Journal: As Q1 ends

I'm actually looking forward to a week where there are no funerals to be conducted. As much as I enjoy them immensely and regard them as one of the best bits of the ministerial role, this last month has effectively seen a funeral for every working day; many of those I did the service for being people I knew.

Today though has been a day where bread and wine were to the fore and I managed to fit in an early Communion service at St Francis' before heading off out to enjoy visiting friends. It's odd, but after all these years it still doesn't feel like work when I'm out visiting - and I hope it never does get to feel like that. The evening saw me engaged with cadets, always a joy.

It's been a day when the benefits system of our land has been to the fore as well as I have been exposed to the challenges faced by others as they find benefits stopped, suspended and changed. The problem is that the mechanisms in place are inadequate and unable to manage to stop one benefit and start the other so that the outcome is something consistent and contiguous: And that means pain and fear and frustration for the claimant as they deal with the situation before them.

Some struggle so much that they become frozen in time, like a rabbit in the headlights, and this is not helped by the often low quality provision before them!

Lord, help us to stand with the marginalised and the poor, the disposed and the damaged people before us. You call us to act in their behalf and to make things work for them in terms of equity and justice. Mobilise your church we pray.

I thank You for the work of foodbanks and the charities with offer friendship, counsel and support - strengthen the arms of those who work with them and the consciences of those who might give aid to support them.

Journal: Wrong turns

There are so many ways we can take wrong turns and so many ways we can make wrong decisions - and the sad thing is, people just keep on doing the wrong stuff regardless. We seem to be regressing as a society and self and selfishness are evident on a daily basis as the world descends into something quite zoo like!

I have never been totally convinced about our 'Christian' status and yet the less obviously Christian our nation is, the more selfish and awful we appear to be! I have always held the view that being 'good' (whatever that means) and doing good things are not the sole province of theists; an atheist can have high moral values and standards without the benefit of faith. But the proof of the pudding is in the experience and I'm beginning to wonder whether eschewing faith merely puts self on the throne after all!

So many places I look I find ourselves descending to being apes rather than descending from them - and it's so very sad.

Today has been a day of many parts. It started with me trying to get out of the door to do some funerals with the telephone ringing off the hook and people arriving at the front door. It was havoc - new policy: If it rings and I'm that place where I need space to get ready, it can go to the answerphone. First challenge to that policy: one of the calls was from a family with someone heading towards the end of life and so it might just be a crisis - should I answer it?

This is ministry in a nutshell: Thick lines drawn around stuff, however well intended, rational and apparently right soon find exceptions and caveats in place. The apparent need apparently needs to be dealt with when it presents itself. What a conundrum that is.

Elsewhere in today's news: what a strange funeral day I had. The FD provided the wrong CD and rather than something fitting and suitable we had something that sounded like the opening of a games show! Fortunately we had a bit of Mario Lanza in the middle on. CD I'd brought with me so we went out to that, so a bit of recovery there. But in another service I ended up with an unexpected bump of another sort and this saw me finish just over the line - but since the time was mine as I was doing multiple services we managed to leave the place with the cloak set back so the planned slots were intact and all was well.

The challenges of running church is to keep everything well-oiled without leaving stains on the fabric or causing people to slip on the stuff. To this end there was a warden's meeting and a meeting with a colleague to enjoy (and I enjoyed them both) before other stuff turned up - and there was still a Bishops Certificate to square away too.

A sadness came in the shape of the apparent death of someone who has struggled for many years - well the apparent is apparently obviously real, but until I get it confirmed by a trustworthy source, it has to be a 'probably' rather than a definitely.

Add to this the normal daily weirdness and it's been a long and challenging day - finally drawing stumps around 23: something.

Lord, I commend the souls of those who have departed this life to your grace, love, care, and mercy. May they rest in peace and rise in glory.

Lord, I comment to you those who live as beasts; may they find something of the nobility of this life and may their standards and their actions be raised that even if they should never know you their lives may have something to commend them and the society they create be something better than it it now.

Lord, I thank 6ou for the joy of learning - may we do more teaching and may we open the eyes of those around us - and our own eyes be opened too - as we dialogue and develop.

Lord, for those whose mental health is a challenge - still broken minds and calm the waves of madness that crash relentlessly in the lives of some. Help us to be a tolerant people and to show love and care where the world generally pays lip service and provides something poor.

And for all the challenges of today, help me to learn and to go forward in love understanding that:
The things we walk past without a murmur are the things we give our approval to.
The actions we remain silent about are the things we have permitted to exist.

Lord, help me always to correct sin, oppose wrong actions, and to stand with (and for) the oppressed, marginalised, and excluded.

