In the Bible, a sojourner is someone who travels to a place that is not primarily home and then must depend on the good will of that community for continued support. Each year, hundreds of people come as sojourners to our community for medical treatment, often accompanied by caregivers and other family members.
These families coming from distant places face daunting, life-altering challenges. Patients are typically most concerned with treating their serious healthcare needs, yet they must also find housing and navigate other life-care services in a large, unfamiliar city. The Sojourn Ministry strives to serve the housing needs of these patients and families and to give them spiritual and emotional comfort.
South Main’s organized ministry to medical patients began more than 40 years ago as an active hospital visitation program called Friends n’ Deeds, providing encouragement and prayer support for patients. The ministry expanded to provide apartments for patients at affordable daily rental rates. South Main chose the name Sojourn House to emphasize our calling to welcome the stranger in our midst.
Along the way, other churches have joined us in this effort; our coalition of churches is now known as InSpirit Patient Housing. The six InSpirit churches currently offer 28 furnished apartments near the medical center for rental to patients and families. We share a website and application list, while each church manages its own apartments.
Providing safe, affordable housing for patient families is an important mission objective. However, this is also a relationship ministry! Every resident family is unique and special. We try to get to know our residents and to understand their needs, share local knowledge, and check on them often. Each apartment has a “Sojourn Friend” — a volunteer who contacts the residents, prays with and for them, and often even provides baked goodies! We strive to care for the spiritual health of our residents just as physicians try to restore their physical health.
Consider how you might support the Sojourn Ministry:
- Pray for the health and success of this ministry and for the South Main members who serve.
- If you feel called to invest your talents, your time, or your caring heart in the service of helping medical sojourners in our city, please let J Hill know. Service “opportunities” include being a Sojourn Friend and spiritual partner, contacting prospective occupants to evaluate their needs, checking in new residents, collecting rent, and inspecting apartments between guests.
- Designated gifts are appreciated! Our expenses are never quite covered by rent collections.
- However you choose to support Sojourn, blessings await!
Sojourn House volunteers are thankful to South Main members and staff for enabling this path of service, and we encourage the entire church family to share in the quiet blessings we enjoy. Our residents often leave gracious notes expressing thanks to South Main for this ministry, and many former residents—now friends—continue to stay in touch after they return home.
