The NID Parish Nurse Network adopted Raeda Mansour, parish nurse of Christmas Lutheran Church in Bethlehem, in 2006 when she did an internship at St. Paul (Rochelle) and met with the parish nurses of the NID for additional observations and discussions. Marcy Schnorr (CLM-parish nurse at St. Paul and Education Coordinator for Parish Nursing of the LCMS) coordinated the education using materials and resources from LCMS Health Ministry and CUW Parish Nursing Program. Schnorr and several parish nurses were part of the 2007 team that provided the recognition for officially completing the course and awarded a certificate and a parish nurse pin. Schnorr has led at least one parish nruse team each year to Bethlehem. Several NID Parish Nurses have participated in one or more of these teams. The NID Parish Nurse Network funds a biannual trip to the USA for Raeda to participate in the Concordia Conference for Parish Nurses and network with NID parish nurses.
This year the occasion of ten years of service by Raeda and the many blessings God has provided to the people of Bethlehem and surrounding area was recognized in a special event organized by Marcy Schnorr. Rev. Greg Hoffmann, pastor of St. Paul Lutheran Church (Rochelle) represented the congregation at St. Paul and their support and encouragement for Raeda’s service which has increased from fourteen seniors of Christmas Lutheran Church to nearly a thousand people (primarily Christian seniors) in and around Bethlehem. Karen Hardecopf, presently Program Coordinator for LCMS Parish nursing, was CLM-parish nurse at Cross Lutheran Church in Yorkville and NID Parish Nurse District Representative at the time of Raeda’s internship, read a letter from Rev. Dan Gilbert, President of NID