FAITH Cardiovascular Health & Wellness Program

08/01/2025

🌞 Hello, August! As we move through the second half of the year, it’s a good time to pause, reset, and recommit to caring for our whole selves, mind, body, and heart.

Just like sunlight helps things grow, your wellness practices help you shine from the inside out. Let’s keep prioritizing our health and showing up for ourselves and our communities. Wishing you all a blessed August💛

07/30/2025

In Case You Missed It: The Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder recently featured Pastor Carl Johnson for his leadership in opening Storehouse Grocer—a grocery store launched out of his church, Faith City Church, on St. Paul’s East Side.

This inspiring initiative brings food justice and healthier options directly to the community, addressing food insecurity and helping eliminate health disparities.

At FAITH, we believe pastors and churches are powerful agents of health equity and Pastor Johnson’s efforts show just how vital faith-based leadership is to building healthier communities.

👏 We celebrate Storehouse Grocer and Pastor Johnson for this important step toward better access, better health, and a better future for St. Paul residents.

Storehouse Grocer & Coffee is a Black-owned, worker-owned grocery store bringing food justice and cultural connection to St. Paul’s East Side.

07/28/2025

📣 Mark your calendars! The Balm In Gilead is hosting its 12th Annual Healthy Churches 2030 Virtual Conference from November 17–19!

This year’s theme, “The Future of Our Health,” reflects a shared mission to equip congregations and communities with the tools to reduce health disparities and build a healthier future.

Each year, The Balm In Gilead honors a church with the Best Practice Award for outstanding health ministry. At FAITH, we see firsthand the powerful role churches play in promoting health and wellness. Through our program, we partner with incredible congregations that are deeply committed to keeping their communities healthy, informed, and connected. That’s why it’s especially meaningful to see the important work that churches are doing in the community wellness space be recognized, celebrated, and nurtured during the conference.

💻 Join the Balm in Gilead for this powerful, one-of-a-kind virtual gathering of faith leaders, health professionals, caregivers, and community members who are all working toward a healthier future.

The 12th Annual Healthy Churches 2030 Conference

07/21/2025

Congratulations to Dr. Helayna Abraham of the Baylor Heart and Vascular Institute in Dallas, TX, on the publication of her co-authored article in Frontiers in Digital Health!

🫀 The article, “The HEALERS: A Patient, Community, and Stakeholder Advisory Board Focus Group Series to Refine a Novel Virtual World-Based Cardiac Rehabilitation Intervention and Clinical Trial,” highlights a groundbreaking effort to reshape cardiac rehab using community voice, digital innovation, and culturally relevant care.

🌍 This open-access study shows how collaboration with patients and communities can lead to more inclusive, engaging, and effective approaches to heart health, especially for those too often left out of traditional care models.

📖 Read and share the full article here: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fdgth.2025.1427539

We're proud to celebrate Dr. Abraham and this visionary work advancing equity and innovation in cardiovascular care!

07/21/2025

Celebrate 91 years of Black excellence, community, and cultural legacy with the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder on their Legacy Yacht Cruise! As the oldest Black-owned newspaper in Minnesota, MSR has been a powerful voice and vital partner in uplifting stories that strengthen our communities, including the work of our Faith! team.

Join them Friday, August 15, 2025, from 6–10 PM aboard the Majestic Star in Stillwater for an unforgettable evening of live music, games, prizes, an unlimited buffet, and more — all while cruising the beautiful St. Croix River.

🎟️ Tickets: $80 general | $70 for seniors (65+)�📍 Location: Stillwater River Boats, 525 S Main St, Stillwater, MN

Let’s honor 91 years of impact and chart a bold course for the future together!

Set Sail with Us! Date: Friday, August 15, 2025Time: 6:00 – 10:00 PMGeneral Boarding: 5:00 PMLocation: Stillwater River Boats, 525 South Main Street, Stillwater, MNCost: $80 per person | $70 Seniors (Ages 65+) Celebrate 91 years of Black excellence, community, and legacy as we cruise the St. Croix...

07/15/2025

July is Minority Mental Health Month, a time to uplift the mental well-being of BIPOC communities and shine a light on the systems that impact our health and humanity. One of the most powerful forces shaping our mental health? Policy.

We’d like to point you to a powerful event happening tonight hosted by The Balm In Gilead: a Fireside Chat featuring Pamela Price and special guest Rev. CeCe Jones-Davis as they explore how policy and culture influence our mental health — and how faith and community leaders can support healing and resilience.


📅 Date: Tuesday, July 15, 2025
🕖 Time: 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM EST
🎟️ Register using the EventBrite link below
📺 Watch live at the on Youtube, Facebook, or LinkedIn!

Join us for a Fireside Chat on Health & Humanity - it's a free live stream event you won't want to miss!

07/07/2025

07/04/2025

"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free." -Galatians 5:1

Today we celebrate freedom!

Not just as a nation, but in our daily walk of faith, health, and hope.

May your day be filled with peace, wellness, joy, and time with those you love.

07/01/2025

We are delighted to introduce Cierren, our new Community Relations Coordinator. She joined our team at the end of May and has already provided invaluable support to the FAITH! team and Dr. LaPrincess Brewer! 🎉

06/24/2025

Reflecting on at the Capitol + Community Events to Explore:
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We hope you had a meaningful Juneteenth and were able to attend a community celebration that honored the spirit of freedom, resilience, and Black joy.

One powerful event was the Anika Foundation’s Juneteenth Celebration at the Minnesota State Capitol on June 21. From 12–6 PM, the Capitol grounds came alive with music, inspiring speakers, local vendors, and a vibrant gathering of community members committed to celebrating culture, honoring our history, and envisioning a more just future.
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🗓️ Still looking for ways to commemorate Juneteenth?

We encourage you to attend these upcoming community events hosted by the Minnesota Humanities Center:

🎬 Reconstruction: Deconstructed – Film & Community Conversation https://www.mnhum.org/event/minneapolis-reconstruction-destructed-film-community-conversation/

📅 June 25 | 6–9 PM
📍 Capri Theater, Minneapolis

An evening of film and dialogue exploring the legacy of Reconstruction and its relevance today

🎭 Kumbayah: The Juneteenth Story https://www.mnhum.org/event/st-paul-kumbayah-the-juneteenth-story-special-edition/

📅 June 27 | 2–4 PM
📍 The O’Shaughnessy at St. Catherine University, St. Paul

A theatrical production bringing the story of Juneteenth to life through powerful music, movement, and storytelling.
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📌 To learn more about upcoming events and ways to support these organizations, visit:

🌐 The Anika Foundation - https://www.theanikafoundation.org/
🌐 Minnesota Humanities Center - https://www.mnhum.org/

06/23/2025

The FAITH! Program hopes you had a joyful and meaningful Juneteenth! 🎉 As we reflect on the power of freedom and the strength of our communities, we give thanks to God for how far we've come and look ahead with faith, hope, and love.

"Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom." -2 Corinthians 3:17

Let us keep walking in truth, standing for justice, and loving one another as Christ calls us to.

- The FAITH! Team

06/03/2025

Our Research Fellow Dr. Mathias Lalika is sharing a poster presentation all about our "Techquity by FAITH!" study at on this rainy Tuesday! ☔️ LaPrincess Brewer