

Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church, Arlington Heights, Illinois • Care Teams • Parish Nursing • Screening • Healing Worship • Healing Touch • Prayer Shawls • Pastoral Care • Steven Ministry • Prison Ministries • United Power for Action and Justice • Military Support ministry • Older Adult Ministry

Assessing a Faith Community’s Readiness for Ministry Conduct a congregational self study (Faith in Action) n History of other successful outreach ministry n Spiritual support and pastoral blessing n Political and strategic support of key people n Available resources: n n Financial Human (interested and committed) You need every single one for a long term success.

Crisis Responses: Katrina World Trade Center Long Term Responses: Care Giver Respite Visitation to Seniors Care Teams

Building support through advocacy It’s easy to find and recruit supporters with immediate, short term opportunities to advocate for the poor and vulnerable. n n Letter writing tables Email response lists Lobby days Forums

Committees: n n Leadership Organization n n Reminders, Agendas, Minutes, Workplans Timing is everything

Workplans: A Tool for Successful Leadership n n n Date Place Action/Activity Who’s in charge/responsible Outcome (quantify)

Funding n n n Always and early n Befriending the budget process Finding local and national partners Local NPO’s Foundations and Grants Government partners Benefactors, Planned giving

Evaluation in Ministry n n How does your congregation “steward” it’s resources – decide to begin or end ministries? Deciding on desirable outcomes n n When will you know you’ve succeeded (quantify) Using data n n n Confidentiality Data management tools Data Reports = Funding

Lovingly managing Barriers n n n n Personal Interpersonal Leadership Funding Sustainability issues Success as a barrier Others: