Methodist Brings "Perceptions" Back to Radio Drive Time

Many from the Memphis area may remember the inspirational radio spots ending with, "These are my perceptions..."

"Methodist Healthcare will now take Perceptions® and transform it into a spiritual, physical and mental health care initiative," said Rev. Rick Kirchoff, who recently became a part-time Associate with the Faith and Health Division at Methodist Healthcare and who will be the voice of Perceptions® for Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare.

The one minute broadcasts can be heard Monday through Friday mornings during prime drive time on four Memphis radio stations. "They are a perfect fit with Methodist’s faith-based mission and a great opportunity to reinforce Methodist Healthcare's new tagline ‘Be Treated Well,'" said Kirchoff.

Perceptions® is a radio outreach program originally developed in 1972 for Christ United Methodist Church by Durelle Durham, then a Memphis advertising executive. Eventually used by many congregations across the nation, the radio spots are one-minute lessons that help people focus on faith and life issues.

Years later, Kirchoff, then pastor of Germantown United Methodist Church, decided to try Perceptions®, achieving significant success. The program added hundreds of members to the church, many with no faith background at all.

Kirchoff is already writing scripts that are more health and mental health related.

"About half of the Perceptions scripts will deal with health issues and many will be designed to quietly de-stigmatize mental health issues so people will be more open to asking for help," he said. "That’s part of the issue in the South. Most people tend not to ask for help."

The focus on mental health via the radio spots will lay the foundation for a new mental health initiative that Methodist will launch later this year.