BirthJoy - health ministry

What is Health Ministry?
Why would a massage therapist become a health minister?
Do you have theological training?
What religion/denomination are you affiliated with?
What do you charge for your services?
How far will you travel to present workshops or provide consultation?
Do you only work with Christian congregations?

What is Health Ministry?

From ancient times people of faith have understood that health is not just a physical experience. Our relationship with God impacts our experience of our bodies, our emotional health, our diet, and the way we address pain, illness, birth, and death.

Health Ministry is any activity by which faith communities seek to enhance wholeness and well-being, whether within their own congregation or within the larger community. Ministries of health can include tangible services (such as church-based clinics or health fairs) and traditional "religious" activities (such as prayer and other forms of worship).

Why would a massage therapist become a health minister?

Parish nurses are the most familiar ministers of health in the USA. Many churches also employ or offer referrals to faith-based counselors. From the time I became a massage therapist, I felt that touch therapy could also be a form of pastoral caregiving, helping people acknowledge and welcome the presence of God within their physical experience.

Do you have theological training?

I have earned a graduate certificate in Faith & Health from North Park Theological Seminary in Chicago. I continue to accumulate credits towards a Masters of Arts in Christian Ministry. (For more information about North Park's Faith & health courses, visit http://www.northpark.edu/sem.)

What religion/denomination are you affiliated with?

I am a licensed lay minister in the Evangelical Covenant Church, which was established by 19th century Swedish Lutheran immigrants to the United States. To learn more about the theology of the ECC, go to http://www.covchurch.org.

What do you charge for your services?

Generally I charge $50 per hour of presentation time, plus travel expenses (including meals and lodging). Exceptions would be weekend workshops, for which a negotiable flat rate will be assessed. Higher hourly fees may be necessary when travel time or participation in a lengthy conference requires more than 2-3 hours total time commitment.

How far will you travel to present workshops or provide consultation?

I am willing to travel anywhere within the United States

Do you only work with Christian congregations?

I'm comfortable serving in a non Christian faith context, but I might need to ask a lot of question about how health and spirituality are related within the particular faith community.