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Health and Wholeness holds first event |
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Photo by Donna Barley |
| Attendees of the first-ever Health and Wholeness Ministry event learned to minister to people with disabilities, but they were also ministered to. The Signing Choir from Orlando's Conway United Methodist Church participated in the opening Service of Celebration, which also featured Dick Mailman, a motivational speaker and trainer who is legally blind. |
| By Donna Barley ORLANDO - For two years, impending hurricanes have prevented the Florida Conference Health and Wholeness Ministry Team from holding its first-ever conference-wide event. That event finally took place Jan. 27 at St. Lukeís United Methodist Church here. More than 85 people attended the "Tending His Sheep: Increasing Ministry Outreach Through Health and Spirituality" to share, learn and network for the purpose of promoting health- and wholeness-related ministries. Toni Parrish, co-chair of the ministry team, was pleased with the results. "I praise God for the wonderful turnout for our first conference-wide event," she said. "Surely the presence of God was felt during our time together." Dick Mailman, a member of Community United Methodist Church in Casselberry and a nationally-recognized motivational speaker and trainer for the Orlando District's Lay Speaking Ministry, was the keynote speaker. Mailman, who is legally blind, encouraged participants to provide time, love and compassion to persons with any disability. Participants learned about a variety of health-related ministries from pastors and professionals serving in those ministries. Fourteen workshops covered such topics as ministry to the deaf and homebound, elder care and mental health support, and spirituality and grieving. One of the most popular workshops featured parish nursing. Ginny Pearcy, a parish nurse at First United Methodist Church, Deltona, taught participants how to begin a parish nursing ministry, including the faith and scriptural bases behind parish nursing and its history. Patrice Antony, a geriatric physical therapist and member of St. Lukeís, presented ìThe Caregiver Challenge.î The two-hour workshop focused on a variety of topics, from the caregiverís role and the dilemmas caregivers face to tips for assisting the disabled. Dr. Caroline Njuki, the General Board of Global Ministriesí assistant general secretary for Health and Relief, shared a national and international overview of health and wholeness ministries, and the American Association of Critical Nursesí Metropolitan Orlando chapter provided contact hours for registered nurses and licensed practical nurses. In addition to the workshops, more than 20 exhibitors from conference churches and special ministries and health-related organizations shared their resources. The Rev. Dr. Larry Purvis, senior pastor of Olympia Heights United Methodist Church in Miami, and the Rev. Dr. Larry Rankin, director of the conferenceís Missions and Ethnic Local Church Concerns offices, led the closing Celebration and Covenant Service with communion. The two challenged participants to go forth and serve Jesusí sheep. "In...ministries with persons with special needs, we can either assume the ministry of charity - giving coins and scarcely looking at these special persons - or we can be in the ministry of transformation where even healing is possible through the mighty acts of God manifested through his faithful disciples," Rankin said. Parrish said the team will follow up with participants this summer to see what ministries have been started as a result of the training. It is also working on plans for a second event. For more information on the Health and Wholeness Ministry Team, contact co-chairs Parrish at THPDeaf@aol.com or June Johns at 321-452-8783. Top
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