Talking about Faith and Health

"I keep hearing about teen suicide.  I wish I knew someone who could help the kids in my community who are depressed and anxious."

"Illegal drug use in my city is on the rise, but how can I help?"

"I pray for the poor, but there are so many people in need of prayers these days."

What if God's helping person is you?

It is possible to combine faith in Jesus and health to make an impact in a community.  The Meros Center training program equips everyday people to use faith and community health to talk about Jesus and improve the overall wellness of their neighbors.  This month we bring you two stories of everyday people making impact. 

The Meros Center High School Scholars

The Meros Center High School Scholars program began as an interesting idea: Could high school students learn community health ministry skills to positively impact their lives and communities?  The Meros Center worked with Fox Valley Lutheran High School leaders and teachers to create a pilot program to train students to conduct community assessments and facilitate the design of a ministry strategy to spread the news of Jesus.   This one-of-a-kind program will culminate in an international trip to gather valuable information about communities and share the good news of Jesus.  With this information, Meros will work with local leaders to design impactful faith-based improvement plans. 

The pilot students and teachers are about one-third of the way through the training.  They are saying:

“I appreciated the study and the reinforcement of how to deal with the people I come into contact with.  It also helps me realize that I too am a sinner/saint.  That constant war within me is won through Jesus Christ.”

“I like the lesson breakdown.  I don't feel overwhelmed with the work that needs to be done.”

“These (lessons that) dig into specific bases of ministry are so valuable to me because it helps me fill out my knowledge in the subject to use in missionary work, but also to use in my own life.”

“I enjoy learning how we can apply what we are taught to other people in the real world.”

“I like that I am building on a baseline of scripture and doctrine that will serve me well into the future.  All of this is very intriguing and slightly challenging in a good way.”

“It is structured very well. I also like how there is always a discussion so I can learn from my classmates and teachers and what they thought.”

Our plan is to refine and expand the High School Scholars program to multiple high schools and multiple students.  The support Meros receives from the families of Fox Valley Lutheran and from your generosity has made this all possible.  We pray God continues to bless these teachers and students.

Outreach in Mito, Japan by Pastor Haga

Pastor Haga successfully completed our Christian Health Ministry certification and is using his new skills to grow and reach out to his community in new ways. He is creating community-specific lessons and inviting community members to participate.

“I am planning to share what I learned at the Meros Center with members and seekers of our church denomination here in Japan. This project is in line with one of the eight visions of our church's VTO, "Spiritual Growth of Church members." The lessons will be a brief summary of what I learned at the Meros Center, each lesson is 10 minutes long, and will be shared through YouTube.  For each lesson, I  prepare questions that are "applicable" to Japan and each community and case.  I don't know how I will be able to create lessons at a pace that fits my daily work schedule, but it will also serve as a review for me. And this learning will be of great benefit to outreach and evangelism in our culture.”

Coming Soon

Meros is adding expanding our training in the coming months by offering new research and community health ministry training courses as well as self-study courses you can take at your own pace. 

¿Habla español?  Next year, look for many of our training courses to be in Spanish. Visit our Learning webpage for future updates and schedules. 

 Our Meros Marketplace project, Enhancing Resiliency and Mental Health Among Church Youth in Zambia, in partnership with Lutheran Church of Central Africa (LCCA) – Zambia, is looking for funding.  Learn how you can help these youths.

Research: Our Projects List continues to grow as we spread the Word of Jesus through our community health research and training ministry.

Training Ideas: What knowledge are you currently using within your communities?  What new training would allow you to build stronger Christian relationships in your community?

Did you know that any monthly gift of $100 or more is matched?

By signing up to give $100 monthly, you not only support The Meros Center, but a matching $100 is also given monthly to support Kingdom Workers.  You can sign up through the link below, but please do so before the end of the year.  Praise God for this generous opportunity!

We are grateful for your continual support.

Each opportunity to partner and minister to the marginalized through our research costs between $5,000-$30,000.  We are currently $39,110 short of our 2024 goal of $110,000.  We are grateful for and pray God continues to bless all of you, and ask you to pray for and support our mission as the Lord leads your heart.

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Contact Us

connect@meroscenter.org

(414) 443-8945