First Corinthians Baptist Church

Scripture

Exodus 14:20-24 KJV

20 And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these: so that the one came not near the other all the night.

21 And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the Lord caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.

22 And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.

23 And the Egyptians pursued, and went in after them to the midst of the sea, even all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots, and his horsemen.

24 And it came to pass, that in the morning watch the Lord looked unto the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of the cloud, and troubled the host of the Egyptians,.

Announcements

FCBC Family and Friends Day Crab Feast tickets are for sale: Sunday, September 15, 2024, 2:00pm – 6:00pm, Donation $70.00 See flyer for more information.

Trapped in Chocolate
Today’s Scripture & Insight:
Jeremiah 38:1-10
Two workers at a Mars candy factory in Pennsylvania fell into a large vat of chocolate. This might sound like the beginning of a joke—and perhaps a lovely predicament to chocolate lovers! But the men—though unhurt—were waist-deep in the confection and couldn’t get out on their own. Firefighters ultimately had to cut a hole in the side of the vat to deliver them to safety.
When the prophet Jeremiah found himself at the bottom of a mud-filled cistern, the story was anything but sweet. As a messenger to God’s people in Jerusalem, he’d proclaimed the urgency for them to leave the city because it would soon “be given into the hands of the army of the king of Babylon” (Jeremiah 38:3). Some of King Zedekiah’s officials demanded Jeremiah be “put to death” because they claimed his words were “discouraging the soldiers” (v. 4). The king consented and they “lowered Jeremiah by ropes into the cistern” where he “sank down into the mud” (v. 6).
When another of the king’s officials—a foreigner, no less—advocated for Jeremiah’s well-being, saying the others had “acted wickedly,” Zedekiah realized he’d made a mistake and ordered Ebed-Melek to lift Jeremiah “out of the cistern” (vv. 9-10).
Even when we’re doing the right thing—as Jeremiah was—we might sometimes feel like we’re stuck in the mud. Let’s ask God to lift our spirits as we wait for His help in the troubles we face.
By: Kirsten Holmberg
Source: https://odb.org/2024/07/07/trapped-in-chocolate

National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month

By USCRI July 1, 2024
July is National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month and USCRI recognizes the importance of enhancing public awareness of the unique strengths and mental health challenges that underrepresented and underserved communities of color face and promoting effective strategies that eradicate stigma, break down barriers, and ensure equitable access to culturally responsive mental health support. In recognizing the significance of inclusive, person-first language and respecting the self-identification and personhood of all people and communities of color, the term Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) will be used going forward instead of the term ‘minority.’
The U.S. is more diverse and multiracial than ever before. Over 40% of the U.S. population are BIPOC (U.S. Census, 2020) and 13.9% of the U.S. population in 2022 were foreign-born immigrants (U.S. Census, 2024). Despite the growing diversity of the U.S. population – a growth trend projected to continue – BIPOC communities continue to fare worse across various measures of health, mental health, health care, and social determinants of health. These longstanding systemic disparities are rooted in historical and ongoing racism and ethnic discrimination and have a significant impact on the physical and mental health of BIPOC communities. As a result, BIPOC communities face unique challenges that negatively impact their mental health and lived experiences. Consider the following:
Approximately 23% of all adults in the U.S. have a mental illness (Reinert et al., 2022).
Although rates of mental illness in some BIPOC groups are comparable or slightly lower than in White people, mental illness among BIPOC is likely to be more persistent and BIPOC often bear a disproportionately high burden of disability resulting from mental illnesses (APA, n.d.). Research suggests that a lack of culturally sensitive screening tools that detect mental illness, coupled with structural barriers could contribute to underdiagnosis of mental illness among people of color (Ndugga et al., 2024).
People who identify as being two or more races (25%) are most likely to report any mental illness within the past year than any other race/ethnic group (MHA, n.d.).
In 2022, among adults with any mental illness, Hispanic (40%), Black (38%), and Asian (36%) adults were less likely than White adults (56%) to receive mental health services (Ndugga et al., 2024).
Nearly one-third of Muslim Americans perceived discrimination in health care settings (Aftab & Khandai, 2018).
About one out of three asylum seekers and refugees experience high rates of depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD; Turrini et al., 2017). Approximately 3% of refugees are referred to mental health services after receiving a screening (Song & Teichholtz, n.d.).
In general, BIPOC groups are less likely to access and seek out mental health services and are more likely to receive poor quality of care or services that are not linguistically or culturally appropriate. What factors contribute to these disparities?
Systemic racism and discrimination can contribute to mental health disparities in BIPOC communities. For example, most BIPOC groups have lower levels of educational attainment and median net worth and are less likely to own a home or have access to a vehicle compared to their White counterparts (Ndugga et al., 2024). Research has consistently shown associations between social determinants of health, such as lower socioeconomic status, lower educational attainment, unemployment or underemployment, and inadequate housing and higher rates of psychological distress, depression, anxiety, and PTSD (Hynie, 2018; Li et al., 2016; Ndugga et al., 2024; Ziersch et al., 2020). Direct experiences of racism or discrimination against BIPOC have been associated with depression, anxiety, mistrust, hypertension, hypervigilance, obesity, substance use, and less sense of belonging and control (Ndugga et al., 2024; Ziersch et al., 2020). Systemic racism and experiences of racial or ethnic discrimination also contribute to barriers in seeking and receiving appropriate mental health care. The lack of diversity among mental health providers can create a gap in experiences and understanding between providers and BIPOC seeking support.
For many BIPOC communities, the stigma attached to mental health can serve as a deterrent to seeking help. This stigma can stem from historical experiences, cultural norms and beliefs, misconceptions, and fears of being judged or misunderstood.
For more info See Source: https://refugees.org/national-minority-mental-health-awareness-month/