Creating Health and Care Giving Ministries Rev. Betsy Ritzman Rev. Betsy Ritzman Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor 831 South Oak Park Avenue Oak Park, IL Phone: Fax: Website:

Take the first step in faith. You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Fitting together the beginning pieces : What is calling you? Who is calling you? What does the still small voice say? What do the Spirit people say? How does it matter to the poor and vulnerable? What does your heart say? What are you already doing? What are others already doing? Vision Heart Vulnerable People Spirit People Who Calls? What’s Calling?

Ministry Checklist: Start at the very beginning… Where can you connect your project into existing ministries? What are basic first steps to respond to the need? Congregational Prayer Support groups Church School Lessons Sermon Series Prayer Chains Stephen Ministers

Model Ministries:

Faith in Action A National program For the support of volunteers: Funding Technical Assistance Model Programs Tools Collaboration

Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church, Arlington Heights, Illinois Care Teams Parish Nursing Screening Healing Worship Healing Touch Prayer Shawls Pastoral Care Steven Ministry Prison Ministries United Power for Action and Justice Military Support ministry Older Adult Ministry

Assessing a Faith Community’s Readiness for Ministry Conduct a congregational self study (Faith in Action) History of other successful outreach ministry History of other successful outreach ministry Spiritual support and pastoral blessing Spiritual support and pastoral blessing Political and strategic support of key people Political and strategic support of key people Available resources: Available resources: Financial Financial Human (interested and committed) Human (interested and committed) You need every single one for a long term success.

Crisis Responses: Katrina World Trade Center Long Term Responses: Care Giver Respite Visitation to Seniors Care Teams

Building support through advocacy It’s easy to find and recruit supporters with immediate, short term opportunities to advocate for the poor and vulnerable. Letter writing tables Letter writing tables response lists response lists Lobby days Lobby days Forums Forums

Committees: Leadership Leadership Organization Organization Reminders, Agendas, Minutes, Workplans Reminders, Agendas, Minutes, Workplans Timing is everything Timing is everything

Workplans: A Tool for Successful Leadership Date Date Place Place Action/Activity Action/Activity Who’s in charge/responsible Who’s in charge/responsible Outcome (quantify) Outcome (quantify)

Funding Always and early Always and early Befriending the budget process Befriending the budget process Finding local and national partners Finding local and national partners Local NPO’s Local NPO’s Foundations and Grants Foundations and Grants Government partners Government partners Benefactors, Planned giving Benefactors, Planned giving

Evaluation in Ministry How does your congregation “steward” it’s resources – decide to begin or end ministries? How does your congregation “steward” it’s resources – decide to begin or end ministries? Deciding on desirable outcomes Deciding on desirable outcomes When will you know you’ve succeeded (quantify) When will you know you’ve succeeded (quantify) Using data Using data Confidentiality Confidentiality Data management tools Data management tools Data Reports = Funding Data Reports = Funding

Lovingly managing Barriers Personal Personal Interpersonal Interpersonal Leadership Leadership Funding Funding Sustainability issues Sustainability issues Success as a barrier Success as a barrier Others: Others: