Blurbs for newsletters and church bulletins

Announcements (date sensitive)
General information (use at any time)

Announcements
Announcements are date sensitive

Use the following information in your print or online newsletter, online calendar, or church bulletin to announce BeFriender events that are open to the public and for other BeFriender Ministry information.

• Saint Paul - Minneapolis area: More than 48 million Americans are suffering from a diagnosable mental illness Persons with mental illnesses are our neighbors, our coworkers, our siblings, our friends. Faith communities are in a unique position to combat the  stigma and provide a message of acceptance and hope. NAMI-MN (National Alliance on Mental Illness - Minnesota) is presenting two evening sessions on mental illness and how faith communities can be of support. The June 23 and July 21 sessions at St. Michael Lutheran Church in Bloomington are being hosted by the BeFriender Ministry National Office and are open to the public. For more information on "Ministry and the Mis-Wired Mind" go to http://www.befrienderministry.org/mmwm.htm or call 952-767-0244.
   
• Saint Paul - Minneapolis area: A garage sale is being held May 14-16 to raise funds for the BeFriender Ministry National Office. The hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, and 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Saturday. The address is 10204 Nesbitt Ave. So., Bloomington, MN 55437. You can donate items to sell or shop the sale. To donate items, call Nancy at 952-831-6163 or 953-240-3787. Acceptable items include furniture, clothing, books, toys, games, and dishes. Please do not bring electronics, appliances, or damaged or unusable items. The proceeds from the garage sale will go to the national office.
     
• Saint Paul - Minneapolis area: Linder's Flower Marts and Retail Garden Center has a wonderful fundraising opportunity for the BeFriender Ministry National Office. Print the special invitation at www.befrienderministry.org/lindersinvitation.pdf and and take it with you when you shop at any of the 50+ Linder's Flower Marts or at the Retail Garden Center from Friday, May 8, through Monday, May 11. (Mother's Day is May 10th.) At the time you make your purchase, give the cashier a the special invitation, and BeFriender Ministry National Office will receive 15% of your pre-tax total purchase. To find a Flower Mart near you, go to www.linders.com, click on "Flower Marts," then "locations." You can make copies of the special invitation and give them to family, friends and neighbors (or provide them with the link). Let's see how much we can "grow" for the national office in May!
       
• Saint Paul - Minneapolis area: Volunteers needed for BeFriender Ministry National Office Board of Directors. The BeFriender Ministry National Office, based in Bloomington, MN, is looking for volunteers to serve on its Board of Directors. There are several open positions, and the national office is especially in need of individuals with expertise in fundraising, finance, and nonprofit law, as well as individuals who are strong supporters of BeFriender Ministry and lay pastoral care. If you are interested, call the national office at 952-767-0244 (toll free 1-866-468-8708). See www.befrienderministry.org for more information about the national office.

General information
General information can be published at any time.

Use any of the following blurbs in your print or online newsletter or church bulletin to raise awareness of BeFriender Ministry in your church or organization.

• Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) are widely misunderstood conditions that cause widespread pain and fatigue. There is no test for either disease. They are diagnosed by ruling out other diseases with similar symptoms. Enduring repeated medical tests is frustrating. Finding a compassionate doctor who understands the disease can be challenging. There is no cure, so treatment focuses on managing the symptoms. Friends, family, and co-workers often believe that a person with CFS or FMS is "just complaining" because he or she looks fine. The result can be loneliness and isolation while putting on a brave face. The diseases can be both debilitating and demoralizing.
  
  If you or someone you love is feeling burdened by CFS, FMS, or other chronic pain, you can request a BeFriender to be a companion on your journey. BeFrienders provide a listening presence that is respectful and nonjudgmental. To request a BeFriender or to find out more about BeFriender Ministry, call _____________.
      
• Losing a job is one of the most stressful events that can happen to a person. It feels personal even when it is part of a mass corporate layoff or the closing of a business. Involuntary unemployment evokes a lot of emotions, from anger to sadness. It is easy to become depressed. Grief over the loss of part of one's identity or purpose is common. The difficulty of the experience can depend on the degree of emotional investment one had in the job. The aftermath of job loss also has a significant impact on family members, who are dealing with their own fears and other concerns.
  
  If you (or a family member) has lost a job and are dealing with the transition it brings, you can request a BeFriender to be a companion on your journey. BeFrienders provide a listening presence that is respectful and nonjudgmental. To request a BeFriender or to find out more about BeFriender Ministry, call _____________.
     
      
• The death of a parent is a turning point in the emotional, personal, and social lives of most adults. It initiates a time of substantial change and redirection in the way we view ourselves, our relationships to others, and our place in the world. It has consequences for the dynamics in families. Yet friends, coworkers, and even relatives often minimize the extent of loss felt by adults following a parent's death. They may expect the bereaved to quickly recover and emerge largely unchanged from the loss. The truth is that the death of a parent often launches a period of self-reflection and the transformation of adult identity. Even individuals in their 50s, 60s, and beyond report feeling abandoned or orphaned when a parent dies -- even when the loss is anticipated. (Umberson, Debra. Death of a Parent: Transition to a New Adult Identity, Cambridge University Press, 2003).
  
  If you have lost a parent and are dealing with the transition it brings, you can request a BeFriender to be a companion on your journey. BeFrienders provide a listening presence that is respectful and nonjudgmental. To request a BeFriender or to find out more about BeFriender Ministry, call _____________.
   
• Sixty people feel the impact of every soldier who is deployed to and returns from a war zone. For soldiers themselves, routine activities seem meaningless after the experience of combat. They are trained warriors who no longer have an enemy to fight. About two-thirds of the returning military work through their return without major problems, but no one comes back unaffected according to Mike Colson of the Department of Veterans Affairs in Washington. Nor are their families, friends, and co-workers unaffected. People who adjusted to the soldier's absence must now adjust to the soldier's presence. It's a time of significant transition for everyone. If you are a soldier or a family member, friend, or co-worker of a soldier and are experiencing difficulty with or concerns about the transition, you can request a BeFriender. BeFrienders provide a listening presence that is respectful and nonjudgmental. They can be with you on the journey of reintegration. To request a BeFriender or to find out more about BeFriender Ministry, call _____________.