support groups

From July’s InterConnections feature story, now online at UUA.org:

Earlier this year the Rev. Ralph Mero, a retired Unitarian Universalist minister, formed a men’s group at the congregation led by his wife, the Rev. Deborah Mero, for the study of scripture. But it wasn’t long before a different issue took over the group.

Members of the group, at the Unitarian Fellowship of West Chester, Pa., began sharing not scripture passages, but stories of losing their jobs or struggling with less than ideal work situations. The stories included the litany of problems that go along with job loss—health problems, depression, stress, marital strife, foreclosures.

“Just about every week I would hear of people in our congregation who had been laid off or who were struggling to find replacement work,” says Mero. “Many of these people were over the age of 50 and job loss is especially hard on them,” he noted.

Go to the full article.