Conesville UMC hosting bullying awareness program
COSHOCTON – Pastor Karen Gibson felt a little helpless about what to tell youth from her church when she heard them echoing each other’s comments about bullying in school.
“It’s taken us a year to figure out how to connect with someone in the community to help, but we are now having a program that we think will empower parents and other adults,” she said. “We really think it will be suitable for all kids, but perhaps geared a little more toward junior high and high school students.”
A bullying awareness event will be held at Conesville United Methodist Church from 2 to 4 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 28. The program is geared toward parents and children and Robin Snider of First Step is the guest speaker. Refreshments will be served.
“This seemed like the best way to handle the topic of bullying,” Gibson said. “More people will know what to say and how to help. We know schools offer programs on bullying, but the community isn’t invited into those to receive information.”
The idea for the bullying awareness program came out of a visioning retreat that church members went on and was organized by Melody Albertson and Angela Wright.
“We have goals after we finish each time to help us become more aware of where we want to go as a church and how we want to move out into the community,” Gibson said. “We want to have more of these kinds of events. With the school (Conesville Elementary) being just across the street from us we are hoping some parents and students will be interested. This may help us to have more dialogue about bullying and raise more questions about what people can do.”
She shared that the church also has thought about hosting speakers on opioid addictions, suicide prevention and parenting.
For more information on the bullying awareness program, contact Gibson at 740-829-2219.
Category: Faith
