Trauma impacts 90% of the population directly or indirectly! Natural disasters, automobile accidents, domestic violence, bullying, sexual harassment and assault, robbery, divorce, gun violence, job loss, loss of a home, frightening medical diagnose, relocation, death of a parent, school lockdowns, and chronic exposure to terrorism alerts have severely altered our world and is altering our individual and social contexts as never before!
ChildServ and Rosecrance, two of your Methodist affiliated human service agencies, have teamed-up to offer workshops with practical, useful educational tips, recommendations, skills and resources to help equip our churches to learn how to recognize and empathically engage those who are suffering from trauma. If the attendance allows, all three workshops will be repeated so members of your congregations are able to attend at least 2 different opportunities.
It is helpful to register by August 25 so we are prepared to provide ample hospitality, resources and assign rooms that will accommodate everyone. Please email me at: kcoffing@childserv.org with the names of those who will be attending, the church they are representing, their email address.
Clergy – Please note that the workshop Rev. Dr. Bill Lenters’ is presenting is designed to provide pastors and youth leaders with sensitive and skilled pastoral tips on how to open conversations within our congregations about substance additions. This has been a highly requested need within the NIC. Bill received the 2012 National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers Michael Q. Ford Journalism Award and brings his astute communication skills, well-season with theological wisdom.
ChildServ’s presenters, Lynsey Sloan and Pleshette Hamb, are steeply trained trauma-informed practitioners. They both bring years of diverse experience in working with children and adolescents who are wards of the state (foster care and adoption services). They are serious clinicians who are eager to partner with our churches in changing the world to be more relationally skilled in our compassion and justice engagments.
I promise you that these workshops will be worth your while and will provide material that can actually be used in your churches!
Grateful for your partnership in improving the lives who suffer and seek the safety and salve of the Good News in Christ.
S. Kim Coffing, MDiv
Director of Advocacy & Church Relations
ChildServ