Parish Health Ministries (PHM)

---

What is the Parish Health Ministry anyway?

As a ministry of Lummi Island Congregational Church, we are a team of RN’s and Health Ministers who help out on Lummi Island in various ways. For instance, we loan durable medical equipment to Islanders for free:

• • wheelchairs
  • walkers, two wheeled
  • walkers with a seat and four wheels
  • transport chairs
  • bedside commodes
  • shower chairs
  • transfer benches to slide in/out of bathtubs
  • crutches
  • canes
  • knee trolleys
  • electric hospital bed
  • some slings
  • Bed alarm
  • grabbers
  • sock puller onners
  • other miscellaneous items  – just ask

We have an emergency account at the Islander Store for emergency food needs. Let us know, and arrangements can be made over the phone.
We have helped folks out with power disconnect bills (funds available).
We have some Fred Meyer Gift Cards for emergency food/gas needs.

We help arrange for drivers to take Islanders who need a ride to a medical appointment (this is made more challenging by the pandemic.) We pay the ferry fees for car/driver and pedestrian for these rides. We also pay the ferry fees for Meals on Wheels and the senior Ferndale Food Bank deliveries.
Note: LICA gives us grants to cover this.

We have two Parish Nurses (Jane & Noelle) to call with medical concerns. As Parish Nurses we operate within strict guidelines and can’t function in the way hospital/facility and office RN’s do. But don’t hesitate to call us with questions and concerns, or if you need your blood pressure or pulse taken.

How did the Parish Health Ministry start?

In 1984 a Clergyman by the name of Granger Westberg started the first Parish Nurse program in Illinois. He believed that true healing involved the whole person in the context of their community. At first the program spread by word of mouth until it spread internationally. Elaine Granger, RN took the inaugural Parish Nurse course offered by St. Joseph Hospital, and the Lummi Island Congregational Church (LICC) started the program under her leadership in 1996. The Lummi Island Parish Health Ministry (Parish Nurse Ministry) is unique amongst it’s sister programs throughout Whatcom County because we serve the whole Island. The others only commit to their congregation alone.

The Parish Health Ministry Team is funded entirely through donation only. Please send any checks made out to Lummi Island Congregational Church with Parish Health Ministry on the notation line. 

_{Updated: 2021/08/01 @ 1:31 am Tark Henderson}