WHEREAS, the care and healing of the sick and afflicted—irrespective of age, race, gender, religion, lifestyle, and financial condition—was central to both the ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ and to the mission given by him to his disciples; and

WHEREAS, health care programs and institutions have always been a crucial part of the worldwide missions of the Evangelical Covenant Church, from our beginnings more than a century ago to the present; and

WHEREAS many suffer without access to adequate health care across North America as well as around the world; and

WHEREAS current systems and patterns of public and private health-care delivery are the subject of vigorous, sometimes acrimonious, contemporary public debate and policy analysis; be it therefore

RESOLVED, that the Evangelical Covenant Church unequivocally reaffirm its strong, historic commitment to health care for all who suffer from illness or injury in our broken world; and be it further

RESOLVED, that local congregations and individual Christians devote themselves with holy zeal to praying for the sick, for the dying, for health-care givers, and for policymakers, both at home and abroad; to hearing and understanding the Word of God with respect to sickness and health; and to acting compassionately and effectively in the name and Spirit of Jesus by developing and promoting:

- Parish nurse programs

- Health and wellness programs for our congregations and neighborhoods

- Letter writing and personal contacts to advise and encourage our political representatives working on health-care reforms.