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  • What to Expect
  • Right for you?
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Facing Opioid Abuse: You Can Help to Spread God's Hope

5/31/2017

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When [the man possessed by demons] saw Jesus, he fell down before him and shouted at the top of his voice, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?" ~ Luke 8:28
Good people can be possessed by  powers greater than themselves that drive them to insanity, and death. In Jesus' time, people saw these powers as demons. Today, we are afraid to call out the demons that affect our loved ones - until, sometimes, it is too late. Addiction to prescription drugs, especially opioid painkillers, is sweeping through our community like wildfire, and leading people to cheaper and more dangerous "street drugs" such as impure heroin.

What does Jesus have to do with opioid abuse? It is up to us to answer the Gerasene demonaic's question to Jesus through faith, for today's people in need. On Wednesday, June 14th, at 6.30PM in the Elks Lodge Crystal Ballroom, First United Methodist Church Middletown is hosting Ginger Katz, a renowned national speaker on the effects of drug overdoses on everyday families like hers.

The death of her son by drug overdose is repeated again and again in our community, and has touched families in our church. Our hospitals, schools, social programs and law enforcement can do only so much to help these people in need. We can help through letting people who we know hear Ginger Katz' words of love and hope, to refer people who hear her to appropriate support, and to pray with them for healing and hope.

HOW TO HELP
Please join our Brighter Visions ministry team in spreading the word about this event. You can print the poster below to give to friends and family, or email it to them. You can pray for the success of this event. You can attend the event, and let people know that you're attending on Facebook. You can share this link to the event summary/

The power of God in Jesus released the Gerasene demonaic from his demons. Though faith and devoted service to our community, we can help God do the same, today.
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First UMC Middletown Hosts National Speaker on Drug Abuse

5/12/2017

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Ginger Katz, a renowned national speaker and author, will tell the very moving story of how drug abuse killed her son, and discuss how we can prevent such tragedies, at a community forum in Middletown on Wednesday, June 14th, from 6:30PM. to 8:30PM, in the Elks Lodge Crystal Ballroom, 44 Maynard Street, The event is sponsored by the Brighter Visions community outreach and support program of First United Methodist Church, Middletown, in cooperation with Elks Lodge #771. Admission is free, and the public is encouraged to speak with event coordinators afterwards for prayer and referrals.

Prescription painkiller abuse is at record levels today, affecting families in Middletown, Connecticut and elsewhere with overdoses, deaths, and ruined lives as never before. Virginia (“Ginger”) Katz knows the heartbreaking truth behind those statistics - she lost her son Ian to a drug overdose in 1996, and founded The Courage to Speak Foundation, Inc., to spread her personal story of loss and renewed hope to parents, children, teens, and adults of all ages. 

Ginger’s story is like the story of so many families. "Ian hid his pain.” she said. “I tell all the kids, "Get it out! Don't bury it! There are people out there able to help. If you can talk to your parents, do so. If not, find three adults you can trust who will help you sort things out". Communication is the key to the solution, she observes, and she offers many practical approaches to courageous conversations in the family that can help to break the cycle of drug abuse and denial.

“Whether you are someone with a loved one who you know is abusing painkillers or other drugs, or whether you are just concerned for them or others in our community, this evening can be a turning point for you,” said Barbara Marks, Pastor of First United Methodist Church Middletown. “People in our own church community have lost loved ones very recently to drug overdoses - it can happen to anyone, at any time. We are here to help people to find the strength for a brighter vision of their future.” 
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