Family Care Ministries
The Family Care Ministry began over ten years ago as a cooperative ministry between the Hoyleton Children’s Home and several UCC churches located in the Illinois South Conference. The primary goal of the group has always been to provide low cost Christian counseling for those who otherwise would probably need get the professional helping hand they need. Mary Ann Serkin, Family Care’s counselor, meets with clients in Freeburg at an office provided by St. Paul UCC. Fees are charged on a sliding scale, but no one is ever turned away. The sponsor churches make up whatever difference exists between Mary Ann’s fees and a client’s ability to pay.
Through the years, the Family Care ministry has also provided a variety of other programs, including confirmation discussion groups, grief support groups, and parenting seminars. Currently, the group is exploring the possibility of introducing in home health care for the elderly to the area.
Member churches of the Family Care ministry are currently UCC congregations in New Athens, Darmstadt, Biddleborn, Lenzburg, Marissa, Freeburg, Smithton, and Millstadt.