BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 BEGIN:VEVENT UID:70FB9AEF-CFC3-493F-AE48-68E51226F6D2 DTSTART:20230510T183000Z DTEND:20230510T200000Z SUMMARY:Beacon of Light event: Thriving in Transition DESCRIPTION:ST. ANDREW METHODIST CHURCH LAUNCHES BEACON OF LIGHT\,  A NEW M ENTAL HEALTH MINISTRY SERVING THE COMMUNITY \n Using faith as a foundation \, Beacon of Light provides mental health counseling\, awareness\, and res ources\, such as an upcoming (FREE) community-wide Mental Health Awareness Month Event in May \nAfter two losses of life within the St. Andrew Metho dist Church community just prior to the 2020 pandemic\, church pastors and staff knew that a proactive stance regarding mental health was needed and launched Beacon of Light \, a new mental health ministry\, to serve not o nly the church community\, but also North Texas residents and other church es and centers of faith. The program\, launched in 2021\, has provided ser vices to 170 families struggling with a variety of mental health issues. \ nBeacon of Light  provides  awareness for mental health\, counseling servi ces\, and a variety of educational resources  to support individuals inclu ding newsletters\, special events\, and a podcast launching in May – all o f which can be found on its website.  The counseling services are provided with licensed\, professional therapists on a wide variety of the most com mon mental health concerns and disorders. All counseling services\, delive red in partnership with The Center for Integrative Counseling\, are provid ed confidentially at Beacon of Light’s offices\, located at 5700 W. Plano Parkway\, Suite 1600\, in Plano\, directly across the street from St. And rew Methodist. Tele-health services are also available. \n“Our pilot progr am proved that if a church offers a mental health program\, people will us e it\,” said Doug Reed \, executive director\, Beacon of Light. “On averag e\, someone struggling with mental health issues waits 11 years to seek he lp. We must remove barriers to treatment\, and the church – often one of t he first places people turn to when in crisis – is one of the easiest plac es to seek help. We encourage anyone in the community struggling with ment al health issues to reach out to us. Each of us deserves joy in our lives\ , and if your mental health makes joy seem impossible\, we can help.” \nRe ed\, a long-time St. Andrew member who has managed several behavioral heal th care organizations\, both for-profit and nonprofit\, was asked to lead this new endeavor. His daughter\, Natalie\, then 29\, died by suicide in January 2020 shortly before the pandemic. \n“There are few families left untouched by mental health challenges\,” said Reed.  “In our case the imp act was immediate and devastating.  We thought that death by suicide happe ned to others\, not our family.  Our vision for Beacon of Light\, quite si mply\, is to combine the power of faith with expert clinical services to h elp save lives.” \nDuring Mental Health Awareness Month\, Beacon of Light invites the community to its first special event\, a panel discussion\, “ Thriving in Transition: How Healthy Families Navigate Life’s Next Season\, ” on May 10\, from 6:30-8 p.m.\, in Piro Hall\, St. Andrew Methodist\, 580 1 W. Plano Parkway . The event\, free and open to all\, will feature guest speaker\, Dr. Elizabeth Zak \, a licensed clinical psychologist with over 25 years’ experience working with children and adults across the lifespan \, as well as a panel discussion with Hannah Wilkins (college freshman)\; Julee Williams (parent of 4 children\, ages 19 to 25)\; Rev. Kim Meyers\, St. Andrew\; and Tyler Woodall\, LPC\, Beacon of Light counselor. The pan el will be moderated by Carrie Cravens \, LCSW\, clinical program manager\ , Beacon of Light. The discussion will focus on struggles with transition and their impact on mental health\; ways to keep connection with family a nd friends and take care of your mental wellbeing through transition\; and the role that faith can play. \n“For many families\, May represents a cha llenging time of transition – promotion from one grade to the next\; trans itions to new schools\; and graduations from high school to college mean b ig changes for families\,” added Reed. “Through Beacon of Light\, we’ve se en the impact of these transition periods\, and it is always our goal to b e proactive and provide important resources so that individuals and famili es have the tactics and tools to manage changing and challenging times.” \ nBeacon of Light is also working on the development of a comprehensive men tal health framework and training program for churches to become mental he alth informed so they may deliver effective mental health programming with in their membership and communities. \n“We know that churches are on the f ront line of the mental health crisis\,” said Reed. “There are more than 3 80\,000 churches imbedded in communities throughout the country\, but most lack the knowledge\, resources\, and partners to address even the most ba sic mental health needs. What if pastoral staff and lay leaders knew how t o identify and triage various mental health conditions and illnesses?  