Parish Nurse ministry at Church of the Advent began in the fall of 2000.

The presence of two part-time parish nurses is funded through the Good Samaritan Hospital and Bethesda Foundations and TriHealth. In exchange for this contribution, the Church of the Advent provides office space for the nurses so they have a home base from which to operate in the neighborhood.

The program’s success is dependent on access to people with needs in the neighborhoods we serve. The people of the Church of the Advent, the staff of the church and the staff of Open Door are often the critical link for us to those in need. And sometimes parishioners themselves may be the one in need.

We offer weekly blood pressure screenings and clinics at three different subsidized apartment buildings in the area that are focused primarily on senior housing and housing for the disabled. In addition, Mary works one morning a week at Open Door offering blood pressure and diabetes screening, a listening ear and hopefully connections to available resources. Joanne offers these same services to the women who gather weekly as the Stitchery. We do Tai Chi and other exercises together and finish with prayer for one another and for our world.

Home visits and follow- up with clients referred to us from hospitals and other agencies also keep us busy. Sometimes this involves visits to fill medication boxes, offer support, encourage self-care and provide transportation to medical appointments. Mary continues to offer holistic wellness training to teachers, staff and students at Catholic inner city schools. And she offers training in self-care and stress management to staff from social service agencies.

Special Events

Mary has coordinated a Wellness Retreat for Women held in the spring of 2006 and 2007. This retreat is offered for women from the different parishes, churches and neighborhoods where Parish Nurses work. This three day gathering is open to women of all ages and has included Tai Chi as prayer, quiet time for walking and reflection, group sharing and some fun. Plans are under way for a similar retreat week-end in 2009, if funding is found.

A neighborhood Health and Wellness Fair was held in April 2007. The Fair included screenings, information booths and speakers on a variety of topics and the opportunity to experience Healing Touch from volunteers.

Joanne and Mary want to express our gratitude to the Loving God who lead us to the Church of the Advent in 2000 and to you, the members of this faith community. Thank you for your ongoing support of this ministry.