This manual is designed to share basic information about Nurse in the Congregation (CHM), a health ministry for Mennonite churches. It includes basic information about the church and its role in health, the beginnings of Nurse in the Congregation, and shares examples of health-related activities and programs in Mennonite churches.

By no means comprehensive, this manual is intended to be used as a workbook and discussion outline for you and your congregation as you plan your involvement in health ministries. Each congregation with its unique ministry and mission also contains a unique combination of gifts, skills, and resources available within its community of members. This manual can be used as a tool in identifying your congregation’s unique role in addressing current health issues and concerns.

Beginning a Congregational Health Ministry program in your church can be an exciting venture. The forms included in this manual may be reproduced for use within your congregation with appropriate acknowledgment of the source. However, the drawings and the Nurse in the Congregation logo may not be reproduced without prior written permission. (Requests for permission may be directed to Judy Yoder at .

The manual can be ordered for $10.00 (which includes shipping) by contacting Judy Yoder at the above address.

About the author
Joanne E. Sensenig – Jo has been involved in Congregational Health Ministries since the 1980s and developed the Congregational Health Ministries manual.   Additionally, she has taught seminars and elective courses in parish nursing offered by Messiah College in the past, She has consulted with congregations who developed CHMs in the mid-Atlantic region. Her experience includes community nursing in the US and  Kenya and clinical nursing in hospice and critical care. Presently, she is serving at the Kenya Guesthouse in Nairobi with her husband, Gary.