By Mark Ambrogi
As many people set their resolutions for the New Year, Carmel Christian Church senior pastor Jerry Zehr wants to lend a hand.
His church is holding a six-week program, focusing on the fusion of body, mind and spirit from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. Saturdays starting Jan. 7 and ending Feb. 11 at Carmel Christian Church, 463 E. Main St.
Personal trainer Manny Edwards and nutritionist Mataya Pottschmidt will join Zehr.
“I give the spiritual component,” Zehr said. “The idea is it’s a accountability group so it helps people who want to work on their eating, or maybe they want to work on losing weight or work on strengthening their physical ability or maybe they want to find some inner peace or find a balance.”
Zehr, a Disciples of Christ minister, has written a devotional booklet called “40 Days That Can Change Your Life.” It includes daily questions and things for participants to reflect upon each day.
“We meet every Saturday to check in with each other and learn a new aspect,” Zehr said. “There will always be a period of a half-hour of movement, exercise and nutrition.”
Zehr said he reflects how over the past 20 years he has attained his goals of stopping smoking, losing 20 pounds, writing a novel, running a marathon and building a loving, healthy marriage. Zehr said he reached those goals by following six spiritual principles.
The only cost of the program is $10 for the booklet.
“We’re not trying to make money from it,” Zehr said. “We’re trying to do it for the whole community.”
Zehr said participants don’t have to attend his church or any church for that matter.
“It’s about spirituality,” Zehr said. “It’s for people who want to work on their inner life, physical life and healthy life. They can just come the first week and check it out. Each week is on its own.”
Edwards is the founder and a performance director of Edwards Athletic Performance. Pottschmidt is on Edwards’ staff as a nutrition consultant and performance coach.
Those with questions should contact [email protected].
