Submitted photoNew Pilgrim Missionary Baptist Church, in Hiwannee, is hosting a Men’s Conference from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday.

In an effort to thaw the ice surrounding important health issues and other topics, the New Pilgrim Missionary Baptist Church, in Hiwannee, is hosting a Men’s Conference from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Nov. 11.

The conference will focus on men paired with several issues: physical health, mental health, finances and men’s “spiritual walk with God,” said Rev. Ecclesiastes Goodwin, senior pastor at New Pilgrim Missionary Baptist Church.

The conference follows a women’s conference the church held in September, Goodwin said.

Goodwin explained the way the conference could help men to share ideas about topics that in some cases they’ve been taught, directly or indirectly, to remain silent about. He said physical health issues, for instance, sometimes go unspoken among men.

“Men are taught, ‘Shake it off, sleep it off, you’ll be OK,’” Goodwin said. “We want to bring awareness to those issues.”

A similar kind of expectation sometimes exists regarding mental health issues, Goodwin said.

“We’re taught that men don’t cry — that it’s a sign of weakness,” he said.

Those sorts of statements, Goodwin said, don’t have to be the final words on such difficult problems.

“There’s medical assistance, there’s spiritual assistance,” he said. “All these resources are available, and we just want to bring awareness about them.”

Goodwin said information about resources would be available at the conference. He said the Shubuta Outreach Health Services would also be holding a health clinic during the conference, with various screenings available.

Speakers include include Pastor Paul Ford, of Porterville Zion Missionary Baptist Church, who will present on men and physical health; Brother Curtis Jones, a trustee at New Pilgrim Missionary Baptist Church and an employee of Rush Health Systems, who will present on men and mental health; Brother Phillip Busby, with the Wayne County School District, who will present on men and their finances; and Pastor Maurice Lee, of Macedonia Primitive Baptist Church, who will present on “men and their spiritual walk with God.”

Goodwin said he and others in the church presented a survey to men to determine the best issues to focus on.

The conference, Goodwin said, “is geared toward men, but women are welcome to come.” He said admission is free, with no registration required, and food will be served. People seeking more information may call 601-604-6846.

The church is located at Old Higway 45 Loop Road, Waynesboro (Hiwannee).