What is Elizabeth Ministry?
Elizabeth Ministry is an international movement designed to support women and their families during the joys, trials and sorrows of the childbearing years. Elizabeth Ministry’s mission is to cherish children, encourage families and build community. Elizabeth Ministers offer peer support, mentoring, spiritual nourishment, educational and inspirational resources.
How does it work?
Volunteers become Elizabeth Ministers in the areas they have experienced. For example, a woman who has twins would visit and mentor a woman who is pregnant with twins. Continued support is given throughout the pregnancy and after the birth. This support comes in the form of visits, phone calls, cards, prayer, resources and assistance. The areas of Elizabeth Ministry include, but are not limited to: pregnancy, birth, miscarriage, stillbirth, regretted abortions, infant or child death, crisis or special needs, adoption, fertility and infertility. Support is available for women, men and children. Mothers, fathers, siblings and grandparents can benefit from Elizabeth Ministry.
Who are the Elizabeth Ministers?
Elizabeth Ministers are volunteer representatives of a faith community. They are not counselors, but are present to offer peer support, mentoring and friendship only. No lengthy training is needed. Ministers are women willing to share their presence, stories, and experience in the hope that these will encourage another woman and her family.
How do I get more information?
Everything needed to start and maintain an Elizabeth Ministry Chapter is available from Elizabeth Ministry International Headquarters. (see http://www.elizabethministry.com/Contact.php )Additional resources to assist individuals and families are also available. Seminars, workshops and retreats can be scheduled.
Please see http://www.elizabethministry.com/ for more details about Elizabeth Ministry. Below, we have listed several parishes in the archdiocese which we know have active Elizabeth Ministries.
Chester County
St. Elizabeth
Fellowship Rd. and Rt. 100 ( Pottstown Pk. )
PO Box 695
Uwchlan , PA 19480
http://www.stelizabethparish.org/
Contact: 610-469-9482
St. Joseph Church
338 Manor Ave.
Downingtown , PA 19335
http://stjoesdtown.org/service_groups/index.html
Contact: 610-873-2544
Delaware County
Notre Dame de Lourdes
Swarthmore , PA
http://notredamedelourdes.net/elizamin.htm
Contact: 610-328-3535
St. Francis of Assisi
136 Saxer Ave.
Springfield, PA 19064
http://www.sfaparish.org/
Contact: 610-543-0311
Bucks County
St. Andrew Catholic Church
81 Swamp Rd.
Newtown, PA 18940
http://www.standrewnewtown.com
Contact: 215-968-2262
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