Your friends in faith
Being in the hospital is often difficult. Presbyterian Outreach to Patients (POP) is a pastoral ministry to support you and your family. Whether you are from down the street or from across the country, we are your friends in faith.
A historic ministry
Organized in 1974 by the Rev. Dr. Lawrence W. Johnson, POP was originally directed towards Presbyterians from out-of-town who were patients in the Texas Medical Center in Houston. In 1997, POP Lay Ministers began visiting all known Presbyterians in the hospitals we serve. In 2009, POP took another dramatic step forward. As more hospitals we built in regional areas, we began to place Lay Ministers into those facilities. The POP team currently serves patients and their families in M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, The Methodist Hospital, St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital, Texas Children's Hospital, The Institute of Rehabilitation and Research, Houston Northwest Medical Center, Memorial Hermann Memorial City, Methodist Hospital Willowbrook, and Memorial Hermann Southwest.
A Biblical call
Our purpose in visiting is to affirm God’s loving, healing presence. Our intentions are to listen and to care, to comfort and to support, to be a spiritual resource for the healing journeys of our patients and families.
A mission to fulfill
The mission of Presbyterian Outreach to Patients (POP) is to express Christ's love to hospitalized patients, their families, and caregivers by bringing hope and comfort through presence, prayer, and service. .
Trained to serve
All of our Lay Ministers have been trained to serve in this specialized ministry and are credentialed by their hospitals. They work under the supervision of the POP Executive Director, Steven Spidell, who is a Presbyterian pastor and a Board Certified Chaplain. This ministry is overseen by a Board of Directors who come from Houston area congregations.
Our pledge of confidentiality
We will not release the name of or any information about a patient or family to anyone without the expressed permission of the patient and/or family member..
Supported by
Presbyterian Outreach to Patients is a ministry of the Presbytery of New Covenant. POP is supported financially by Presbytery, congregations, and individual contributions.
Want to know more?
Please ask any of our Lay Ministers for more information, or page Dr. Spidell at 281-294-9950 and leave a brief message, or write to him at stevespidell@popministry.org.
P.O. Box 667118
Houston, Texas 77266-7118
(281) 294-9950
Please leave your voice message or enter a phone number.
stevespidell@popministry.org