American churches provide health care ministries

 — Sept. 18, 200718 sept. 2007

New survey shows churches count health care as a priority ministry
Seventy percent of participating churches provide direct health services

New York, Sept. 18, 2007 – A groundbreaking survey of more than 6,000 American congregations reveals that churches spend a significant amount of time, energy and money in the ministries of health care.

The Congregational Health Ministry Survey, conducted by the National Council of Churches USA (NCC) with support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, shows that a majority of churches are ministering to their communities by providing health care ministries. As the number of uninsured Americans reaches 47 million people, congregations are supplying health education and direct health care services. Many are advocating on behalf of public policy issues related to health care.

According to the survey, about 70 percent of responding churches provide direct health services, with 65 percent offering health education programs within their community. The survey defines direct services as provision of medical care to individuals by trained health care professionals.

“It is not surprising to find that churches see health care as a part of their faith mission and mandate,” said Rev. Dr. Eileen W. Lindner, deputy general secretary of the NCC for Research and Planning, who supervised the survey. “The results of this survey confirm a higher energy for health care than we might have thought, however, and show that effective health care ministries are being developed by congregations of all sizes to meet the urgent needs of their communities.”

• Read the complete news report from the National Council of Churches

• The full survey report is also online

• Key findings of the Congregational Health Survey

Posted: Sept. 18, 2007 • Permanent link: ecumenism.net/?p=350
Categories: News Transmis : 18 sept. 2007 • Lien permanente : ecumenism.net/?p=350
Catégorie : News