BOO-Tacular Halloween

Our dedicated Social Workers and Case Manager
BCC’s Senior Leadership Team
Our Training and Human Resources Departments
Our Outpatient Mental Health Clinic
We LOVE our Strawbridge Teachers!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kelsey Managers our Southern Maryland Office Social Workers!
Nicole, representing for our Denton Campus!

Youth in costumes and one of the houses decorated for Halloween!


First time ever pumpkin carving and painting for many of our youth!

 


 

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Behind The Tassel-CJ

A New Path Chosen

Diagnosed with ADD at an early age, C.J. struggled throughout his childhood and was headed down a path of self-destruction. He found himself in jail and was admitted to BCC’s Falling Waters Campus. While he was there, C.J. discovered a sense of community that did wonders for his self esteem and communication skills. C.J. became very active in the local high school while BCC staff kept him on track with his academics. When offered the chance to graduate on stage with his senior class, C.J. chose instead to graduate at Falling Waters. It was one of his proudest moments. After leaving the BCC, C.J. wanted to join the armed forces yet he was unable to score high enough for enlistment. Using the skills learned at the BCC, C.J. studied until he was able to earn the rank of a U.S. Marine.

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Practicing Kindness

I would like to share a link to a brief video that I hope you will find helpful for yourself, for the young people and families with whom you work and for your own family and friends.

It is a way to practice kindness.

We used this as our Centering Moment for the October Senior Leadership Team meeting.  Since then I have found myself intentionally sending kind wishes often.

Right now I pause to offer kind wishes to each of you and pray that the practice of kindness increases in our BCC community and throughout our world. May it begin with me.

On behalf of the Spiritual Life team, God’s peace and loving-kindness to all – Stacey

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Resources in Response to Las Vegas Tragedy

Prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi

Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace;

Where there is hatred, let me sow love;

Where there is injury, pardon;

Where there is doubt, faith;

Where there is despair, hope;

Where there is darkness, light;

And where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master,

Grant that I may not so much seek

To be consoled as to console;

To be understood, as to understand;

To be loved, as to love;

For it is in giving that we receive,

It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,

And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

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Bishop’s Easterling’s Statement Following the Shooting in Las Vegas

October 2, 2017

When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. Psalm 34:17

Beloved of God,

Today we awoke to the news of what is being called the worst mass shooting in modern American history. Yet, these words sound all too familiar. They sound familiar because we heard them after the shooting at the Pulse Night Club in Florida. We heard them after the shooting in San Bernardino, California. We heard them after the unfathomable tragedy at Sandy Hook elementary school. We heard them yet again after bullets rang out at Virginia Tech. We keep hearing them.

And yet, may we never grow numb to the senseless loss of life.

We search for the words to articulate our grief and disbelief. In reality, there simply are no words. Families are shattered and loved ones sit dazed in mourning and anger. A city attempts to come to grips with how a man aimed his weapon at complete strangers and repeatedly pulled the trigger. A nation wonders how we will collectively heal from another horrific mass casualty.

Although we may feel helpless right now, as people of faith we know that prayers are powerful and effective. Therefore, we pray.

We pray: for all those who have learned, and will learn of the death of their loved ones; for those fighting for their lives right now; for first responders who attend to the dying, the suffering, and the bodies of those who have drawn their last breath; for the doctors, nurses, and medical staff who will work tirelessly and selflessly to save lives; for the family of the gunmen who must bear the wrath of acts they did not commit;
for those who cannot muster the faith to pray.

And, as we pray, may we remember that prayer is more than words. Prayer is also action. When we have the opportunity, may we act in concert with our prayers.

Your servant in Christ,
Bishop LaTrelle Miller Easterling

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Sighs too deep for words – Bishop Peggy Johnson

Sighs too deep for words

There is a line in the musical Hamilton that says “I’ve imagined my death so many times that it seems like a memory.”

The senseless slaughter of innocent lives in Las Vegas this week (which left 59 dead so far and over 500 injured) once again thrusts us into an unimaginable image of what it would be like to be in the midst of a mass shooting.  Sadly, it is happening so often in this country, it is beginning to seem like a memory or a repetitive bad dream.

We must pray at this time.  Pray for the families of the victims and the family of the perpetrator.  Pray for those who have been injured and their loved ones.  Pray for all the people who witnessed this scene of terror first-hand, who have nightmares or even survivors’ guilt.

Pray for the first-responders and the people who wish they could have been there to help or hold the hand of a loved one in their last minutes of life.  Pray for all the counselors, pastors, teachers, and parents who are trying to help people get through this tragedy.

When we don’t have the words, we call on the Holy Spirit’s aid. Romans 8:26 says, “The Spirit helps us in our weakness, for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words.”

We also need to search our hearts for something we can do. Mass shootings will continue in this country as long as we have a culture of violence and hatred. We as a church need to be teaching people ways of solving problems peaceably.

We can learn how to recognize signs of alienation and desperation in some persons described as “lone wolf” types. And we can reach out to them in healing ways so that perhaps some tragedies can be prevented. We can promote the inclusion of more mental health services that can be available to all and lessen the stigma that prevents people from getting the help they need.

May we live to see the day when such senseless killings are a past and not present memory in this world of ours.

 

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