How many lives could be changed or saved? Multiple churches have already reac hed out to us\, and our vision is to provide them with programming\, train ing\, and resources in the near future.”   \n“It’s important for everyone to keep in mind that we have all faced circumstances that left us feeling paralyzed\, alone\, and free-falling\,” added Reed. “In these times\, Bea con of Light can provide guidance and help you navigate the complexities o f mental health. Join us on May 10\, learn more about how Beacon of Light might be able to help you and your family\, and take home some helpful in formation to help you navigate life’s next season. At Beacon of Light it i s our hope to further your mental and spiritual health to prevent mental h ealth issues in the future.” \nAn RSVP is encouraged for the panel discuss ion but not required. Visit www.beaconoflightmh.org for a link to RSVP.  \ n# # # \n Beacon of Light launched in 2021 as a ministry of St. Andrew Met hodist Church in Plano to create a Christ-centered mental health initiativ e to support the St. Andrew community\, those who live in North Texas and other churches and centers of faith. Born out of St. Andrew’s challenge o f reacting to mental health crises among its members\, Beacon of Light equ ips individuals and churches with valuable tools and resources to address the continuum of mental health challenges. This means increasing awarenes s for mental health in general\; developing resources to help those in nee d better understand mental health conditions\, treatment options and after care considerations\; training church and lay leaders to be more informed regarding mental health issues\; and providing expert clinical treatment with experienced mental health providers. Key goals include encouraging e ngagement\, reducing the stigma around mental health while removing barrie rs\, and creating awareness of treatment and support services. Visit https ://www.beaconoflightmh.org/ \, email contact@beaconoflightmh.org \, or cal l 469-385-1828. Beacon of Light is located at 5700 W. Plano Parkway\, Suit e 1600\, Plano\, TX 75093. \n St. Andrew Methodist Church  began in 1986 i n the spirit of its namesake\, a disciple of Jesus. The life of the Apostl e Andrew embodies the church's mission\, which is to invite the Christian- ish and the unchurched to become passionate servants of Christ. The congre gation of St. Andrew follows Jesus\, lives in relationship\, serves others \, and takes risks in faith. Worship includes four services each weekend o n a 21.2-acre campus at the corner of Plano Parkway and Mira Vista in Plan o\, Texas\, where more than 2\,000 people worship each weekend. The Sanctu ary hosts worship in both a traditional style with the classic pipe organ and a contemporary style with an LED center screen and lighting technolog y. Small groups and Bible studies gather on campus and throughout the regi on every day of the week. Mission opportunities serve our local area\, nei ghboring regions\, and global communities. The church has been repeatedly selected as a "Best Place to Worship in Plano” by the readers of the Plan o Star Courier . St. Andrew Methodist Church is located at 5801 W. Plano P arkway\, Plano\, Texas 75093. Visit  www.standrewmethodist.org \; call 972 -380-8001.\nSt. Andrew Methodist Church\n5801 W. Plano Parkway\nPlano\, TX 75093 United States\n LOCATION:5801 W. Plano Parkway\, Plano\, TX 75093 URL:http://plano.bubblelife.com/community/st_andrew_united_methodist_church seven_loaves_community/library/35573500/key/3511945512/Beacon_of_Light_eve nt_Thriving_in_Transition CREATED:20230407T165737Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230407T165737Z DTSTAMP:20260420T143616Z CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED TRANSP:TRANSPARENT SEQUENCE:1 END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR