Be shepherds of God's flock that is under your care, serving as overseers—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; 1 Peter 5:2

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History of Health Ministries

Parish nurse ministries grew out of the wholistic health care programs started by Granger E. Westberg, D.D. in the Chicago area in the early 1970s. The original model was supported in part by the Illinois Schools of Medicine and Divinity. Wholistic health care centers were established in area churches to deliver total family care. These centers ultimately closed for a variety of reasons. They were followed by a revision developed under the guidance of Lutheran General Hospital of Parkridge, Illinois, through its Congregational Health Partners program. This model established the Minister of Health/Parish Nurse roles much as we know them today. Parish nursing and congregational health ministries are now functioning all over the world. Schools of nursing include parish nursing concepts in both their undergraduate and graduate nursing programs.

In 1998, parish nursing was accepted as a specialty by the American Nurses’ Association. The scope and standards by which we practice are revised every five years. The official membership organization for parish nurses is the Health Ministries Association (HMA). Information on this organization is available through the Tri-State Health Ministry Organization.