A conversation with Becky Yates and Rev. Paul Craig from Matthews United Methodist Church, on how they are responding to mental health in the church through the ministry of "For Minds and Hearts." Take a listen to how they are equipping communities through education, resources and developing mental health toolboxes in the local church context.

May is Mental Health Awareness month. On May 7, 2023 Matthews UMC is presenting "Depression: Out of the Darkness and Into the Light" featuring Dr. Daniel Hale, psychologist at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore, MD. Dr. Hale will share personal and professional insights on the intersection of the faith community and mental health. Dr. Hale and his colleagues have developed a program called the Congregational Depression Awareness Program for utilization by faith communities. Dr. Hale will speak at the 8:15 a.m., 9:30 a.m., 11:00 a.m., services followed by a free lunch (registration required) and another presentation by Dr. Hale.

Depression is a leading cause of disability worldwide. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, 21% of Americans (52.6 million people) experienced a mental illness in 2020; however, less than half of them received treatment. A 2022 CDC report showed that 37% of high school students reported experiencing poor mental health, 44.2% reported feelings of sadness and hopelessness, and 19.9% reported seriously considering suicide. Mental Health America's research shows that North Carolina ranks 39th in access to mental health care.

Resources NationWide Suicide and Crisis number - 988

National Alliance of Mental Illness - NAOMI Program: "In Our Own Voice"

A conversation on Mental Health and the youth of our communities, with three pastors in the Metro District. Listen to their stories as they sound the Clarion Call to listen, hear, learn, from our youth and equip leaders and parents to support.

Host Dr. Stephanie Moore Hand speaks to Farah St. Jean, a Haitian-American who is an executive and community organizer supporting our Haitian neighbors and families who are refuges, living in American communities, and awaiting their Asylum hearings.

We continue our conversation with leaders in the Metro District who have long standing partnerships with leaders on the ground in Haiti, who are presently mobilizing assistance to potential Haitians seeking Asylum in the United State, along with having conversations with Haitian American to gain a greater understanding of the hope and resilience of  the Haitian People and how the church can respond.  

Joining us today is Dr. Maklin Eugene, the founder of New Hope Hospital in Plaine-Du-Nord. Dr. Malkin was born in a rural section of Haiti called Matabonite. After finishing his studies in Northern Haiti, Dr. Eugene was instrumental in providing relief to earthquake survivors in 2010 securing food, and medications for the needy. He also organized missions trips with his team from New Hope Hospital to assist and offer aide to the earthquake victims in the very rural areas underserved areas of Haiti.

A conversation w/ Rev. Dr. Laura Alexander-Elliott, a United Methodist clergy in Western NC Conference of the United Methodist Church. She is presently under appointment by the Bishop in WNCC in extension ministry as the is the Executive Director of Soaring Unlimited Haiti.  Ordinary people doing extraordinary work. How the Church is addressing the Haitian Crisis. 

Executive Director for  Partners 4 New Hope inc. A life long United Methodist Lay person transforming  a  lives with our neighbors in Haiti.

Dr. Peter Storey is former president of the Methodist Church of Southern Africa, past president of the South African Council of Churches, and was Methodist Bishop of the Johannesburg/Soweto area for 13 years. A native South African with a 60+ year track record in urban and Justice ministry, Professor Storey founded a network of crisis intervention centers in South Africa in the 1960s and served as chaplain to Nelson Mandela and other political prisoners on Robben Island.

In the 1980s he became a national leader in the church struggle against apartheid and co-led an ecumenical delegation to the United Nations, the U.S. Congress and Europe. Committed to non-violence and reconciliation, Professor Storey founded the Methodist Order of Peacemakers and Gunfree South Africa, he co-chaired the regional Peace Accord, Truth and Reconciliation Commission, appointed by President Nelson Mandela. He presented the Franklin S. Hickman Lectures at Convocation & Pastors’ School at Duke Divinity School in 1987. The Peter Storey Papers document Storey’s leadership.

We discuss what it means for the Church to be in Ministry with God’s world.

Resources

Books:

1. Storey, Peter. With God in the Crucible: Preaching Costly Discipleship. Abington Press. 2002 
2. Storey, Peter.  Protest at Midnight: Ministry in a Nations Darkest Hour 
3. And are We Yet Alive? Revisioning our Wesleyan Heritage in a New Southern Africa (Methodist Publishing House, Cape Town, 2004)  
4. Listening at Golgotha (Upper Room, 2004).

Articles:

1. The Fig Tree: South African retired bishop challenges American congregations.              https://www.thefigtree.org/sept05/090105storey-churches.html
2. Peter Storey papers, 1950-2014. https://archives.lib.duke.edu/catalog/storeyp

Music by - Lucas Britt - “TBD Lucas and Z”

A conversation with Rev. Ellis Carson, Pastor of Ceila Phelps UMC, a 116 year old congregation of the United Methodist Church, in Western North Carolina. We unpack the now and the rebuilding process, after facing a devastating 3:00 a.m. fire on August 6, 2021.

A call to action from the community and the connectional church to support financially, and cards/letters of hope and encouragement as Pastor Ellis and the people of Ceila Phelps Memorial UMC journeys “Through these Uncharted Territories.” We believe they will rise from the ashes, to impact their communities in fresh, new and innovative ways, like the Phoenix.

Resources 

To help support the rebuilding efforts at Ceila Phelps UMC, please click here or sent your donations to the address below:

Ceila Phelps UMC

℅ Rev. Ellis Carson

3709 Groometown Road

Greensboro, NC  27407

A conversation with Rev. Dan Pezet, the new Metro District Superintendent in the Western NC Conference of the United Methodist Church, about leading and triving through these Uncharted Territories as the church.

The Metro District is the largest district out of the eight in WNCC. The general population, according to the NC census, is the most diverse population in North Carolina. The question we must ask ourselves as the church, and as leaders in our communities, How do TRIVE, Pivot, Re-set through these Uncharted Territories into the global NEW Normal? - Culturally, Economically, Innovatively, Justice and Equity, closing the gaps that divide us.

Visit the Metro District of the Western North Carolina Conference UMC here.

Miriam Swanson, is a leader within Fusion, a movement born out of the United Kingdom. Over twenty years ago, the pioneers of Fusion were gathering to pray for a move of God amongst the exploding university student population, spurred on by the clear need to reach 18s-30s who were largely not connected to church. From these prayer meetings, Fusion was born. Fusion helps local churches reach college students, and helps college students find hope in Jesus and home in the local church. They equip youth ministry leaders to prepare their high school leavers for college and transition them in faith and life as they enter young adulthood. They train churches, young adult leaders and student leaders to be the missional body of Christ to universities, colleges, and community colleges, to discover what it really means to be imitators of Christ and share the love of Jesus with others. Miriam is passionate about MISSION, YOUNG ADULTS and LOVING our NEIGHBORS, which doesn't stop in high school but goes throughout college and beyond. She has served in Europe for the past ten years, now living in Jacksonville Florida, with plans of setting up Fusion partnerships thought out the USA. What can you learn from the Fusion Ministries? 

Resource links:

Fusion's main website: https://www.fusionmovement.org

Miriam's blog series on the US church & young adults: "Lessons from a European student worker" 

Student Linkup and preparation for university: https://www.studentlinkup.org

and obviously social media: https://www.instagram.com/hellofusionmovement/