On October 29-30, 2024, with the blessing of Metropolitan Vasily of Ekaterinodar and Kuban, Krasnodar hosted the V Interregional Conference «Family Circle» on church assistance to families, including families in difficult life situations.
The V Interregional Conference «Family Circle» on church assistance to families, including families in difficult life situations.
The two-day conference was held with the support of the Synodal Department for Church Charity and Social Ministry, the social department of the Ekaterinodar Eparchy, the non-profit organization «Blagoy dar Kuban» and the Governor of Kuban. It was attended by experts from ten regions of Russia, more than 50 people in face-to-face and online format — Metropolitan Vasily of Ekaterinodar and Kuban, President of the charity foundation «Women for Life» Natalia Moskvitina, staff of the Synodal Department for Charity, heads of social departments of dioceses, representatives of authorities and social institutions of Krasnodar Krai. The theme of the conference was the prospects for the development of social projects to help families with children and interaction between the Church, state and society.
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«From the bottom of my heart, I thank you for your hard work to help the "small Church," as the family is called, — Archpriest Michael Potokin said in a video message. — It is gratifying that over the past five years it has been possible to unite the efforts of the people of the Church and all like-minded people for whom helping families — is a ministry, as well as to create a system of fruitfully developing social projects to support motherhood and childhood »
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The interregional conference was held in two formats — face-to-face and online. The program of the two-day convention included panel expert sessions, round tables and master classes. Specialists in the field of social ministry discussed key aspects of supporting pregnant women and mothers, prevention of family dysfunction and revival of family values. Special attention was paid to the work of crisis centers and practical methods of assistance.
Panel expert session «Prospects for the development of key social projects to help families with children — interaction of the Church, state and society» was headed by Svetlana Cherenkova, head of family assistance of the Synodal Department for Charity. «It is very joyful that every year thanks to the conference the laborers of the Church gather, who It is important to have such face-to-face interaction with church professionals, training and exchange of experience. — It is important to have an opportunity for such face-to-face interaction for church professionals, training and sharing experience. I hope that the geography of conference participants will grow every year, and professionals helping families will become even more numerous.
In the course of the session «Key areas of assistance to families in the Church» employees of the Synodal Department for Charity shared their experience of working with families and discussed the prospects for the development of projects. Maria Studenikina, the head of maternity protection, spoke about the activities of church crisis centers. Over the last 13 years the number of church shelters for women has grown from 1 to 86. There are also 267 humanitarian aid centers, where they receive and distribute items to families with many children and single mothers. Help is provided free of charge regardless of nationality or religion.
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Director of the Center for Family Placement and Church Care for Children Alexandra Arakelova shared stories of orphans who have found new families. Veronika Leontieva, head of the Center for Assistance to People with Disabilities, spoke about interaction with families where children with disabilities grow up. Head Svetlana Cherenkova raised the topic of organizing social work in the parish.
News and stories about the Church's social ministry are published in the Telegram channel «Affairs of the Church» and in the groups of the Synodal Department for Charity in VK, OK, on Youtube channel.
You can help refugees and affected civilians at helpvbede.rf. You can support church social projects on the online platform of the Synodal Department for Charity «Let's help».
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