For the bread before me, I give you thanks and for the life I have, I praise You.



This place of reflection is here for me to dialogue internally and gain insight and perspective. It first appeared in this current form for some of those looking at creating their own journal as part of the their journey to discerning vocation. The Morning prayer is there also for that same purpose: to create the discipline of prayer. Dialogue, insights and experience of others concerning this entry is always welcome - all grist to the mill.

A quiet day for reflection

Today has been pretty quiet but that doesn't stop the reflection does it?

There has, as ever, been a great deal to reflect upon in terms of the daily Office and the daily pastoral. No services today and a 'day off' doesn't mean that everything stops for the challenges and joys of 'living over the shop' are always with us.

Lunch out with the family followed by games around the table conspired to make it a great day especially as a new term university beckons and journeys away from the nest will soon be ours to enjoy - which brings the first reflection: Being part of a family of flesh.

Lord, I thank your for the VDB family and the joys, trials and tribulations that family bring. The hopes and prayers we have for our family members and the joy at triumphs and shared experiences we have. For singing together, standing together and even fighting together - all part of the jigsaw that depicts life in all its fullness as the pieces are slotted in.

I pray for family in all its connotations, for those close-knit, loosely threaded together and those torn into pieces; for those blessed by being and those broken by separation. Bring your healing and clarity, mend the torn garments and from the apparently unrecoverable bring out of the scraps that remain, new creations.

I pray for those whose mental health is a challenge and for those who work within the visibly diminishing area of care and support. For the frustrations felt by many as our mental health units and support structures contract and disappear. Lord bless the staff on the units and the support workers and crisis team members and the Police (who often find themselves facing issues cause by mental health).

Lord bless the families, for dealing with mental health issues in the home is never easy and often done alone (or at least it often feels like it), and bring them real hope and true friendship and support to stand with them.

Lord bless those who suffer, help us to stand with them and to assess and support situations before us without judgement or fear and to do the right thing however hard that might be (for them and for us). Help us never to stigmatise or pigeonhole but to see each need and needy person for who and what they are.

So many challenges - so many blessings - so many fears and tears - so much hope and joy in Jesus and the indwelling of His Holy Spirit.

Lord, help us never to look the other way and to be alert and responsive to the needs before us.

Another day another . . .

opportunity to minister God's Grace.

Today was a day very much taken up by ministering to the bereaved - one opportuniy came in that shape of a service at the Crematorium, another took me on a visit, another still a gathering for a family to remember being family and to remember loved ones who had departed, yet another taken up with paperwork and the preparations for a service next week - and more pastoral stuff besides.

It has been a most wonderful day indeed.

Lord, comfort those who mourn and strengthen those with mental health issues. Help us to be willing and ready to be a support and friend in the dark times and to set the captives free from the dark places.

For those I have met and the opportunities to engage I thank you - help me to serve and give and never count the cost - carrying my cross and denying myself and my sill ambitions.

Bless and equip me to be a blessing I pray.

A lighter day?

Started with the usual Thursday round of morning prayer followed by Communion and then found myself helping (I hope) with the final bits for the Christmas meal before producing orders of service and doing pastoral stuff. Been a tiring day, think I need a new pair of shoes - hard on the sole is saving souls!!

Been a day of blessing with so many mental health needs to be dealt with and so few resources to be found.

Prayed, reflected and realise that most of today has to be confidential, so I'm leaving today as it is and, not even 00:30, I'm getting an early night.

Pax

Mental Heath in Crisis? No, it's on autopilot!

One of the safety nets for those who suffer from mental health issues is that of the crisis team, a bunch of people who monitor the telephone and await calls from those who know they are in the midst of a brain squall (those storms which come from nowhere and sink many a life) - for many of those who suffer from mental illness this is the equivalent of the lifeboat service; you call and the flare is sent up and help is made theirs.

Of course it's not just the mentally ill who suffer through mental illness - there are also the family and friends who, finding a loved one sinking and unable to cope, need to call the crisis team  in the hope that they might get advice and the help of those who are trained to deal with the squalls and waves of depressions, mania and confusion.

I have a great deal of respect for many of those who work in the support and care of the mentally ill, but of course there are some who challenge my Christian love and there are situations which cause me to mutter and moan (after all, we are all human, aren't we?). This is one of those situations:

One of the people we know and seek to support obviously 'in crisis' and in need of assistance and this, as always, presents itself as a 'walking on eggshells' exercise to avoid adding to the ill person's stress and getting the right person to do the right thing in the right way around them!

