About Us
Ministry of Caring team of Caregivers
Our Story
The Ministry of Caring retreats were started in 1997 in Bemidji, MN by a group of forward-thinking nurses, guided by a chaplain, who believed that yearly spiritual renewal would enrich their role as caregivers. To celebrate Nurses Week each May, the Ministry of Caring retreat was intended to be a gift to nurses.
The first retreat, which primarily targeted a nursing audience, was entitled, “A Ministry of Nursing: Letting Love In, Letting Love Out”. After the first two years the retreat participant focus was expanded by the committee to include all licensed members of the caring professions and the retreats were renamed the “Ministry of Caring” retreats. The current typical audience is comprised of nurses, social workers, pastors, chaplains, clinical psychologists, university faculty and students of the same disciplines. The spiritual nature of the retreats is unique and attendees come from a large regional area that includes all of Northern Minnesota and eastern North Dakota.
The first retreats were attended by approximately 80 attendees and yearly attendance has remained steadfast at 60-90. Retreat sponsors vary slightly from year to year but are made up of the following: Sanford Bemidji Medical Center, St Joseph’s Area Health Services, Park Rapids, MN. Registration fees and sponsor support has kept the retreat project self- supporting with only enough funds from year to year to support the next year’s retreat which is the goal of the committee.
The retreat project has been a great source of joy and satisfaction to each of the committee members. Each retreat, in a unique way, has been defined by the Holy Spirit, directed with love by the committee and serves as a source of refreshment to all of those who attend.
Meet The Caregivers
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Assumptions
Ministry of Caring Retreats are based upon the following “Assumptions”:
A Calling
Nurses and health care workers went into their professions because they care about people. Nursing the sick is an expression of love and compassion. It matters in health care that people are treated with the greatest respect, dignity and kindness. Nursing the sick is called by many a “ministry”, a “calling” and a “gift”. Caring for the sick involves a high level of commitment, responsibility, problem solving ability and risk taking. The welfare of others is as important to the nurse as is her/his own welfare.
Caregiving
Is caring for others in these years of high stress care-giving, a “profession” or a “sentence to serve”? Change, stress, fear of losing ones’ job has health care workers “on the edge”. Expanded roles, advanced practice degrees and the need for increased education have heightened societal expectations. Many nurses/health care workers are wondering “who is giving to me?” or “How can I continue to give to my patients when I have to put so much energy into coping”?
Ministry
Nurses and health care workers want to feel good about themselves, the patient care they give and the work they do. With more attention given to the holistic approach, research is being done on the effects of spiritual care of the patient, but the spiritual care of the nurse/health care worker is also a concern. There has never been a “support group” for nurses/health care workers when often the need is very evident