St. John's Evangelical Lutherian Church

Parish Care Mission Team

“ This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you” John 25 v 12.

The purpose of the Parish Care Mission Team is to assist the Pastors in caring for the needs of others who are experiencing grief, illness, disability or distress. We have six areas of outreach:

The Bereavement Hospitality Action Team seeks to support the recently bereaved family and friends of congregation member. It does this by offering the family the option of having a light lunch or coffee hour at the church following the funeral.
The Parish Care Action Team provides a base for assorted acts of kindness for members who have limitations related to age, illness or disability.
The Eucharistic Ministers Action Team assists with the distribution of the Sacrament of Holy Communion to the home bound of the congregation on a regular basis.
The Hospital Visitation Action Team brings pastoral care and attention to those who are hospitalized.
The Parish Nurse Action Team seeks to integrate faith and nursing skills to prevent illness, preserve health and assist with the restoration of health. The Action Team offers free blood pressure screenings, CPR classes, educational programs that promote healthy lifestyles, and assistance with community services.
The Prayer Ministry Action Team works to encourage the congregation to pray -for each other in times of need and times of plenty, for the well being of our neighbors, country and world. Prayer requests can be by phone, at church or on line.

The Parish Nurse Mission team holds Blood Pressure screenings each month on the Second Sunday of the month. after the 8:15 Service in the Fellowship Hall, and between the after the 9:30 Service(before the 11:00 service) in the pastor's office . The public is welcome to come for a free Blood Pressure check .We hold health educational offerings periodically, on different topics. Two of our Parish nurses visit the hospitals each week to check on Parishioners who are admitted, and to see if they have any discharge needs we can help with. We offer a visit from our Casserole club, with a hot meal if needed for people who are discharged from the hospital. Please call Linda Upright if you need this service at 691-7139.

Medical Supplies and medicines (discontinued for a particular person) are still being collected and sent to the Muriel Gordon Foundation for distribution to people in Third World Countries. We take medicines and supplies.

Special equipment needed locally can be borrowed from the Reformed Church Loan Closet. See Maryanne Deik or one of the Parish Nurses for details. The Parish Care MT will be happy to pick up and deliver if needed. Call Jan Viola for this service at 485-4756.

CPR/AED classes are offered periodically at minimal cost for volunteers in the congregation. The church has an Automatic External Defibrillator. Call Jan Viola to enroll in a class.

Any health -care professionals are welcome to join our committee. We are all volunteers, and are part of the Dutchess County Parish Nurse Network, which meets several times a year. Call Jan Viola to join.We meet bimonthly as part of the Parish care Mission Team.