Sacred Heart Parish

Nancy Carlson RN
Sacred Heart Parish Nurse
515-225-6414, ext. 315
nancy.carlson@sacredheartwdm.org

Listed below are several upcoming events. In addition, if I can be of assistance to you on any faith or health related topic, please contact me. I have many resources i would like to share with you!
Your Parish Nurse,
Nancy Carlson, RN

New Seasons of Hope Bereavement Group will start on Tuesdays from May 6 to June 11 from 6:30-8 pm in the Church Conference Room. Grief is hard work but you don't have to do it alone. God gives us community to help bear our burdens. Each session of this series is self contained, you do not need to attend every meeting to benefit. The series is led by our Parish Nurse. To get more information and to reserve a space, contact Nancy Carlson

The Hispanic Health Fair will be held on Sunday, May 19 after the 1 pm Mass.

Give the gift of advanced planning to your family ~ join us in the Parish Center on Wednesday, May 22 following the 8 am Mass to learn how. A light breakfast will be provided.

Yarn is available for the Prayer Shawl Ministry in the Parish Nurse's Office. Please stop by during weekday office hours to pick some up!

You can find Assisted Listening Devices in the Usher's Room.

A parish nurse is a friend ... based in a faith community that you can call on for help in health care. Sacred Heart Church | Parish Nursing

Here are just some of the services a parish nurse can provide:

* Help in accessing and navigating the health system
* Help in accessing and navigating the health system
* Programs to promote healthy exercise and nutrition
* Education on health issues
* Support groups
* Health screenings
* Assistance to new parents
* Support for hospitalized or homebound family members

A parish nurse focuses on the whole person to emphasize wellness, disease prevention and health promotion, including healthy spirituality. Care is based on the belief that health is growth toward well being and emphasizes the interrelationship of body, mind and spirit. Health is related to everything a person does, thinks, and feels and is not merely the absence of disease.

Roles of the Parish Nurse

* Integrator of Faith and Health - Works to improve health of body, Sacred Heart Church | Parish Nursing mind, spirit, community and creation
* Health Educator - Provides opportunities to learn about health issues
* Health Counselor - Discusses health concerns, emphasizing early response to problems and encouraging healthy lifestyles
* Referral Advisor - Provides referral to healthcare and social services
* Health Advocate - Speaks out to help others obtain needed health services
* Developer of Support Groups - Facilitates support groups for the community

Walk a Labyrinth This Week

Have you ever walked a labyrinth? Did you know we have a labyrinth here at Sacred Heart - just east of our parish office? Try taking a half hour out of your day this week and walk our labyrinth. We have prayer books available to use as you walk, just inside the office entry way. Sacred Heart Church | Parish Nurse

Before you begin the labyrinth, stop to center yourself. As you walk, observe the process. May your steps enrich your faith and prayer life and support you in your journey. As you exit the labyrinth, acknowledge the ending with a transition phrase, such as amen.

As you walk the labyrinth, you trust that the journey will bring you to your destination. All you need to do is walk. Even though the path may have many twists and turns, it always leads to where you need to go. There are no dead ends. There are no wrong turns. There is only walking!

The Power of Prayer

The Prayer Line is made up of a group of women from our parish who, on their own time, pray daily for any requests given to them. It was started in the late 1980s by parishioner Mary Waldronn. Wynanda Ferguson took over for Mary. Parishioners call with the name of someone they want to receive prayers due to illness, family problems, to help someone cope with a situation, a mental illness, an addictions of any kind, as well as many additional concerns.

A call comes in to one of the members or through the parish office, and the request is called to each of the many prayer line members. The women pray for the request received during their daily prayer time. They continue to keep the request on the prayer line, letting go and letting God...their prayer time is continuous. They ask for the name of the person being prayed for but if the person wishes to remain anonymous, that is alright too.

If you are interested in joining the Prayer Line, please call Wynanda Ferguson at 225-7200. They ask that you be sincere about your prayer time, for it requires a daily practice. Starting on May 1, 2013, prayer requests will also be taken by emailing the Parish Nurse, Nancy Carlson at nancy.carlson@sacredheartwdm.org. Adding email will enable those who would like to be a part of this uplifiting minstry to be connected to our community from any location.

Lord,

You invite all who are burdened
to come to You.

Allow Your healing hand to heal me.

Touch my soul with Your
compassion for others.

Touch my heart with Your courage
and infinite love for all.

Touch my mind with Your wisdom,
that my mouth may always
proclaim Your praise.

Teach me to reach to You
in my need, and help me to lead
others to You by my example.

Most loving Heart of Jesus,
bring me health in body and spirit
that I may serve You with all my strength.

Touch gently this life, which You
have created, now and forever. Amen

From Priests of the Sacred Heart Monastery

"Christ has no body now on earth but yours, no hands but yours, no feet but yours." ~ St. Teresa of Avila

Sacred Heart Parish, 1627 Grand Avenue, West Des Moines, IA 50265 | Phone: 515-225-6414 | Fax: 515-225-0286 | office@sacredheartwdm.org