WHAT CAN THE CHURCH FAMILY DO?

contributed by:

Dr. E. Maurlea Babb

family therapist

member of First United Methodist Church,

Glen Ellyn, Illinois

How many times have you walked down the halls of your church and someone says, "Hi, how are you?"???  The perfunctory answer is, "Fine" and we ‘pass on by’ without touching each other in any way.

Recently when asked how I was, I replied, "Do you really want to know?"  The other person paused, made eye contact and replied, “Wow, we don’t act as though we really care about one another, do we?”  The dialogue continued for a few minutes and we both left each other with a smile and a hug.  I believe that we both felt heard, loved, and special to one another for those few moments. 

Although most of us are caring persons we get caught in own busy-ness while persons who could benefit from a few moments of our time are left in their lonely place of fear, with their image of not being a worthy person, etc., etc.

If our primary need is that of ‘belonging’, that need to feel acceptable and loveable needs to come from our family – even our church family -- no matter what behaviors we exhibit.   God’s unconditional love may be impossible for us humans to express and yet we are called to be ministers of grace to others.

So often that grace, that love, is expressed with ‘TIME.’  Giving a portion of our lives to ‘TIME’ with others can develop a true sense of a healthy, caring church family. 

So, when  someone says, “Hi, how are you?”, what will be your response?

                                                              

A Response to the Arizona Shootings

note: this email was received from Rev. Susan Gregg-Schroeder at Mental Health Ministries

We have all been touched by the tragic event in Arizona.  Prayers for all persons involved are being lifted up by faith communities across the nation. 

As we collectively try to understand the motivations behind such an act, we are hearing many comments about mental illnesses.  Some of these comments reflect the stigma surrounding these illnesses of the brain.

My prayer is that we can work together to transform this tragic event into an opportunity to educate our faith communities about mental illness.  We can work together to dispel the myths surrounding brain disorders.  We can educate about symptoms and warning signs.  We can address the social justice issue of accessibility to mental health care.

I am attaching two links to press releases from the National Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health America that may be helpful.

http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/index.cfm?objectid=70BCF6D2-1372-4D20-C86033767CB57A23

http://www.nami.org/Template.cfm?Section=press_room&template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=113184

The Mental Health Ministries Winter e-Spotlight was written before the events in Arizona.  Hopefully some of the resources we offer will be helpful in educating our faith communities to be caring congregations for persons living with a mental illness and those who love them.

This link will take you directly to the e-Spotlight on the Mental Health Ministries website.

http://www.mentalhealthministries.net/mhm_spotlights/recent_spotlights.html

Grace and peace,

Susan

Rev. Susan Gregg-Schroeder

Coordinator of Mental Health Ministries

6707 Monte Verde Dr

.

San Diego, CA 92119

sgschroed@cox.net

www.MentalHealthMinistries.net

Raising Awareness in the Local Church About Serious Mental Illness (Brain Disorders)

contributed by

Marianne Lucas

member, Our Saviour's United Methodist Church

Schaumburg, IL

1^st the Facts:

·         1 out of 5 adults will suffer from a serious mental illness in their lifetime.

·         Mental illnesses are biological – a chemical imbalance in the brain.

·         If treated early, many will recover and lead productive lives.

·         Mental illnesses are not anyone’s fault, or a result of poor upbringing.

Educating the Congregation

·         Give families an opportunity to tell their stories to the congregation.

·         Consider educational presentations or a series on the topic for established groups in the church (e.g. visitation groups, Stephen Ministers, United Methodist Women, Adult Sunday School, clergy and staff, and/or Sunday School teachers).

·         Provide a resource table. Include such items as educational materials, where one can get help, and books on the subject (including autobiographies).

Reaching Out to Individuals with Mental Illness and Their Families

·         The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) can provide speakers that are recovering from mental illness (In Our Own Voice program).

·         Organize a small group to share life experiences, a time for questions and answers, and some educational background information.

·         Visit the person suffering from mental illness in their home or hospital. Be open, willing to learn, and to just listen. Remember: they are the experts on what it is like to have a mental illness. This is a big support for the family, also.

·         Provide a support group for those who are experiencing mental illness and/or their families. (NAMI also has these groups.)

·         Offer a drop-in center once a month for socializing, recreation, light refreshments, etc. You may want to cooperate with other area churches in this.

Invite the NIC Mental Health Ministries Task Group to share insights, describe available resources, and lead dialogue about mental health ministry opportunities. Contact Marianne Lucas (847.885.2279 mariannejack@gmail.com) or Rev. Linda Deming (630.238.8746 deming_linda@att.net)