BroMenn Healthcare Church Relations

The BroMenn Healthcare System has maintained a strong relationship with the church since the faith-based Brokaw and Mennonite hospitals merged in 1984. The Brokaw-Mennonite Association (BMA) was formed to support and encourage health care services through faith at BroMenn. The corporation's members range from churches that were members of Brokaw Health Care and The Mennonite Hospital Association to churches that joined directly with BroMenn Healthcare after 1984. In keeping with BroMenn's faith-based tradition, new churches are always welcome.  Interested churches must complete an Application for Membership in order to join the BroMenn Healthcare System.

Each church provides one pastor/spiritual leader and one lay leader of its congregation as its BroMenn delegates. Delegates of the BMA elect the BroMenn Board of Directors and the Delegate Executive Committee of the BMA. The BMA meets quarterly to initiate discussions on how BroMenn can continue to serve the spiritual needs of the patients and members of its delegate churches.

The Delegate Executive Committee provides administration of the BMA, including oversight of the following:

• As part of their orientation, all new employees are educated on the vital church relationship present at BroMenn through the history and values of the medical center.
• The medical center employs a Director for Church Relations, Rev. Chereé Johnson, who serves as an administrator, ambassador, and spokesperson for the Brokaw-Mennonite Association of Delegate Churches and BroMenn Healthcare, and as they relate to the community.
• The church relationship of the medical center is stated in the mission statement found on the identification badge of every employee and volunteer.
• The BroMenn system has two chapels, one in Normal and one in Eureka. The chaplaincy staff conducts worship services for patients, patient families and employees in these chapels on a regular basis.

BroMenn and its delegate churches engage in Shared Ministry Projects  year-round which promote faith and health. These include:

Clergy Orientation  Breakfast meetings
Parish Nurse Support & Educational Events
Faith and Health Conference
Partners in Healing  
Parish Nursing newsletter
Delegate Church Health Tips
Delegate Church Disaster Response Forms   

Brokaw-Mennonite Association's delegate churches strengthen BroMenn Healthcare's promise to promote faith, health and wholeness. The BMA ensures Spirituality of Care and provides Spiritual Stewardship to the BroMenn System and Hospital Board of Directors. In keeping with our Lord's expectations, the BMA helps assure that the mission of the institution is foremost -- the guiding the spirit and direction of the organization.

Read BroMenn's Theological Statement.

Each year, the Brokaw-Mennonite Association presents a Delegate Church Health Award.  The purpose of this award is to affirm the ministry of a delegate congregation of the Association and recognize them for their role in providing opportunities for promoting health and wholeness in their congregation and the larger community.  Applications for the 2008 award are due March 14, 2008.

Delegate Church Health Award Criteria and Application