Revitalize Training Equips Ministry Leaders with Life-Saving Skills

Jan 3, 2017 | UA News

Article and photos by Urban Alliance staff.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women and is the primary cause of heart attacks in the United States. Every 43 seconds someone in the in the United States has a heart attack, and almost half of all deaths from heart attacks occur outside of a hospital. Responding quickly to a heart attack increases the chances of survival and reduces damage to the heart. And, the more community members who are trained to perform CPR and properly use an AED (automated external defibrillator), the safer our communities will be in the event of a health emergency.

On December 8, 25 people from seven local churches (Bible Way Temple NationCornerstone FoundationEbenezer Pentecostal ChurchGrace Worship Center ChurchNew Dimension Christian Center, New River Community Church, and Our Savior Lutheran Church) participated in a training for adult, child and infant CPR, AED and choking that was offered through UA’s Revitalize initiative. By becoming certified in these critical skills, they are making their ministries safer and helping their cities and towns maintain their designations as HEARTsafe communities, which are communities that have a number of citizens trained in CPR, public access to AEDs, designated first responders and additional supports in place.

Revitalize is an Urban Alliance initiative to help churches and ministry organizations reach and serve people with physical health needs so they are able to experience and maintain a lifestyle of wellness.

To learn more about how your church or ministry organization may participate in Revitalize, contact Angela Colantonio, Urban Alliance’s Director of Implementation, Health & Basic Needs Initiatives, at angela.colantonio@urbanalliance.com or 860.986.7328.


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The staff at Urban Alliance are familiar with Pastor Frank because he is a regular attendee to many of the trainings Urban Alliance provides on subjects like domestic violence, addressing childhood trauma, and better counseling techniques. “That’s been so valuable to me to be able to bring that back, not only in my counseling but also in my teaching and preaching ministries, “ shared Termine.

Pastor Frank was also one of the original members of the Micah group, a group of pastors that meets at Urban Alliance to discuss and strategize about challenging issues that face the church today. One of those earlier discussions on justice, incarceration, and returning citizens was particularly memorable. “We all lamented the fact that these men and women were coming out of prison into our churches and just kind of being thrown there,” said Termine, “We could do better than this.” That discussion planted the seeds that eventually led to the creation of Second Chance Churches – an opportunity for churches to provide support and mentoring to returning citizens that continues today.

When we asked Pastor Frank what he would say to another church that was unaware of Urban Alliance, he said, “If you are looking to get out in the community and make a difference in the community, Urban Alliance is a super way to do it. We’re a small church … we can’t do everything. Urban Alliance is a pathway to get our people involved in ministries that are already doing it, doing it well, and just need extra volunteers.”

Pastor Frank Termine’s story embodies many things we are trying to accomplish at Urban Alliance: supporting organizations in the communities they serve with training, resources, and opportunities to make a difference. Pastors and non-profit leaders face a wide range of challenges and, therefore, need a wide range of help and resources. Your support can help turn stories of struggle into stories like you find at Calvary Church.

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