KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Some metro churches are offering job seeker support groups to help the unemployed survive the current recession.
“Sometimes you need a place where you can go and say this has been a lousy week,” said Pastor Reverend Russell Brown. “You say I got no returned phone calls. I got letters back from people who said no. I’m just feeling bad.”
Pastor Brown oversees a gathering of unemployed people. It’s part of the Re-Set Ministry at the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas. They offer dozens of free employment services, including a book with open job listings, transition aides, and a computer lab.
The church also has a prayer and support group, where people release their frustration with a small group.
“We’ll talk and ask them, where have you felt anger about the fact that you are unemployed,” said Pastor Brown. “As one person shares their experience, it triggers down to another person who says, yeah, I was there and here is what I did.”
Victoria Kandt with Central United Methodist Church in Kansas City, Missouri, says her congregations started a similar ministry in January. Kandt says layoffs and recession worries started overwhelming some parishoners.
“As a group, we try to keep each other accountable,” Kandt said. “You know, what are two or three things you need to accomplish in the next week that we can hold you accountable for?”
Both groups say they measure success by the size of the crowds gathering for support.
“Hopefully, we’ll have an empty room one of these days,” Kandt said.
Both churches say their programs are free and open to anyone.
