Caring Ministries – The Intercom, September 2019

Addiction Awareness Sunday, September 22
With opioid deaths on the rise, and the overwhelming problem of meth addiction in our communities, getting help is the first line of defense. Oftentimes, though, families struggle to find treatment for a loved one struggling with addiction, especially the right kind of treatment.

OSL’s Addiction Awareness Sunday will be on September 22, at 10:00 a.m., in the Celebrate Center. The discussion will focus on issues surrounding addiction and how they affect the lives of people around us every day.

As part of that morning’s conversation, OSL member Melissa Flynn will share her family’s struggle with addiction. A lifetime Sioux Falls resident, Melissa has three children, including her stepson, Nicholas, who died from an opioid overdose in May 2018 after years of battling addiction.

“I feel like I have an obligation to share what I have been through,” says Melissa. “We’re losing so many people to addiction, and I just feel like this has to stop. We need to help educate families, we need to save lives, we need to end the stigma and allow people to talk about addiction and seek help—and honestly, helping is the only thing that makes me feel better.”

Nicholas’ years-long battle with addiction was tumultuous, isolating and painful for the entire family. Melissa describes their fight with addiction as a giant octopus with an unrelenting clutch. “We would fight to get one tentacle off of us, and then another tentacle would grab us. It was a constant battle with little to no relief,” she says. “The octopus squeezed the air out of our lungs, the joy out of our lives and the money out of our pocket books, but we kept fighting, we kept hoping, we kept loving.”

For loved ones who still feel they are in this position, Melissa’s advice includes education, hope and compassion. “Talk about it, seek help for yourself first and educate yourself,” Melissa says. “I like to say, ‘Lead with love.’ Understand that your loved one is suffering and needs help in the right way. I also want people to know help is possible—it’s okay to hope. Because for so many years, we felt hopeless.”

You are invited to hear more of Melissa’s story on Addiction Awareness Sunday, September 22. Invite a friend or family member who would benefit from learning more about the struggle with addiction.

September Is National Suicide Prevention Month
All this month, mental health advocates, prevention organizations, survivors, allies, and community members across the U.S. will unite to promote suicide prevention awareness.

In Sioux Falls, the Helpline Center is preparing for National Suicide Prevention Week, which is September 8 through 14, and reminding everyone that each of us can play an important role in suicide prevention. Through the Helpline Center (1-800-273-8255), there is always someone available to provide a listening ear.

World Suicide Prevention Day is September 10. It’s a time to remember those affected by suicide, to raise awareness, and to focus efforts on directing treatment to those who need it most.

For more information about suicide prevention—at any time of the year—contact Michelle Anderson, Faith Community Nurse, 336-2942, ext. 48, or mianderson@oslchurch.com.

Summer break is over, and Friendship Club is back, kicking off its fall series with a trip to the Herreid Military Museum in Luverne, Minnesota, on September 10. Note the date! Friendship Club usually meets on the third Tuesday of the month, but due to scheduling issues, this trip will be one week earlier than usual.

The Herreid Museum was born out of the Luverne community’s desire to share the stories of service and sacrifice of WWII veterans, made popular in Ken Burns’ epic documentary, The War. Following a tour of the museum, the group will enjoy lunch at Sterling’s Café. If time permits, we may even take a tour of the historic Palace Theatre, directly across the street from the café. The day’s travel will be by coach, with the cost of transportation being $30 per person. You may sign up at the Information Center, or in the Church Office during the week, to reserve your spot on this fun-filled day of looking back through history.

Come and enjoy the day with your friends, at Friendship Club!