Soaring obesity rates in the United States demand comprehensive health intervention strategies that simultaneously address dietary patterns, physical activity, psychosocial factors and the food environment. Healthy Bodies, Healthy Souls (HBHS) is a church-based, community-participatory, cluster-randomized health intervention trial conducted in…

Zimbabwean economic migrants and political refugees have been given refuge and provided with shelter at the Central Methodist Church (CMC) Refugee House, in central Johannesburg. The refugees have successfully initiated learning and training programmes which resulted in the establishment of a combined school, namely "St. Albert Street Refugee…

Describes the Archdiocese of Chicago's Sharing program, in which affluent parishes link up with their poorer counterparts to form friendships, solve problems, and overcome the anonymity of charitable work. Reveals outcomes including the annual sharing of $2 million among parishes. Offers examples of parish-to-parish support and suggestions for…

Describes OCTOPUS (Open Communication Regarding Teenagers or Parents Understanding of Sexuality), which was established as a forum for family discussion within a church setting. The program was designed to enhance communication skills, convey information, and help teenagers acquire appropriate morals and values. Feedback from four churches…

This report presents a summary of the experiences shared and presentations at a meeting attended by 20 women from different cultures, backgrounds, and situations who met to consider the role of women in the media, the responsible use of media, and the image of women portrayed there. Their main task was to find ways of helping the three sponsoring…

After discussing the church's increasing role in career development activities for youth, particularly high school students, the authors describe the Second Presbyterian Church's (Knoxville, Tennessee) career development program for grades 9-12, involving its ministers, religious education specialists, and laymen. The four steps in the program are…

Church-based programs for caregivers of black elders have emerged from both demographic and cultural factors. To investigate the effectiveness of a training program for caregivers of noninstitutionalized elders, 95 Washington, D.C. adults (99% black, 87% female), who were providing caregiving assistance to an older adult, completed a 12-hour…

The successful partnership in education established between churches and community colleges in the Dallas area is reviewed in this paper. First, the background to local church involvement in ministering to the colleges is described, and the reasons for working jointly are outlined. Then, the development of campus ministries and ministry councils…

Presents the Marriage and Family Awareness Program, a three-stage model for Christian counseling, consisting of a James Dobson film, parent groups, and follow-up counseling. The program was offered to over 100 persons in Texas churches. Feedback from participants was positive. Elements of each session are described. (JAC)

Prepared by the Standing Rock Sioux Tribal Library, this directory cites the existing services and their sponsoring agencies found today on the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation which lies in both North and South Dakota. The various services are listed according to: (1) Government Organizations; (2) Educational Institutions; (3) Social Services such…

Describes and discusses the development of the Chautauqua movement in the late nineteenth century, its success, and its impact on American education and culture. Started to improve Methodist Sunday School teaching, the movement grew to educational facilities for liberal educational programs, combined with recreational experience. (MF)

To discover common concerns and areas of joint effort and actions of churches and community colleges is the purpose of this study. This preliminary report covers the first two phases of the study: recruitment and planning and educational. Participants were representatives from churches and community colleges from six areas of New York and…

Since 1978, the Diocese of Oakland, California, has operated the Family Aid-Catholic Education (FACE) program, which raises funds from local businesses and philanthropic organizations to provide partial tuition assistance to deserving low income families and to offer supplemental funding for innovative programing to inner-city Catholic schools.…

This resource guide was developed to promote the National Observance of Children's Sabbaths, a program of prayer, education, community service, and advocacy with and on behalf of children. The guide provides materials for planning, promoting, and implementing a Children's Sabbath specific to particular faith traditions and recounts the experiences…

Changes in the churches and in higher education today are leading to new kinds of roles in campus ministry for laypersons and professional staff. Traditionally, the campus minister has been a direct service provider, with parish clergy and laypersons functioning in secondary back-up roles. These traditional roles are currently being challenged by…