Mission & History

In 1998, ERH embarked on a mission to support the
connection between faith and health by developing
its Parish Health Ministry program. Since then, more than 100 congregrations has partnered with ERH to offer their congregration members health activities and services through their own parish nurse/health ministry.

What is parish nursing?
Parish nursing/health ministry is a movement that asks churches to renew their role in health care, which includes promoting health, preventing disease, responding to crisis and emphasizing a holistic approach to health care.

The movement stems back to the healing ministry of Jesus, who promoted wholeness of body, mind and spirit. It is based on the premise that health is not just the absence of disease, rather it is the maximum attainable state of a person’s emotional, intellectual, physical, social, spiritual and vocational well-being.

PHM Mission Statement: The Parish Health Ministry program of Episcopal Retirement Homes is committed to serving congregations throughout southern Ohio by mentoring them in developing or enhancing a parish health ministry program. We are dedicated to continuing the healing ministry of Jesus by promoting wholeness of body, mind and spirit.