United Methodist Men s Challenge Weekend A SIMPLE RESPONSE TO THE OPIOID EPIDEMIC

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Juliana Bates
5 years ago
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1 United Methodist Men s Challenge Weekend A SIMPLE RESPONSE TO THE OPIOID EPIDEMIC

2 How do you know about the opioid epidemic? News Family involvement Neighborhood involvement Business Seen with own eyes

3 How has the epidemic affected your community? Crime Death Unemployment Using more and more community resources Fear

8 Our Wesleyan Heritage

9 England in 1700 s Towns growing into cities Growth brings problems 1 of 4 children survive Poor Holes Adults die in their 30 s Cities were growing by migration not birth rates

10 Huge gap between Wealthy and Poor Luxury vs. Squalor Crime and Violence Everywhere Masses of Poor If working, only options were mines or factories Causal labor, no contract, no assurance of tomorrow s job Cheaper to hire children

11 To help tolerate conditions Gin Drunkenness, earn enough to by more gin Gambling fights, cock fighting, dice/cards Violence from greed, frustration, despair, survival Gin Epidemic

13 Church of England s Response Supported by Taxes Priesthood was a government job Each priest assigned to a parish with STRONG boarders No accountability For making disciples, church growth Goal: keep everything calm, no troubles, status quo

14 Church of England s Response Priests were to administer Communion 3 times a year Plenty of free time Farmers Students Full time second careers while full time priests No concern for poor around them Parish Boundaries did not change with change in population

15 Church of England s Response Many Villages had no church or priest Ignorance of basic Christian beliefs A complete overhaul of the Church of England was needed But would upset structure of government

16 The Wesley Boys This was the England that John and Charles were brought up in Their father was a Church of England Priest Mother Suzanna was a great spiritual influence on John and Charles As Christians they struggled with what they saw, felt and understood Holy Club, earning God s love by works then Grace

17 The Wesley Boys Preach outside, ignore parish boundaries Able to provide spiritual instruction in any village Able to provide spiritual instruction at any time Able to provide spiritual instruction to people who would never have heard

18 The Wesley Boys John Wesley s great gift was in ORGANIZING Organized classes not on Sundays at 11am Accountability Prayer Teaching All together it was MENTORING, RELATIONSHIPS knowing each other s NAMES

19 The Wesley Boys Went from: What do I need to do to get God to love me To: What do you need in order to know God s love for you

20 The United Methodist Church Today England of the 1700 s is our situation today This is our ballpark! We have the heritage that flourished in this environment But are we more like The Church of England (tax supported, ritual) BUT WHAT IF: We were willing to break from our traditions, could we flourish? Are we willing to summit to be most vile and preach outside the church building? We can we ignore boundaries that keep us locked in to our comfort zones?

21 Families Caught in Opioid Epidemic Parents or Grand Parents or Great Grand Parents Not addicted But Can Find Support: Church, Friends, Al Anon Addicts Themselves: I have no idea how to help them as local churches The Children of the Addicts

22 Children of the Addicts Have no idea who God is No idea what the American Dream is about No idea what we would call a normal life Behind in school Very likely under nourished

23 Children of Addicts No idea of what Resiliency is Exposed to violence, verbal and physical abuse Exposed to follow on diseases (AIDS, Hepatitis, MRSA, Staph) If left alone they are the next generation of addicts

24 THIS IS OUR MISSION FIELD The Children of the Addicts is who I am challenging the U.M. Men to: Offer Christ to Offer Hope to To Rescue from hell

25 Back in the Day Missionaries were sent to foreign lands Come back to visit local churches and show photos of children Who knew nothing of God Who were not educated, as we would define education Who were caught between warring parties Who were under nourished American Churches would rally around missionaries raise money send supplies

26 TODAY Those children are in our back yard Those children live in our community Those children are within walking distance of our churches Those children are in our schools!

27 Addicted Infants Studies have shown that an infant born addicted to opioids IF they detox safely and IF they have a good healthy stable life afterwards By the time they are 5 or 6 years old there is a good chance they have overcome the ill effects of being born addicted, can enter school on the same level as a normal healthy child

28 However Studies have also shown that children that are constantly exposed to family drug use, violence, changes in custody are very likely to be: Behavior problems (boys are the worst), Absent from school, Late to school, Unprepared for day s work Hungry Dirty Tired

29 And the Troubles begin Soon they are behind at school That snowballs into failures at school Drop out, hang out with mom, mom s friends and the cycle continues

30 Studies Also Show IF a Drug Endangered Child has a caring adult in their life if just for a short period of time each week They can overcome their poor school performance Getting back on track in school is huge in avoiding future drug abuse

31 What IF United Methodist Men took the leadership in searching where their local church could find these children and began to mentor them? Starting small hour a week Growing the ministry to several hours a week or an hour with two children Inspiring other members of the church to do the same Over time getting your mentee into cub scouts boy scouts church???? What IF mentoring relationship grows into a FRIENDSHIP?? THIS LITTLE BIT CAN BREAK THE CYCLE OF ADDICTION! Besides enriching EVERYONE s life.

32 Where to Look AFTER PRAYING FOR GUIDANCE: Local Elementary School Boys and Girls Club (AMACHI) Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) Drug Court Who in your church works with children? Who do you know in your community that works with children?

33 IF we do not find these children IF we do not mentor these children IF we do not offer these children Christ Who will

34 ARE YOU WILLING TO ACCEPT THE CHALLENGE??

Calvary United Methodist Church July 3, DO YOU NEED A NEW BEGINNING? THE STORY OF JOHN THE BAPTIST Rev. R. Jeffrey Fisher

Calvary United Methodist Church July 3, 2016 DO YOU NEED A NEW BEGINNING? THE STORY OF JOHN THE BAPTIST Rev. R. Jeffrey Fisher Children s Sermon: Ezekiel 36:25-26 I m so glad. I thought earlier there might