The Christ Church Care and Crisis Centre has been established to offer support to victims of abuse in the local community.
Centre manager Kathy Combrinck said, “The centre is a ministry of Christ Church Midrand. It’s one of the ways that we want to love our neighbours and give them support, specifically in the areas of abuse and unplanned pregnancy.”
The counselling ministry in the church has been in operation for four years and the centre acts as a formalisation of their work by establishing a designated area to give assistance to those in need.
She said, “What we offer is counselling support for those struggling in the area and you can meet with others, and here is a safe space for a connection and support… Which is critical to overcoming any adversity. Having a support structure assists people.”
The centre offers biblical counselling, which is offered to all from various denominations. On the difference between biblical and secular counselling, Combrinck added, “The way I usually explain it is that secular counselling is centred around the counsellee while biblical counselling is centred around Jesus.”
The centre also offers group therapy bringing people with similar experiences to create a structure of support for one other.
Along with the counselling and group sessions, the centre offers assistance through a range of networks in the Midrand area. “The third leg of our centre is a network of referring people to the right place… For example, people who suffer from domestic abuse need to know how to get a protection order, or to know how to find a shelter. We want to be able to put people with experience of domestic abuse or unplanned pregnancies to know that there is assistance nearby.”
The centre will officially open on 27 October and has two counsellors currently working at the centre, alongside a number of volunteers.
Details: For more information, visit www.christchurchmidrand.co.za
