Faith leaders from the New River Valley gathered for a training recently to learn how they can better help people with substance use disorders.
About twenty faith leaders gathered at a church in Christiansburg, including Kris Moore, interim pastor at Christiansburg Presbyterian Church. “And I’m aware that many of us have unconscious perceptions about addiction and about persons who have addiction,” Moore said. “And I believe that it is deeply important that we humanize those individuals and we care for them as we care for other people in our community.”
Faith leaders can often be a ‘go-to’ person when a member of their congregation is struggling with a substance use or mental health disorder, said Mike Wade with New River Valley Community Services, which hosted the event. “With this in mind, it is important that faith leaders are equipped to appropriate to respond to these situations, including where and how to appropriately refer someone for professional help.”
“We’re all dealing with this crisis, whether silently or publically,” said Libby Pfaff, a pastor at a church in Radford, called Nineveh Lutheran Justice Ministry.
“We’re all seeking some sort of spiritual response, and we’re all seeking some sort of connection. I believe that the best approach from the church side is to embrace that spirit of connection. To seek out one another and create spaces where people feel safe sharing what they’re going through.”
Pfaff’s ministry is organizing several community service events, including a blood drive on September 5, and a volunteer home-building day on September 9th with Habitat for Humanity. That event will be followed by a meal.
