America’s Newest Public Health Problem

             Recent research has shown that one of the newest and biggest public health problems in this                      country is child abuse.   Studies published by the National Center for PTSD (www.ncptsd.gov)              have shown that between 60-70% of children and adolescents have been exposed to some kind     of trauma in the past several years.  Researchers for the Center for Disease Control and the Kaiser Permanente Foundation have established a list of these types of trauma, called adverse childhood events, They include physical, emotional of sexual abuse, watching a parent abused, having an alcohol or drug abuser in the family, or someone incarcerated. These researchers found that children who were exposed to one or more of these events are not only at risk for mental health problems and substance abuse, but as adults they are at risk for obesity, heart disease, diabetes and lung problems. Given the great number of children who are exposed to trauma, we are looking at a huge increase in serious, chronic diseases.  Protecting our children should be one of our top priorities as a nation.  To find out more about the ACE study, go to www.acestudy.org.   To learn more about childhood traumatic stress, go to www.nctsn.org.

 

 

 

May 28—Page 5

Wellness Challenge for June

 The June Wellness challenge is to participate in the Champaign County Moon Walk.  Faith has a team in this walk, headed up by Sally Shores.  But, even if you don’t want to be part of the team, and count up your miles, get out and walk for at least 20 minutes 3 times a week.

Exercise with Friends at Faith This Summer

The Wellness Team is excited to announce that a new exercise program, designed by physical therapists, for home use by older adults is coming to Faith this summer.  Jennifer Brackenhoff, RN, from Provena will be leading the free 6-week program.  Each participant will also receive their own personal video, a brochure illustrating pictures of exercises, and 2 sets of Therabands for home use.  Final details will be available soon.

Update on Women in Transition Kitchen at the Deloris Evans House

 

The kitchen is nearly finished.  Janet Stafford and I would like to thank all of you who generously contributed to this fund.  We would also like to commend The Home Depot for all of the generosity and hard work they put into this project.   They donated the sink base and all of the hardware for the cabinets, they volunteered the installation of the flooring and the cabinets for us and they gave us a $500 gift card, which paid for most of the counter tops.  We also received a 10% discount from them.  Thank you Home Depot, and especially Lindsay Berlatsky, who was instrumental in designing, arranging the discounts, and coordinating the volunteers.  We have enjoyed working with them very much.    Betty Roberts

 

Methodists and their Conferences…..

June 4-7, our pastors and lay representatives will be headed to Peoria for the annual meeting of the Illinois Great Rivers  Conference.  This time together, known as the “Annual Conference” is not only a time of business and hearing reports, but it is also a time of reunion as Methodists from around our conference gather and connect with one another to share in life and ministry.  For more information regarding the business at annual conference, log onto www.igrc.org.

2008 is a special year because not only do we have the meeting of the Annual Conference, but every fourth year the General and Jurisdictional Conferences meet.  This year we were honored to be represented by David Hood at General Conference in May.  He will also represent us at Jurisdictional Conference in July. For more information regarding decisions made at General Conference or to follow the election of Bishops in July at Jurisdictional Conference, log onto www.umc.org.

Dear Faith Family,

Thank you for the abundance of support that you gave my family during the loss of my father.  I can’t begin to express enough, my appreciation for all the e-mails, text messages, phone calls and cards you offered my family.  It is truly a blessing to have a community such as Faith UMC. 

Rev. Bradley Shumaker  

Thank you, friends, for all your prayers, good wishes, cards, visits, and wonderful food prepared for us following my fall and surgery.  We appreciate your thoughtfulness so very much.

 

Marietta and Hal Bigler

MISSING!        We are missing a 2-wheeled aluminum dolly.  If you have it, please return.