2008 presenters Larry and Sharon Norris (l.) share lunch with Chris Nagel, John Carroll, Willadene Mack, and Sharon Gernaat.

Health and Spirituality Workshop Ministers to Participant's Needs

"In Times of Pain, Where is God?” will be the theme August 21–22 for the seventh annual Health & Spirituality Workshop at the Temple in Independence, Missouri. Skill-building sessions will explore painful situations and provide information and skills for people and congregations ministering to their own and others’ needs.

Ward Foley, who calls himself “Scarman” and wrote Thank My Lucky Scars, will begin the workshop Friday evening with the keynote address. Foley presented a session at the 2008 workshop, telling of his birth defects, extensive surgeries, accidents, traumas, and the lessons that he has learned from each scar.

Paula Rummel, HMA executive director and RN, will provide resources and ideas for the workshop.

This year’s skill-building sessions will include:

• “Responding to Financial Distress.” Session One will consider four families facing different financial crises to explore how a congregation might minister to their practical and emotional needs. Session Two will explore ministry to people in financial distress in greater depth. It will involve a representative of the Consumer Credit Counseling Service, a bankruptcy lawyer, a pastor who is an expert on refinancing, and an expert on congregational organization.

• “Freud Had It Wrong.” This session will be presented by Dr. Catherine Madden-Zahniser. It will explore the physical-emotional-spiritual continuum and the importance of religion and spirituality in healing.

• “Depression and Hope.” This session will include an overview of the Sabbaths of Hope initiative, which helps faith communities understand and address depressive disorders that affect congregants and clergy. Presenting this session will be the Reverend Judith Schwanz of Nazarene Theological Seminary, Stacy Davis of Mental Health America of the Heartland, and the Reverend Tarris Rosell of Central Baptist Seminary.

• “Compassionate Listening.” This session will explore listening as a compassionate spiritual and healing practice taught by the Reverend Ruth Rosell of the Central Baptist Theological Seminary.

• “Congregational Health Ministry: Introduction and Implementation.” Kathy Robinson, a registered nurse and high priest, will highlight the history/background of congregational health ministries and nursing. Her presentation will explore health ministry and spirituality in church life. Also, Paula Rummel of the Health Ministries Association will explore practical steps for establishing health promotion and health ministries in the congregation.

• “Juggling Generations.” Sandra Silva, Esq., a Caring Conversations facilitator for the Center for Practical Bioethics, will explore difficult subjects that families often say they’ll “talk about later.” It will offer ways families successfully can engage in meaningful, productive conversations.

• “Scriptural Guided Imagery.” Alice Sims, registered nurse and evangelist, will lead participants through scripture as a form of finding God and healing the soul.

• “Dancing with Stress and Hunting for God in the Ballroom: Exploring the Night and Day of Life through Drama.” John Horner and Hemdah Salonimer-Horner help discover ways drama can be approached from a spiritual perspective to explore life’s stresses and joys, and how they intertwine.

Chef Gary Hild presented a class on the Mediterranian diet at last year's workshop.

The Health Ministries Association began holding these workshops in 2003 under the direction of Alice Sims to explore topics and issues affecting the whole person.

Health and Spirituality Workshops are designed to integrate science, relationships, and spirituality as part of our “whole” being. Much has been written and explored on this topic in recent years, but Community of Christ theology is firmly grounded in the interconnectedness of the body, mind, and spirit.

Mental Health America of the Heartland has been a cosponsor for two years and has brought added resources, knowledge of qualified speakers, and the ability to offer continuing-education credit for nurses.

The Groves also has been a cosponsor for numerous years with many sessions on senior health, spirituality, and emotional issues.
Past workshop topics include the role of prayer, diet, medical ethics, end of life, global and community health, pet therapy, music therapy, attention-deficit disorder and the congregation, diabetes, suicide, youth and senior depression, world religions and philosophies, caregivers’ needs, grief, and cohesion of body, mind, and spirit.

The workshops are open to all persons with attendees and presenters from numerous faith traditions. There is no charge for the keynote address Friday evening. Saturday lunch will be included in the workshop cost.

Registration
Registration for the Health & Spirituality Workshop is $50 for those 65 and younger and $45 for those older than 65. College students 25 and younger may attend under a buy-one, get-one-free registration of $25. Also, a small fee will be charged for continuing nursing-education credit if that program receives approval.

The registration deadline is August 7. After that, a $10 late fee will be charged.

For more information contact the Health Ministries Association office at (816) 833-1000, ext. 1262 or view a brochure at www.HMACofChrist.org.

—Paula Rummel reporting