Over 120 million people use alcohol at one time or another. Not all become full-fledged alcoholics, but they do develop an alcohol problem that needs careful and sensitive pastoral care to understand the underlying issues for their alcohol abuse. Because of this, clergy and other pastoral counselors need to develop competence in recognizing alcohol abuse problems, including alcoholism, identifying when to make referrals, helping persons to find available community resources, and training congregational members to provide support to affected individuals and families.

""The essays in this book stress the importance of grandparents as bearers of the history, the values, and the traditions of each of the tribal units . . . The essays in this book take us into different tribal gatherings with their stories of family struggles and growth. They invite us to explore our memories of what we have experienced with our own grandparents and what we might yet find time to do with succeeding generations. We are shaped by our past and we have the capacity to shape those that come after us. What an opportunity; what a challenge."" --from the Foreword by James M. Wall,...