Trinity United Methodist Church (UMC) will host its Afternoon of Hope event from 1 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 28, to instill courage and show support for those affected by cancer.
The event will focus on indi individuals currently battling cancer, cancer survivors, their families, caregivers and health-care professionals. The program aims to use faith as a tool to assist in dealing with the disease by combining a number of factors, such as ways to provide support and encouragement.
“The Afternoon of Hope sponsored by Trinity United Methodist Church is a faith-based retreat open to all in the community in need of encouragement and support,” said Dee Vasslides, the church’s cancer support group director and a survivor.
“The retreat will include a combination of prayer, support, encouragement, scripture guidance and music …” she added. “It includes sessions on facing the reality of illness, effectively fighting the battle and winning the battle no matter what.”
The event – in the church’s Fellowship Hall – will be headed by Lynn Eib, a cancer survivor and patient advocate who has authored the books “When God and Cancer Meet” and “Peace in the Face of Cancer.” Both books focus on using religion as a tool to help face cancer.
“I was struggling with cancer, and I found these books written by the author (Eib),” Vasslides noted. “I began to read her books, and they really encouraged me.”
The event is free. registration is not required but requested. Contact Vasslides by email at [email protected] or phone at (609) 364-8899.
The Afternoon of Hope is open to anyone, regardless of church or religious affiliation. Trinity UMC has been holding the event for seven years, according to Vasslides, and wants to make it more open to the community than past events.
“We hope to help those in our community impacted by cancer find light in the shadow of their circumstance and assure them they are not alone in the battle,” Vasslides explained. “We want it (the event) to be more community minded. Even though they don’t want to be in those circumstances, want people to know that cancer doesn’t have to define them.”
The event is free. registration is not required but requested. Contact Vasslides by email at [email protected] or phone at (609) 364-8899.
