Agape Ministry - Alfred Street Baptist Church

The AGAPE Ministry
Director: Andrea Boudreaux

The month of April has been designated “Black Mental Health Month” and we are so excited to present AGAPE (Achieving Growth and Awareness through Psychological Empowerment) to Alfred Street Baptist Church. We are living in a time where these alarming facts are plaguing OUR community.

The rate of increase of depression among children is 23%
20% of women are clinically depressed
54% of people believe that depression is a personal problem
41% of depressed women are too embarrassed to seek help
92% of African American males suffering from depression do no seek therapy
15% of depressed people will commit suicide annually
Suicide is the third leading cause of death among black men ages 15-24
One out of four adults suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder annually
Mental disorders are the leading cause of disability for persons ages 15-44

AGAPE is an umbrella ministry comprised of four branches, which include:

Counseling/Therapy – this component of the ministry will provide assessment and referrals to our members and residents of our community, in order to help bring people and services together. We are not a counseling center and at this time will can only provide assessments and referrals.
Divorce Care/Grief Share – this component of the ministry will provide a comforting place to help divorced or separated members find hope and healing. You need the help and encouragement of others as you attempt to heal and restore balance to your life. Through DivorceCare, you will be encouraged, receive needed information, and have an ongoing “support team” as you deal with the issues surrounding separation or divorce.
Grief Share – is designed to assist members at any stage of bereavement to begin the healing process. Hearing the stories of others helps you to realize you are not alone as you go through one of life’s most difficult experiences. Find comfort and care to help you heal.
Executive Coaching – this component of the ministry offers assistance to individuals that are having difficulty on the job and in need of professional development.
Education – this component of the ministry will provide education to the membership (and local community) regarding mental health and the importance of seeking help. All too often individuals are afraid to seek help because of the stigma associated with “therapy”! We will provide educational sessions to begin breaking down the negative thoughts associated with mental health. Please join us during CLI July 19-23 as we present “Living Abundantly”. We hope this week long session will richly bless your life, as we explore the issue of depression and how to overcomes the challenged faced by those who are depressed.