Ecumenical resource to support mental health
Churches Together in Norfolk and Waveney (NWCT) supports a free faith-inspired resource to help churches to start conversations around mental health and equip them to welcome those of us who are struggling
Dr Ian Watson, County Ecumenical Officer of NWCT, says that: “Mental health is one of the biggest challenges falling out of the secular society we live in today. How do we as Christians positively respond in a climate where faith is diminished (often ridiculed) and our focus is on the individual rather than the common good which, in turn, results in a breakdown of community and the social fabric? How can the Church positively respond to the sense of alienation, loneliness and mental health challenges that result? One way is to be better positioned to support mental health and wellbeing. I recently came across the faith-inspired Sanctuary Course, which is a simple free resource to help churches to start conversations around mental health and to equip them to better assist those of us who are struggling in today’s secular society.”
The course has been developed by Sanctuary Mental Health Ministries UK whose patron is Archbishop Justin Welby. In his support of the organisation, Archbishop Justin says: “The experiences of people living with mental health challenges shape Sanctuary’s work and is underpinned by thorough research and theology. I am delighted to become a patron of this innovative organisation, and I would encourage Christians to seek out the Sanctuary Course and run it in their community.’’
The course is available free on Sanctuary’s website: https://sanctuarymentalhealth.org/uk/
Lisa Yates, the UK Programme lead for Sanctuary, says:
“Mental health is something that affects us all, but we can often feel unsure how to handle it in a church context. Sanctuary Mental Health Ministries UK offers simple, free resources that help churches to start conversations around mental health and equip them to welcome those of us who are struggling.
“Our vision is to grow a movement of churches who are reducing mental health stigma; raising awareness and building communities that are safe spaces - places where those of us living with mental health challenges can feel safe, supported and a sense of belonging.
“Our core resource is the ecumenical Sanctuary Course - developed in consultation with mental health professionals, theologians, and Christians with lived experience.”
To view a short (2 min) video which gives a good flavour of the course follow this link: https://sanctuarymentalhealth.org/sanctuary-course
On the same page you can access the course itself. For those interested you just need to follow the link, select 'get it now' and create a free account, then you can access all the materials, along with lots of other supportive resources such as a facilitator's guide which walks people through the sorts of things they'd want to consider if planning to lead the course.
Here are some quotes from people in local churches who did the course towards the end of 2023:
The excellent quality of the course materials made facilitation of the course easy. The videos alone elicited rich discussions amongst our group. Without exception, the participants praised the experience and asked "what next?!"
Brilliant materials made it really easy. People expressed great appreciation at being able to talk about these issues in a church context. It brought together people across generations.
Thank you for creating this resource! Having family and friends who have lived experience with mental health challenges and who have not always received the needed support from the Church, I think this course is so needed and important! I also appreciate how well the course eliminated the stigma around mental health challenges. Every aspect of this course was amazing!
If you’d like to chat about how the course could be used in your church or as an activity within a local Churches Together Group please contact: lisa@sanctuarymentalhealth.org
Photo: courtesy of Sanctuary Mental Health Ministries UK