Page 6 - Presbyterian Connection

6 SUMMER 2023 Continued from page 5
PRESBYTERIAN
Connection
Laila AlShekh is a Muslim Palestinian, a mother and an active member of PCFF. Born and raised in Jordan, she moved to Bethlehem, Palestine/Israel, where her husband grew up. The joy of returning to her homeland was cut short when her son Qusay died in 2002 at only six months old. Israeli soldiers prevented Laila and her husband from taking him to the hospital, which was only a 20-minute drive away. The delay in seeing a healthcare worker resulted in her baby’s death. Laila sees herself as a survivor, not a victim. She actively seeks opportunities to share her story to bring about peace and reconciliation.
Robi Damelin is the Israeli spokesperson for PCFF, whose son, David, was killed by a Palestinian sniper in 2002 while guarding a checkpoint near a settlement during his army reserve service. Since becoming active in the PCFF, Robi has spoken to Israelis, Palestinians and people all over the world to demand that reconciliation be a part of any peace agreement. In 2014, Robi was selected by the Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice as one of four Women Peacemakers. She was named a 2015 Woman of Impact by Women in the World. She is the protagonist featured in the documentary “One Day after Peace” and regularly contributes to The Forward and Huffington Post.
Speaking of Mental
Health...
Robi Damelin and Laila AlShekh, who accepted the Cutting Edge of Mission Award on behalf of the Parents Circle – Families Forum.
accepted on Tuesday morning by Laila AlShekh and Robi Damelin, two women who are living em- bodiments of wisdom and cour- age and are both active members of PCFF. They are working toward reconciliation, sustainable peace and a just resolution to the con- flict in Palestine/Israel.
For more on the award, the sto- ries of PCFF and Laila and Robi, past recipients, and to watch a re- cording of the recipients’ accept- ance speeches, visit presbyterian. ca/cutting-edge.
During morning worship on the last day, the Rev. Dr. Joon-ki Kim noted that “without connections, we are meaningless fragments” and that as church, we need to continue to “recentre the power of community [and celebrate] the stories of life—of the ordinary and the unique.”
Back together for the first time in four years, the Assembly of- fered many opportunities for con- nection, of talking to each other, of being and worshipping together, and of reframing how the church thinks of itself, how it tells its sto- ry, and what the many examples are of hope, courage and commit- ment, even at the most difficult of moments. As Susan reminded the gathering, the PCC does not walk alone. This echoed Mary’s invita- tion throughout the three-day pro-
presbyterian.ca
ceedings to join her in a song of welcome and gratitude, lifting up God’s gift of community.
The 2023 GA web page contains the minutes of the proceedings, links to video recordings of pro- ceedings and presentations, and links to voting results, photos, full committee reports and much more. Visit presbyterian.ca/ga2023.
The Rev. Mary Fontaine greets special guest Bishop Susan Johnson, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada.
By the Rev. Dr. Nancy Cocks, retired professor of Pastoral Theology at Vancouver School of Theology and Atlantic School of Theology
Mental health—two words that are in the news a lot. Pro athletes, politicians, students, health care professionals, emergency re- sponders—so many people are talking about their mental health. Sadly, it is often mentioned when someone is in crisis, too often with tragic outcomes. There are apps to help us, and support groups are springing up in many communities. Emails from our health insurers remind us to take care of our mental health. After three years of pandemic isola- tion, anxiety, grief and anger, and in a time of economic pressures, mental health has found a place in our public conversation and, one hopes, in our attention to our per- sonal well-being.
So how is the conversation about mental health in your con- gregation? As I reflect on my years of pastoral ministry and teaching, I recognize gaps in the conver- sations I initiated. In the 1970s, when I started out in congrega- tional ministry, mental health was often raised about someone else. “It’s his nerves,” someone might say. “She’s always been a bit high strung.” These were neighbourly cues about someone’s mental health. Yet rarely did people speak
Learn more about Sanctuary Mental Health at sanctuarymentalhealth.org.
their experiences of past crises, followed by illumination by skilled professionals who give listening cues on how to respond if we encounter similar situations our- selves or with others. As a listen- er, I appreciated how those who had faced mental health crises in the past could now reflect on how their faith shaped their experience only to be reshaped through it,
However, what was even more remarkable was how The Sanc- tuary Course opened our local group’s ability to talk about our own experiences. Everyone in that group had some encounters and relationships in which mental well- being had been challenged—but we had never talked about those experiences with each other be- fore. The eight weeks together deepened our connections and opened up our ability to reach out within the congregation in what then became such a stressful time shortly after we’d completed the course. We’d experienced “sanc- tuary” in the sense of that safe space in which God’s presence sheltered us under the wings of the Spirit. We are better able to invite others into that sanctuary now.
Now that The Sanctuary Course material has been re- vised in light of feedback from the groups who’d tested it, I looked up the website to see what is cur- rently available. For, truly, every day some group’s mental health
concerns are in the news. I was impressed to see that the network is expanding and the resources are available—free of charge!— to groups and congregations not only in Canada, but interna- tionally, too. This project has its roots in the Vancouver network of theological education institutions, and its resources are now avail- able for students and residents at St. Andrew’s Hall, Regent Col- lege and the Vancouver School of Theology. Its patron is the current Archbishop of Canterbury; and its staff and resource people have a wide ecumenical embrace and multidisciplinary expertise. The conversations it features are wise, easy to engage in, never judge- mental and openly faithful without being glib about the mystery of how God’s healing power works in us, through us and around us. Its resources are provided free to congregations willing to engage in the journey.
If your congregation wants to become more adept at talking about mental health and support- ing people feeling its challenges these days, look up the website for details: sanctuarymental- health.org/sanctuarycourse. The Sanctuary Course is a timely re- source to deepen relationships and equip people with the lan- guage to enter into conversations about this significant topic. Take the time to have a look!
about their own mental health. Folks would tell me about arthritis pain or a cancer diagnosis, but if mental and spiritual well-being seemed unsettled, not a word. Too risky. And my basic training for ministry hadn’t equipped me with the courage or language to open a conversation. I tried to be more attentive in my years as a professor of pastoral theology, but with so much to pack into a curriculum, we didn’t create much space for what has become such a significant topic in public discourse these days. Is your congregation courageous enough to enter the conversation?
Back in 2020, just two months before the pandemic swallowed us up, I was invited to help test out a resource to equip congre- gations to have such conversa- tions. The timing seems God- given now! Ten of us signed on to
evaluate The Sanctuary Course, prepared by Sanctuary Mental Health Ministries, based in Van- couver. I hadn’t heard of it before but joined in willingly to learn more about the eight-part study, which explores what are com- mon and deeply affecting chal- lenges to our mental well-being. Prepared by a team of health professionals—those skilled in ministry and social work, pasto- ral theologians and people who had faced mental health crises themselves—this resource com- bines first-person storytelling and biblical reflections with teaching offered through reading, conver- sation and presentation. It offers a rich foundation for face-to-face conversation around our study table. Now, it doesn’t set out to make anybody a mental health counsellor. Rather, it offers insight from people now able to share