Being a mental health-friendly church
How can your church become the supportive, caring community that people need?
Here are some things to consider:
1 Pastoral teams:
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How much training on mental health issues does your church give your pastoral carers/pastoral teams?
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What advice do we give pastoral teams as they encounter many different people? In Matthew 10:16 Jesus sends out the disciples and tells them to be as wise as serpents and innocent as doves.
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Do you let your pastoral team know what you are going to preach on in advance so they can be prepared for issues that may arise?
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Make sure that all of your pastoral workers have had training in safeguarding adults at risk, including people with mental health challenges.
Resource:
Mental health access pack is a resource which will be very useful for pastoral teams, and others. This can be downloaded as a single resource or sheet by sheet according to need.
2 Times and places:
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Have you identified the safe spaces for people in the life of your church?
Sometimes Sunday mornings are not always the best time and place for deeper, on-going conversations. In some churches these conversations happen during the week, perhaps at coffee mornings or evening small groups, or on Zoom conversations.
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Sunday services. What are your Sunday services like?
In the service is there space for:
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Quiet reflection?
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Vulnerability, even among the leadership?
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Are there places reserved for those who may feel anxious in crowds and self-conscious?
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Do you ask people what they need rather than tell them?
3 People and theology
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There are lots of people on the Bible who experience significant bouts of depression; how often are these mentioned or preached about?
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What labels do we use for people in church and which labels do we prefer people to have?
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How honest are we with each other about labels? Can we be honest with each other?
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Is church a safe and distinctive place?
What does it say about:
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Identity
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Realism - acknowledging that life has its ups and downs
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Forgiveness
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Continuity - being there for he long haul
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Answering existential questions - eg who am I?
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Hope - beyond human hope for each one and holding out hope for each other.
4 Some markers of a mental health friendly church:
Opportunities for one-to one time with others in the church, not necessarily with the church leader.
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Worship in more than one format
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Pastoral care strategy
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Leadership which is open, honest and sometimes vulnerable
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People who are available, good listeners and willing to give of their time
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People who listen and do not always offer the answer
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A kind and friendly welcome on arrival
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Details or help available in the church notices
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Jesus centred and person centred
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Links with the wider community (including with local mental health services)
Would your church consider signing up to a charter as an employer?
As an organisation would your church make a positive step by drawing up some statements/strategies regarding mental health for your employees and volunteers?
Launched back in 2004, Mindful Employer is a UK wide initiative run by Devon Partnership NHS Trust. Providing employers with easy access to professional workplace mental health training, information and advice, their goal is to help empower organisations – large or small – to take a lead in supporting the mental wellbeing of staff. Click here for information about their Charter for ‘employers positive about mental health’.