It wasn't that long ago that we found ourselves in a similar situation which went really wrong and eventually saw the Police enforcing a section 136 (a Police section which permits them to take the ill person into custody at a mental health unit and detain them, without any right to leave so full assessment can be made, for up to 72 hours.) on them.

But here comes the problem.

Imaging you're on an aircraft flying along at 10,000 feet when you notice the pilots come out of the cabin, don parachutes and leave by the nearest exit (OK, we'll forget about decompression and the closing of the door afterwards, it's an analogy not an accurate account of flying at FL100 and the effects of pressure). What would you do?

Imagine you ring the attendant call and ask the steward what's going on, only to be told that the pilot and copilot have started their holidays and since they were flying over their chosen destinations thought it would be handy to parachute in rather than get a flight back after they'd landed the aircraft you are in.

How would you fell - especially when invited to have a peek at the flight deck to reassure you and saw this:

Would you be reassured?

Not even if the steward told you that everything was pre-programmed  for the aircraft to land at your destination automatically and that, "Nothing can go wrong! - all will be well by the time the end arrives."

Well that's the situation my ill person has found themselves in - they've rung their CPN and their support worker, their case worker and, having had no response, called the crisis team to be told, "Your team are all away on holiday but will be back soon and will be able to help you!"

Now imaging you had a fire and heard the message that the firefighters were all on holiday but will get back to you as soon as they return. What do you do? You have the equivalent of a blaze inside someone's head and there's no help on the horizon?

Looking at the situation I find that a combination of reduced provision, holiday season and the usual (yes, it even happens in mental health care) 'jobsworth' attitudes (brought on by too much workload and perhaps not enough training) are all at play here. Were the ill person just up the road I could get involved and 'do stuff' but this usually results in us becoming the carer and support person (and workload means that once in that frame those 'carers' are more than happy to step back and leave us to it) - not always an easy task.

So a plea to those who have people in crisis: MAKE A NOISE - BE BLOODY MINDED!

I am not rabble rousing here but unless the MPs, the local and County government departments, the NHS trusts and the like are challenged and niggled, nothing is going to change and the tide, with regard to mental health care, has already gone out too far - it cannot go out any further without tragedy becoming a daily reality for our communities.

If you read this and are in mental health care, please realise that this is not a knock at you (unless you're the person who told me that those around you were, "Too busy at the moment!") but an acknowledgement that you are part of an underfunded and overstretched occupation and call to draw a line and reverse the trends and to get you some able (and present) coworkers).

In the area I inhabit there are only two mental health units running now and the danger is that soon the stewards will be leaving the aircraft too. Think about the aircraft analogy and ask yourself why, when no one would tolerate such a thing happening, we are willing as a society to let the same scenario be the daily experience of our mentally ill?

Find out the facts - talk to the mentally ill you know - make noise.

And of course, Christian or not, come alongside (and if you're Christian then pray too).

Pax

A message for ALL Believers

Saw this in another context and just thought I needed to make it applicable to those of us who claim to have a faith. I write this especially in the light of the stresses that aberrative and distressing mental health issues bring to sufferers, family and the wider community.

Please pray for those with mental health issues - touch out to them - open your arms to them - listen - care - support - PRAY

Mental illness is not a passport ...

To be mad!

It was with these words that I was pulled us short during a conversation with someone who has been diagnosed with, and locked up, a mental health issue.

We were talking about a mutual acquaintance who also has troubles, trials and issues as a result if their mental health situation and they, like many suffer from the ebb and flow of the well-being and stable tides. I made the comment that they were often visibly 'not in a good place' and received a broadside as I was told that whilst mental state was something that wavered it was not the aforementioned passport to madness and neither was it something that granted the right to behave badly or be treaded badly either!

Intrigued I asked them to continue, and goodness me - they did!

'There are days when it just goes wrong and you need people to understand that you need a bit if slack - a smile and bit of encouragement. This says, 'You're human and you're valued, lived, respected and most of all - valid. After all, who wants to be an 'in valid'? There are days when it takes all your energy to leave the house but if you don't then the next day gets harder and the day after harder still until they break down the door and take you to the morgue!'

They went on to tell me how, in their opinion, Mental illness is not permission to behave badly and those who do yet don't have to (for some apparently choose to make it what they choose along with the forced) do others who are mentally ill a great disservice.

If you break a leg then you have to get it mended. If when the break is healed you continue to limp then you limp - that's a fact of life. The same goes for broken minds,

Some days the leg will hurt and you'll limp more - could be you've done too much the day before I ruts cold or damp or so etching - it's the same with a broken mind!

But some people like to make the limp more pronounced and other try hard to look normal. So e will be victims and others will be sufferers, but not even they know which they are sometimes and so we treat the limpets with respect, give them love, support and care.

