Event will Prepare Participants to Aid Those Who are Dealing with Pain and Loss
Moline, Iowa, August 30, 2011 - From personal tragedies like disease and financial difficulties to catastrophes on a massive scale such as tornadoes, fires and floods, many Christians may feel unprepared to offer comfort to the weary and hope to those in despair.
On Sept. 10, the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team - a nationwide network of crisis-trained chaplains ready to deploy whenever disaster strikes - will join with the Quad Cities Association of Evangelicals to host a training to prepare local Christians to practice what the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team has done since its inception: appropriately respond with the love and hope of Jesus Christ in times of crisis.
"So often one`s first instinct is to pull away from disasters and avoid pain and suffering," said Rev. Michael Beresford, managing director of the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team. "But these are the times that all Christians - not just pastors - need to be prepared to be a shoulder to cry on and a friend to listen. This training will teach them how to do that." Beresford will lead the training on Sept. 10.
The training event, titled "Sharing Hope in Crisis," will be held at Calvary Church, 4700 53rd St. in Moline. Seminar topics include "A Mission to Respond," "Suffering and Trauma," "A Message of Hope," "A Message to Share," "Communication to a Diverse Community," and "A Model to Respond."
The training will take place 8:30 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 10. There is a registration fee of $35. For more information and to register online, visit www.billygraham.org/rrtshic_
The Billy Graham Rapid Response Team was developed by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association following the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. It has since grown into a nationwide network of chaplains in 40 states who are specifically trained to deal with crisis situations. They have deployed to more than 120 disaster sites, including shootings, floods, hurricanes, wildfires and tornadoes.
For more information on the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team, visit www.billygraham.org/rrt. For videos, photos and news articles from recent Billy Graham Rapid Response Team deployments, visit www.billygraham.org/response. Up-to-the minute reports can also be found at www.facebook.com/
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