Parish Health Ministry
The Parish Health Ministry follows the teachings of Jesus to integrate the health of body, mind, and spirit. The ministry is comprised of several A&HT programs as well as programs provided by Episcopal Retirement Services. For any questions or for more information, please contact the PHM Co-Chairs: Kathy Kessler [kak318@aol.com] and Melissa Erickson [melissagerickson@gmail.com].
Standing Activities
The Guided Meditation Ministry meets weekly online on Thursdays at 7:30 pm for a meditation group based on the wellness practices from Kaiser Permanente, University of Michigan, and Jon Kabat-Zinn. This group is for your mind-body-spirit growth. You do not have to be facing a chronic illness or be religious to benefit from this.
The Card Ministry sends cards to parishioners as needed and on special occasions. Please contact the church office if you or anyone you know would appreciate a message from their church family for any reason.
The Knitting Ministry is a group of parishioners who knit prayer shawls, hats, scarves, and chemo caps for those in need. The members meet every 2nd Wednesday of the month at 12 noon in the Library.
The Bulletin Board Health Information is healthy topics that are displayed on the church bulletin board and changed monthly.
Grief Support Books are a series of 4 books sent to a widow after death of a spouse.
The Health Fair & Healthy Coffee Hours provide information and healthy snacks after church.
The Lending Library is a library of a variety of CD’s, DVD’s, and books on many topics.
The Soup Ministry is a group of parishioners who make soup to keep in the church’s freezer for those who fall ill.
Special Events include Relay for Life and the Purple Stride Walk.
Stewardship Spotlight: Guided Meditation
Led by Anne Brack
What is the History of the Guided Meditation Group?
The Guided Meditation Group has been a part of the Parish Health Ministry for about 13 years. It was founded by parishioners Maurice Bason and Terry Kessler while both were fighting cancer. Over those years, they reached out to people in our parish as well as many others who found the benefit of guided meditation for different reasons. Terry and Maurice led the sessions, which at their height attracted as many as 25 participants, many from the wider community.
Guided Meditation (both imagery and affirmations) is a practice that can help your body and mind work together for your benefit. It has the potential to help reduce feelings of stress and anxiety and lower blood pressure, and it has a positive impact on your immune system and your physiological response to pain. We use meditations from Kaiser Permanente and the University of Michigan. We start with sharing concerns and a prayer, then we are still and listen to the practitioner on our recording as we control our breathing, leading us into a relaxed state. Depending on where you are, you can sit or lie comfortably with legs and arms uncrossed, breathe naturally and rhythmically, and listen. Your mind may wander and you may even fall asleep. You still receive the positive effects of meditation. Many of our participants find they do better meditating in a group as it becomes a routine.
Fortunately, Anne Brack stepped forward to continue the Guided Meditation Group after both men had passed away. She leads the evening sessions on Mondays at 7:30 pm on Zoom. Anne continues the emails started by Maurice and sends them out to over 200 people each week. This includes the links for the meditations. She consistently gets feedback from people who use the links from the weekly emails to meditate at their convenience.
Many thanks to Anne who continues her work in this ministry! If anyone is interested in participating or would like more information, please contact the office at office@ascensionholytrinity.com.
What should the community know about the Guided Meditation Group?
These meditations are recorded, guided imagery and affirmations focused on health and the connection between mind and body. They come from Kaiser Permanente and the Rogel Cancer Institute at the University of Michigan.
This is a great introduction to a mindfulness practice.
These are family-friendly; there is nothing graphic, and each meditation lasts 20-40 minutes.
While there is a spiritual component and a prayer offered each time we meet, it is an open prayer to a common God of any religious affiliation, including none.
We currently meet on Zoom, so you can listen on your phone, like being tuned into a live podcast.
There is no fee or obligation to attend.
We always appreciate participants passing the word along about our ministry, especially to doctors with practices who encourage patients to incorporate meditation into their daily lives.