Rev. Steve Durkac

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Home | About Me | Merry Medicine Presentations | Merry Medicine - The Book | The Yorkfellows | Storefront | Contact Me

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Laugh More, Live Better

If you are looking for a speaker for your upcoming church, business, or banquet audience, ask me about providing some edu-tainment on the topic of therapeutic laughter and humor.

 

Merry Medicine for the Soul!

One day while working with Hurricane Katrina victims, as a hospital chaplain, I was struck by the quick turn-around one patient took, when he suddenly found something to laugh about. On a follow-up visit, he began to tell me about how he was thinking about something a comedian once talked about.

As I was listening to him tell the story, I wanted to jump in and finish for him - because was reciting an old George Carlin comedy bit, called "Stuff." The bit was one of my favorites!

He shared how he realized that all he lost, was just stuff. He said he got to thinking that he really is thankful that none of loved-ones were lost. I was simple nodding my head, trying not to interrupt. Then he started to recite the comedy bit again, and this time he stopped and said, "Rev, you're smiling...You don't know who George Carlin is do you?"

I said, "George Carlin? Of course I do. Before I was 'Rev' is was 'Irev' - I grew-up in the 70's near Toledo, Ohio - I know George Carlin."

He then said, "Well, then you would remember the bit he did on 'Stuff.' We both rushed to recount that comedy bit and laughed in his hospital room as we took turns reciting the lines to that comedy bit!

I was amazed by the emotional and physical healing that took place for him after that unscheduled session of comedy, humor, and laughter.

That encounter set me off on a serious two year study of the dynamics of humor and laughter and its place in our emotional, physical, and spiritual well being.

In that process, I became a Certified Laughter Leader and discovered medical research and therapeutic practices of laughter that goes beyond entertainment. I  learned that laughter helps us break down communication barriers, it fosters teamwork, it builds employee morale, empowers leadership effectiveness, it increases mental attentiveness, promotes open interaction, it decreases stress hormones, improves the immune system, it boosts good endorphins, it aids in better breathing and it just plain old makes us feel good!

 

Humorous Story Ilustrations - Comedy & Humor

In my presentations, I draw upon the humorous stories and funny experiences from  my life, to help illustrate who we can benefit from laughter and humor within our everyday stress.

I share real-life humor from my days as a child growing up in the 1970's in the small town of Rossford, Ohio, serviing as the pastor of a small family church in the deep South, being a father of four children whose ages span 16 years, getting a phone call from CMT's Redneck Wedding television producer and having to tell him that he was 1 week too late, officiating weddings gone bad, and losing over 100 pounds, 14 belt lopes, and all my wardrobe!

 

Yorkfellow Stories - The Yorkfellows 

You will enjoy my funny stories about the Yorkfellows family from my introduction to being a Yankee pastor in the Southern world of a family-led church, the first First Baptist of Macedonia, South Carolina. The Yorkfellow's give me a vehicle to share the hilarious, but sometimes personal stories of church events and parishioners without embarrassment.

The Yorkfellows family is lead by the matriarch, Ma Yorkfellow and her seven adult children, who are listed from oldest to youngest: LeRoy (Charlene; son Junior) Head deacon of the first First Baptist Church of Macedonia, South Carolina; Rachel (Walter, LeRoy's businessman brother-in-law), Healy, Danielle, Camile, Merrill, and Tad (short for Tadacious).

Some of my Yorkfellows stories are ... 

Ma Yorkfellows and the Harley, LeRoy and the Debate, Junior at the Wedding, Walter and the Auto Accident. Walter Goes to Las Vegas ,Officer Healy and Bro. Newell, Healy and the US Marines, Ma Yorkfellows’s Beef Lasagna, Dr. Merrill's visit with the 91 year old Millionaire, Dr. Merrill's House Call

 

Therapeutic Laughter - Wellness & Laughter

If you visit this YouTube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ch7uL5syt8 you'll be able to view a clip of me leading a special therapeutic laughter event. (It will open in a new window.)

If you are interested, I have also presented my message of therapeutic laughter with a focus on wellness and my own journey of losing over 100 pounds!

Stress prevents weight loss and by managing it, we can enjoy laughter and "being transformed by the renewing of the mind" (Romans12:2)!

Bob Newhart has said, "Laughter gives us distance. It allows us to step back from an event, deal with it and then move on." Every life has its share of struggles, difficulties, and issues that could leave the best of us on a downward spiral. However, having a sense of humor and a willingness to laugh, gives us a powerful defense against the circumstances of life.

Bill Cosby said it this way: "Through humor, you can soften some of the worst blows that life delivers. And once you find laughter, no matter how painful your situation might be, you can survive it."

If you are looking for a presentation for your leaders, go to "Laugh More, Lead Further."

 

Humor with a Purpose

I enjoy helping audiences to help people laugh more and stress less, because our world has a way of keeping us living on the edge of worry, fear, and even sadness. And like the good book says, "A merry heart doeth good like a medicine, but a broken spirit drieth the bones" (Proverbs 17:22).

Read what audiences have said about my presentations: Audience Comments.

 

Check my Speaking Availability

Please visit my Scheduling page for a no-obligation request to see if I may be available for your upcoming banquet, meeting, or conference.

 

  

Home | About Me | Merry Medicine Presentations | Merry Medicine - The Book | The Yorkfellows | Storefront | Contact Me

Comedy | Stress Management | Weight Loss | Love & Marriage | Leadership | Youth Ministries | Audience Comments | Availability Form

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