May
Jeremy Sharpe's helpful piece on Loneliness encourages all churches to take an active part in encouraging health and wellbeing in the communities in which we live and work. Parish nursing can be a very effective way of doing this if you have a registered nurse in your congregation, or if you are able to recruit one. They can work for the church for a few volunteer hours a week, helping to grow a team of volunteers that will reach out in health ministry, or the church can advertise for a paid nurse to work one or two days a week for the church.
Parish Nursing Ministries UK, which is part of the loneliness action group, has a step by step process to help a church explore this possibility, and get started. It then provides all the professional support required to sustain the service. No need to re-invent the wheel! To find out more, email enquiries@parishnursing.org.uk for a free enquiry pack.
Helen Wordsworth
The important thing is bad things don’t come from God. God is good and it’s His goodness that brings people to repentance. Sin and a fallen world with the devil at its source produce bad things. In this world we will have trouble but be of good cheer Gods able to see us through them. This is good news...
Graham Wheildon (via Facebook)
Christ warns us The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; so I guess he steals kills and destroys...
Matt McKeown (via Facebook)
I really enjoyed the article about mental illness in churches. I find it refreshing that this subject is being thrown open and spoken about. I know for myself, I went through a time of really bad depression and felt as a leader I could not show it. I felt I needed to help others in the church who needed what I thought was more important needs than my own. No one saw my struggle to be able to come alongside me to give me support. I give my precious Lord Jesus all the Glory and praise for bringing me through that time.
I now feel God has given me empathy for those that suffer mental illness. We serve a mighty God.
Gina Lowings
For the church to work with the state around children’s mental health there is firstly a need to educate the church around mental health issues. A couple of years ago a group of us held a cafe style service to attempt to make inroads on the issue of mental health. The response by attendance showed there is a desire to learn, but still lots of stigma to break down, within community and churches.
It is shocking how little money is given to mental health when there is so much demand both for children and adults.
“CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services) estimates that there are around 750,000 children with diagnosable mental health disorders, of whom 75 per cent will never be seen. The government is trying to lower this outrageous percentage to 67 per cent by 2021” ( Ian Soars)
67%! If there were 67% of people left with a broken leg or other physical complaint there would be outrage, yet government feels that this is progress! Our whole outlook around mental health needs to change. And if the church can help that can only be for the better.
Vivienne Lee
So agree. Being available to locals schools has enabled me to be there when a child or member of staff has died, to walk with, cry with support and encourage. To offer Prayer Spaces, collective worship, visits to church, whatever helps them with school life. I have found that by building relationships of trust then God opens doors. Bless you Martin and all those who serve schools.
Vanessa Rye (via Facebook)