The Living Grace small group program for adults will return to Millersville Community Church, 163 W. Frederick St., Millersville, on Thursday, Aug. 29. The church will also host the first Redefine Grace, a new program that offers similar activities to Living Grace for teenagers and young adults, on Tuesday, Aug. 27.

Both programs will involve regular meetings over a 10-week period: participants in Living Grace will gather at the church every Wednesday at 6:30 p.m., and Redefine Grace will take place from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. every Tuesday. During meetings, group members will discuss topics relating to mental health such as stress, anxiety and depression, and sessions will incorporate Christian themes and references to Scripture.

Living Grace was started by Kelly Dennis, a member of Millersville Community Church's congregation and a mental health professional. Dennis structured the program around a workbook provided by nonprofit organization the Grace Alliance, which offers various materials for small groups to learn about mental health challenges through a faith-based lens. In addition to Scripture, the workbook weaves in scientific research on mental illnesses and exercises for group members to complete between meetings.

Dennis said she felt called to start Living Grace after seeing various mental health issues affect the community as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. This is the fifth Living Grace session Dennis has hosted at Millersville Community Church, and the program has continued to grow in popularity with each session. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, Dennis said she and many of her fellow counselors have noticed issues such as anxiety and depression occurring at a higher rate than normal among teenagers and young adults, prompting Dennis to organize the first Redefine Grace program this year. "I've been talking with other social workers and teachers, and we're seeing that those age groups are struggling and feeling very alone," Dennis said. "Things haven't gotten back on track yet, and there are significant levels of anxiety and depression that are left over."

Although similar to Living Grace's workbook, the materials incorporated in Redefine Grace will explore topics that are more relevant to younger generations, such as how to navigate social media in a healthy way. Each chapter will detail specific methods of coping with stress and strategies to manage conflict, which participants will be encouraged to practice at home outside of sessions.

To register for Living Grace, call Dennis at 717-951-0266 or email kellyfdennis@yahoo.com.