First Congregational Church in Mount Vernon will resume its "Love Lives Here" campaign with a new program called "Health, Healing and Fitness Ministry."
Steve Hatfield, a martial arts instructor and long-time resident of Mount Vernon, will lead the new ministry.
“Steve and I have been talking for a number of months about a physical health ministry and recently decided to phase it in during the pandemic," said pastor Scott Elliott. "We decided to start with a Chi-Gong class. This is a time of great need for spiritual practice classes, and Steve is among the best I know in his field. Later in 2022, we hope to add some of Steve’s other popular classes on fitness and self-defense to the ministry.”
The Chi-Gong classes will take place every Saturday from 11 am to noon in the church sanctuary. The address of the church is 200 North Main St., Mount Vernon. There is no cost to attend the classes, but goodwill offerings are welcome. Participants must have a COVID vaccination and wear a mask.
“'Chi' is usually translated as life force or energy," said instructor Steve Hatfield. "'Gong' means work, effort or cultivation. But I like how my Chi-Gong teacher, Frank Chan, put it in the inscription he wrote for me in his book Body and Mind Method. He wrote, ‘Chi is love, share with others.’ This concept of Chi as love has transformed my practice. Chi-Gong was not only a way to prevent illness and heal the body; it became a spiritual practice. One of the many things I like about this practice is that it can be done at different levels. It can be done to simply strengthen the body or for more flexibility. It can be used to relax the body and calm the mind. It can be used to prevent or heal disease and can be done as a spiritual practice.”
For more information on the weekly Chi-Gong classes, send an email to stevehatfieldkenpo@gmail.com or call Mount Vernon First Congregational Church at 740-393-1736.
