Southwest Georgia Baptist Church is starting a new ministry called Cancer, Care, Connect that will offer support for members of the community who have been impacted by cancer in some way.

Celebrate recovery ministry leader, Dee Humphrey helped start the ministry after meeting with a member who was recently diagnosed with cancer. The member didn’t know what to do or expect and said she felt alone in the matter.

Humphrey knew the member wasn’t alone, as the pastor’s wife, April Phillips also battles cancer.

That’s when he decided that Cancer, Care, Connect could be a place for all people impacted by the disease could gather. The ministry will offer a meal and host a large group session that features speakers each month. The first speakers will be Dr. Walker and Dr. Gap. After the large group session, men and women will be separated into one of two groups: the caregivers and the survivors.

The caregivers group will be for family, children, mothers and fathers who are taking care or have taken care of someone with the disease.

The survivors group will be for anyone who currently has cancer or who is now cancer free. For people who are unable to make the survivors group due to chemo or sickness during their treatment period, Humphrey will be putting the large group spoken word on the Cancer, Care, Connect Facebook page. In order to see the video, members will need to like the page so they can be added and updated in a timely manner.

While the group will offer an opportunity to share individual stories, it will also offer resources.

There will be literature available for people to read up on and there will also be access to applications to get a grant for medical help, while undergoing treatments.

The group not only wants to be a resource, but also an activist in the community. They are hoping to start back up Relay for Life with the help of other local groups and churches. They really want to be an encouragement to the community and give back to them in the way others have given to the church.

Cancer, Care, Connect plans to help everyone involved live by their mission statement: “Finding comfort in the storm,” which comes from the book of Mark chapter four verses 35-40.

“That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” 36 Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. 37 A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. 38 Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”39 He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.40 He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

The group will meet August 13 at 6 p.m. at Southwest Baptist Church, 1101 Faceville Highway. For more information contact chairperson, Lisa Kelley, co-chairs, Denise Laing or Alicia Laing or secretary, Angie Lane.