Resources
Spiritual Enrichment Program
The Spiritual Enrichment Program is made possible through the support of private donors and the Carson-Myre Charitable Foundation. Participation is voluntary for Merryman House clients.
The mission of Merryman House’s Spiritual Enrichment Program is to:
Anchor
survivors in the Christian faith to strengthen their resiliency.
Restore
the relationship between survivors and their place of worship through innovative partnerships.
Serve
the faith community by providing guidance on how to appropriately recognize and respond to domestic violence in the church.
More About
OUR PROGRAM
Merryman House’s Spiritual Enrichment Program seeks to meet survivors of intimate partner violence where they are. The program is designed to gently guide clients to God’s word as they each navigate their unique journey to the healing of their mind, body, and spirit.
The Spiritual Enrichment team, along with church partners and volunteers, encourages survivors in their faith journey, equipping them with knowledge and understanding of scripture, while helping them to answer difficult questions like:
"Does God still love me?"
Does He care?
How could He allow this to happen?”
Our program is a safe place for those questions to be asked, and answered.
Anchoring
Anchoring survivors in the Christian faith to strengthen their resiliency through the following:
- One-on-one discipleship and prayer.
- Providing Bibles for every age and ability.
- Access to spiritual library, including studies, books, and resources across denominations of Christian faith.
- List of local church services offered online and in person.
- Offering programming with a non-judgmental, theologically-sound approach.
- Programming may include the exploration of the Bible, worship services, family Bible lessons, and more.
Restoring
Restoring Relationships between survivors and their place of worship through innovative partnerships with local churches, community
partners, and Christian services specialists, etc.
- Providing transportation for clients to the church service of their choice.
- Connecting clients to local Bible studies and groups.
- Providing clients with education on maintaining healthy relationships.
- Providing referrals to additional providers and professionals who align with the client’s faith orientation (e.g. Christian counselors, recovery specialists, etc.).
Serving
Providing guidance to the faith community on how to appropriately recognize and respond to domestic violence in the church. Training faith leaders and members on how to set a culture where disclosures of abuse are taken seriously. And, supporting local
churches as they work with survivors within their congregations and communities when disclosures are made.
- Training provided through The Nehemiah Project, an annual conference connecting expert domestic violence educators and faith leaders with local pastors, clergy and congregations.
- Participation in Domestic Violence Awareness Month through Purple Sunday.
- Spiritual Enrichment provides education and resource materials for each church.
- Quarterly church leader breakfast, offering Domestic Violence 101 training and a Merryman House main campus tour.
- More in-depth church trainings and referrals available.
The Nehemiah Project
When survivors of domestic violence don’t know where to turn or who to trust, they often turn to the church. Does your church know how to respond properly to them? As a professional interacting with survivors, do you know how to collaborate with the church to rebuild faith as a protective factor? The Merryman House Spiritual Enrichment Program invites you to The 4th Annual Nehemiah Project on March 28 at the Paducah Convention Center.
Experts from around the country will train attendees through responding to different aspects of domestic violence in three areas: Faith, Clinical and Legal. CEUs are available through the Kentucky Board of Social Work, and are pending through the Board of Psychology for Clinical Track attendees. CLEs are available for Legal Track attendees.
See our speaker lineup and register today at the link below!
