Health Ministries
Edith Samambwa
Health Ministries Director
South England Conference
esamambwa@secadventist.org.uk
Our Department
The Seventh-day Church believes its responsibility to make Christ known to the world includes a moral obligation to preserve human dignity by promoting optimal levels of physical, mental, and spiritual health. In addition to ministering to those who are ill, this responsibility extends to the prevention of disease through effective health education and leadership in promoting optimum health, free of tobacco, alcohol, other drugs, and unclean foods.
The South England Conference Health Ministries Department is a constituent of the British Union Conference Health Ministries Team which operates in Ireland, England, Wales Scotland and Northern Ireland. Their work is to assist local churches with their health promotion activities and provide training for local church health ministires leaders on running these activities. Our aim is for our members to experience the blessing of abundant health in all its dimensions and be able to share this blessing with their family, friends and the wider community.
Know Your Numbers - Blood Pressure Campaign
High blood pressure is one of the leading risk factors of heart disease, stokes and kidney failure. High blood pressure affects around 30-40% of adults in England. 30% of these people are unaware they have blood pressure (about 5.5 million people) and 50% are not treated.
From October 2025 to March 2026 the SEC Health Ministries team seeks to raise awareness of this condition by encouraging all members and guests who attend our church to have their blood pressure checked at three times during this period. There will also be teaching provided on how lifestyle interventions can prevent and sometimes reverse high blood pressure.
Blood Pressure Campaign Resources
SEC Campmeeting 2025
Health Ministries Workshop - Introducton to the Know Your Numbers Blood Pressure Campaign
Lifestyle Programmes
CREATION Life
A faith-based wellness plan complete with lifestyle seminars, books and other online resources. The seminar can be run in a facilitated group setting or completed online by individuals. There are a selection of short free health videos and articles you can share during your church programmes or your social media sites.
CREATION LifeYouTube ChannelFull Plate Living
Full Plate Living is a free membership programme offered by the non-profit Ardmore Institute of Health. It will teach you how to start eating a high-fiber diet — a delicious, scientifically proven approach that can lead to more energy, lower cholesterol, better blood sugar, and weight loss. This can be complete online individually, but is best completed as a group. Training and all materials for group facilitators are also fre and can be found on the site.
Full Plate LivingYouTube ChannelSEC FPL ResourcesCELEBRATIONS
CELEBRATIONS® is an acronym for 12 healthful living principles: Choices, Exercise, Liquid, Environment, Belief, Rest, Air, Temperance, Integrity, Optimism, Nutrition, Social Support and Services. This programme was developed by the GC Health Ministries team. Presentations for groups are available on the Urban Centrers page (registration needed) You may also contact us if you'd like to use these materials.
CELEBRATIONSBook: Celebrations Health Inside OurCELEBRATIONS
CELEBRATIONS® is an acronym for 12 healthful living principles: Choices, Exercise, Liquid, Environment, Belief, Rest, Air, Temperance, Integrity, Optimism, Nutrition, Social Support and Services. This programme was developed by the GC Health Ministries team. Presentations for groups are available on the Urban Centrers page (registration needed) You may also contact us if you'd like to use these materials.
CELEBRATIONSBook: Celebrations Health Inside OurCourses & Reading For Health Ministries Leaders
Here is a selection of courses that you can take to enchance your knowledge in health ministries or in preparation for particular health outreach programmes.
Other Health Ministries Departments
The Health Ministries departments of other English-speaking regions have resources that you may consider using to get ideas for your church's health programmes. They may resonate with particular cultural groups in our diverse community of churches. Many are free. Internatioinal postage can be prohibitive. If there is a particular resource you would like, please contact us and we can liaise with the publishing house about postage or suggest suitable local alternatives.