Abstract

The Church of England’s mental health group and Revd Eva McIntyre have teamed up with Time to Change to create a pack for churches, providing ideas and resources for churches to plan worship on the theme of mental health. One in four people will experience a mental health problem in any year. Mental health problems like depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia can affect anyone at any time, and it’s likely that many people in your congregation have been affected. But although mental health problems are common, nearly nine out of ten people affected still say they have faced stigma and discrimination as a result. For many, church provides community and comfort. They can be a good place to start conversations about mental health, and help people feel it’s OK to talk about it. They can provide a safe space for people with mental health problems to open up – and in doing so they will help open the minds of those around them. We hope this pack will only be a starting point and that you and your congregations, once the issue is opened up, will have your own ideas for worship that helps to tackle this long lasting taboo.

Description

This pack, which can be downloaded as a PDF document was collaboratively produced by the Church of England’s mental health group and Time to Change, a mental health advocacy organization based in the UK, and edited by the Rev. Eva McIntyre to offer "…ideas and resources for churches to plan worship on the theme of mental health." The goal is that, through worship on the theme, congregations will be able to foster a safe environment to begin conversations about mental health.

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