Support Groups | Congregational Care Ministry
Grief Support
Asbury offers a spousal-loss support group called “Healing Hearts” facilitated by Asbury Member Sunny Gilliam, working with Community Grief Support. The fall session (10 weeks) will be held Tuesdays from 12:30 to 2:00 p.m. beginning Sept. 10. Register.
Mental Health
Parenting a child or teen with anxiety? Join Miranda Marcano LPC and Sara Bowman ALC NCC for an eight-week class on Wednesdays from 6:15-7:30 p.m. in Room 144. No registration required.
CAREGIVER SUPPORT
Caring for someone with memory loss due to dementia, Alzheimer’s, or stroke? Find comfort among a community of friends the first and third Thursday of the month at 1:00 p.m. in Room 126. No registration required.
Substance Abuse Support (Families)
Is a loved one struggling with Substance Use Disorder? If so, free trained support and education is available Monday nights from 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. The group, endorsed by the Addiction Prevention Coalition, is open to all sober family members and friends age 18 or older. The group meets in Room 132 (Adult MInistry Wing) weekly. No registration required.
On Monday, Sept. 9 the group welcomes CEO and Founder of Unbound Grace Ministries John Steakley. John turned the challenges of his own addiction into a lifeline for others by founding Unbound Grace in 2018. He is a pastoral counselor who guides souls through the wilderness of addiction and toward hope and healing.
Substance Abuse
If you are struggling with addiction, a licensed local counselor can help you determine the best treatment plan. Asbury also hosts an Alcoholics Anonymous, a global peer-led mutual aid fellowship dedicated to abstinence-based recovery from alcoholism through its spiritually-inclined twelve-step program. AA meets Sundays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays 6:30-7:30 p.m. in Room 120 (Adult Ministry Wing).
Special Ministries | Congregational Care
Anchor Community Respite Ministry provides fellowship and stimulation for people who have memory loss. Anchor operates every Tuesday and Thursday from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Asbury’s campus. The memory-loss program gives care partners a break each week to run errands, visit with friends, and rest.
ReNew Ministry provides spiritual, emotional, and practical support and encouragement in a confidential Christian atmosphere for those experiencing a career transition. While not a job placement program, Asbury has a team of career transition coaches that can offer feedback on your resume, help with interview preparation, and help you network.
Resources | Congregational Care
United Counseling is a ministry of the North Alabama Conference of the United Methodist Church that has provided counseling to children, youth, adults, couples, and families for more than 45 years. Request an appointment. Counseling sessions can be held at Asbury.
About Congregational Care
Congregational Care Ministry exists at Asbury United Methodist Church in Birmingham, AL to provide support, encouragement, and prayer during challenging times. Volunteer teams strive to carry God’s love to Asbury members, visitors, and the community. This assistance takes many forms:
PRAYER TEAM: Lifts church members, visitors, community, and world prayer concerns up in a private, online community.
CONGREGATIONAL CARE MINISTERS: Visit church members who are homebound, hospitalized, or facing life trials.
CARE MEALS: Provide meals for church members in cases of illness, death, or birth of a new baby.
LOVING HANDS: Create prayer shawls and blankets for church members and friends facing adversity.
CARE CARDS: Send timely cards to celebrate joys and to give encouragement for concerns and illness.
To be added to the weekly email distribution of prayer concerns or to volunteer in a Congregational Care Ministry of Asbury UMC Birmingham, AL, please contact our Pastor of Congregational Care Maggie Dunaway at 205.515.1029.
If you have an emergency and need to speak with a pastor, please call the Asbury United Methodist church office at 205-995-1700. If you reach the voicemail after business hours (9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Friday) or during a holiday, you have the option to forward your call to the pastor on call.