Reforming Church Session and Board of Management are excited to announce a new opportunity for our members & adherents to access affordable biblical counselling through Melbourne East Christian Counselling Centre (MECCC) (https://www.meccc.org.au)

The Board has planned to set aside a certain amount of funds for this purpose in the budget each year depending on need. MECCC counselling fees are usually between $75-90 per session.

Subsidies for costs of 50% of 5 counselling sessions are eligible for all members/adherents of Reforming Church. A further 5 sessions may be subsidised, (with up to a maximum of 10 subsidised sessions per calendar year) with any further subsidies at the ultimate discretion of the Session.

About MECCC

MECCC is a group of Christian counsellors with diverse personal and professional backgrounds who work together as a team. We have all had training in the counselling approach of the Christian Counseling and Educational Foundation that was established in Philadelphia in 1968 -  also known as biblical counselling or pastoral counselling.​

They strive to provide quality Christian counselling to people struggling with a wide range of problems. One of their goals is to support and extend the pastoral care and counselling that is provided in churches.

MECCC operates out of a shared office-space next door to the Presbyterian Theological College in Box Hill, Melbourne and currently have 6 counsellors (three male and three female). Appointments can be made in Box Hill, online via video-conferencing or in Bendigo (with Rory).

Melbourne East Christian Counselling Incorporated, an ACNC registered charity, manages the facilities and receives donations and distributes funds to support the provision of Christian counselling services. 

Process 

Members submit a simple request for counselling subsidy form to the Session, who then approve the request for 5 counselling sessions. Further sessions may be approved following a second application for subsidy form.

Steps involved

1. Member/adherent applies to Session using application form.

2. Session gives member approval and provides an individualised code number to use

3. This number is forwarded to Reforming Treasurer.

4. MECCC counsellor provides invoice to Reforming Church treasurer using the individual code number rather than the persons name

5. Invoice also provided to individual member by counsellor (for 50% of fee or otherwise approved)

Applications are now open and may be completed using this form.