Creating Hope is Samaritan’s annual event supporting their Mental Health Ministry — a program that equips faith leaders, educators, and helping professionals to respond with compassion, skill, and spiritual insight to today’s mental health challenges. This year’s event features Dr. Andrew Root, who is a professor, theologian, and author, widely recognized for his work on faith formation, youth ministry, and the shifting role of spirituality in modern life.

Topics for the event include:

Living in an Age of Many Spiritualities

In a time when religion is questioned but spirituality is everywhere, Dr. Root explores why people are drawn to so many forms of spiritual expression — and how faith leaders can help their communities discern what truly nourishes the soul.

Living in an Era of Over-Parenting: Moving from the Thing to the Story

As youth ministry gets crowded out by busy schedules, this talk offers a refreshing shift in perspective — reclaiming storytelling and presence as the heart of spiritual formation for the next generation.

The event will be hosted by First Congregational UCC, Appleton, on September 18, 2025, from 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM.

Learn more and register here.