OUR PURPOSE:
This ministry was started in APC with a mission to bring God’s hope and healing to people suffering from cancer and other life-altering illnesses, through faith in Jesus. This ministry is not about healing people, as only God can heal. Our calling is to bring people to the feet of Jesus.
Our team verse is Romans 12:12 – “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.”
This ministry started with is a core group of 7 participants who were trained and commissioned in cancer care ministry. They were equipped to provide support to those suffering from illness or to their caregivers- by praying, encouraging, visiting or other practical help.
We started a support group, and a few APC members and friends have regularly joined our meetings. The goal of these meetings is to offer a time of sharing, praying and teaching about Jesus and His healing ministry.
A second cancer care training will be offered in the future to those of the group who receive this calling. This training provides the participants with the tools needed to minister to those with cancer and their families/caregivers.
WHAT TO EXPECT:
Support group meetings once a month. The meetings start with a devotional with Scriptures followed by discussion, finishing with prayers.
We also participated in the following activities:
- Assemble care kits which we give or send to those who have been diagnosed, undergoing current treatments, and/or their caregivers/family.
- Provide encouragement and hope and offer compassionate support by sending out cards and/or making phone calls and visitations, and praying for the sick and their families.
- Plan for December Fellowship with Healing theme.
- Plan for Spring Retreat which involves teaching about healing miracles of Jesus, sharing and praying time.
WHAT’S NEXT:
One of our goals is to reach out to the APC family and friends and the outside community and invite them to our support group, to learn about the hope we have in Jesus for spiritual and physical healing.
To achieve this goal, we are planning a Christmas fellowship with a potluck dinner (December 2018) and a Spring retreat (3/2020). The purpose of these events is to offer a time of sharing, praying and teaching about Jesus and His healing ministry.
We also plan to work with the Armenian American Health Professional Organization (AAHPO) about doing a joint workshop, with spiritual aspects and medical aspects of disease.
