Pastors’ and Leaders’ Breakfast
“Pastoral Care for People with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder” will be the topic of the next Pastors’ and Leaders’ Breakfast on Friday, February 12, 8 – 10 a.m., at the Mennonite Conference Center. Special guest speaker, Carolyn Heggen will lead in a conversation on examining some of the common spiritual issues and core questions for victims of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Carolyn, a psychotherapist specializing in trauma recovery, is an international trauma consultant and trainer. She is affiliated with the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding at Eastern Mennonite University as director of the Healing the Wounds of War project and authored the book Sexual Abuse in Christian and Home and Churches. A $5 donation will be requested to cover the cost of the meal.
Luncheon with Dr. Conrad Kanagy
Biblical Seminary and Franconia Mennonite Conference’s School for Leadership Formation invite area Mennonite pastors to join Dr. Conrad Kanagy for lunch and conversation, Wednesday, February 17, 12:30 – 2:00 p.m. at Biblical Seminary, Hatfield. Dr. Kanagy is a professor at Elizabethtown College and author of Road Signs for the Journey: A Profile of Mennonite Church USA. Dr. Kanagy will be leading a course through Biblical Seminary, February 15 – 18, entitled Entering the Missional Conversation.
Urgent Message to Pastors:
Pastors, if you know of people in your congregation who might be open to the following opportunity, please forward the information to them as soon as possible. If possible, it would also be appreciated if you could share this information with your congregation as a verbal or bulletin announcement, as appropriate in your context. Thank you!
Gay Brunt Miller, Franconia Conference Partner in Mission coordinator for Haiti.
Franconia Mennonite Conference has been contacted by Janet Panning (Plains Mennonite Church) who works for Lutheran Children and Family Service. They were contacted by the state refugee coordinator with a request for emergency housing for Haitian medical refugees.
Haitian trauma victims and their escorts will be coming to PA, about 50 per
day. Of the 50, half will be trauma victims and go directly to the
hospital. Half will be escorts who will need housing and resettlement services.
Victims will be of all ages. Some will be coming in under temporary tourist
visas and others will be coming in under humanitarian parole (which means that they are eligible for refugee benefits).
We have very few details but are trying assess interest in helping to provide emergency housing and food for escorts. It is possible that people could begin arriving as early as next week. Those wishing to assist should expect to offer this hospitality for a time period of 90 days (although this number could vary widely either way).
There are many questions to be answered. Indicating your interest does not
obligate you in any way. If you do have an interest in housing Haitian
trauma victim’s escorts, please email your name, contact information
(email and phone), and physical address to Julia Menzo, Lutheran Disaster Response Coordinator, Liberty Lutheran Services, jmenzo@libertylutheran.org,
215-430-1299 (cell). If you would like more information, feel free to contact Janet Panning at 215-747-7500, Ext. 209.
1/28/10
The opinions expressed in articles posted on Mosaic’s website are those of the author and may not reflect the official policy of Mosaic Conference. Mosaic is a large conference, crossing ethnicities, geographies, generations, theologies, and politics. Each person can only speak for themselves; no one can represent “the conference.” May God give us the grace to hear what the Spirit is speaking to us through people with whom we disagree and the humility and courage to love one another even when those disagreements can’t be bridged.