Being a Person of Hope in Crisis

NADCE (National Association of Directors of Christian Education)

This month’s episode, hosted by Shelli Haynes, features a conversation with Pastor Dan Meckes from Journey Lutheran Church in Oxford, MI. In November 2021 Pastor Dan’s congregation experienced the unthinkable. A student at nearby Oxford High School shot and killed students, and the small community thirty miles outside of Detroit was thrust into the national and media spotlight. After the initial wave of support waned, the congregation was left to minister to those impacted by the tragedy. In this discussion Pastor Dan shares how their church, born out of a desire to reach out in the community, has emphasized mental health help and assistance. Their plan was five years five years of reaching out and continuing to help those struggling. Now, two years in, there is no real end in sight to meeting the community’s needs following the shooting. The church’s emphasis has been on building relationships, and through this crisis they learned that their ministry teams have developed strong bonds internally and with those in the community they were ministering to. We pray that you are blessed by this conversation and learn about resources your church can use to meet crises you face.
Resources mentioned:

• Journey Lutheran (Oxford, MI)
• Camp Courage
• Lutheran Church Charities