But not indulgence and that's the problem because the system is over stretched and useless at times and people just see the limp and not the person the broken limb (leg, brain, heart, etc.) is attached to. They become a client or a bloody nuisance - a scrounged or a naughty child who lives to their own desires and dances to their own tunes and uses the limp as the excuse if challenged. But we have control, not always complete but we we do have it most of the time, and so we should live in that reality - not the fiction some choose to pretend is real, not the fiction that the attitudes of those without limps would have you believe consists of 'Pulling yourself together or cheering up,' would bring.

Mental health is like having legs. Some walk without a limp, some with a slight limp, others have days when it is worse and they can hardly walk - some need sticks or wheelchairs every day. The question is:

Do you know that person you see limping?

Do you know their story?

Do you know their needs?

Do you call yourself a Christian?

If you do and you've said 'No' to the first three questions then you need to ask yourself what being a Christian is - because you don't only have a choice as to how you behave and act but you also have commandments and instructions to guide you:

'If anyone has the means to bring relief and sees someone in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in the? How can they call themselves Christian? 
Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.' 

1 John 3:17-18

I was going to post this on World Mental Health day but reasons: pastoral and personal meant it was better left for another time. Please think about the words and he call within it it to challenge who, how and what is true about you.

Please pray for those with limps and for those who care for them.

Please pray for churches with open doors, arms and hearts.

Please act for justice and support for those who continue with their limps today.

Pax

Mental Health? We've all got it!

The reality is that mental health is something that everyone possesses and whilst many might consider theirs to be sound, the reality is that squalls can appear on the most tranquil of waters at the most unexpected times. Some years back I watched a science programme which billed Uganda's LakeVictoria as the stormiest place on the globe with Italy taking the most consistently good prize - and I don't know it that's right or not, but the same goes for people - some are known for their storms whilst others for their constancy or tranquility. That said I've experienced sunny days on the shores of Victoria (bilharzia and nasty snappy things too) and had raging storms in Italy. Climatic squalls and brainsqualls can affect us all and with some they pass and others they remain to act as limitation, debilitation and curse.

It seems to me that here are a number of taboos in our society today but that which tops the league is to be found in the area of mental illness and even though it cannot be caught, it is treated as contagious and those who suffer from it are often treated much like mediaeval lepers. What I find is that those who should seek to keep the faith with the mentally ill and tolerate the excesses that the illness brings, rarely do.

I know that sufferers can be embarrassing - but so can we at times and we don't have the excuse of  any illness, and yet we seek understanding and continuing love, don't we?

I know that those who are shackled by mental health issues live lives that often exist in solitary confinement - trapped in walls made of brick, perceptions and responses (theirs and ours).

I know that those who care for those with mental illness are sufferers too! They live in the perennial fear that the next crisis might be the last the focus of their love might have. They find themselves shut in as they fight to keep their loved one stable, supported and, often, alive.

A man I worked with years ago, speaking of his psychosis said that he, 'Lived a death sentenced waiting to be carried out!' Sadly for him, that sentence was never commuted and he eventually took his life. The 'Black Dog' made so famous by Winston Churchill, eventually delivered a fatal bite.

So I'm writing this as a bit of a plea, asking that we - theist or atheist - take a moment to think of those we know who have issues with their own mental wellbeing or perhaps those for whom they care; asking the questions:

How do we care for those who care for people with illness (physical or mental), and do we deal equally between the two?

How do we regard the two? Are they regarded equally or do we have prejudices and blind spots?

We are called to love and provide places of security for the weak, the marginalised, the oppressed, the acted against and disenfranchised. All things that can be found residing in one blanket term:

 Mentally ill.

What are we doing to help others become as well as we might like to think we are?

What are we doing for those with mental health issues to help them, and those who care for them,  to help them live in a supportive and caring place?

Pax

Scribbles on Today's Readings

1 Kings 19. 4-7, 8-15a - Galatians 3.23-29 - Luke 8.26-39

What are today’s passages trying to conspire to tell us?
What is God doing with His creation here?
Elijah’s struggles or something deeper?

And struggles, why? after all, he’s just reached the very top in Chapter 18 with the Baal Boys and the sacrifice contest!

But there’s Jezebel – the slapper who’s baying for his blood and causing him to hide in fear of his life and ‘give up’ (see, we all do it at some time, don’t we – things get to us and we chuck it in!). Elijah’s legged it to the South to hide in the desert  - and he lays down to sleep (a hint in OT literature that he’s ‘going to die’) – but in the low spot – God comes (an Angel – a Messenger from God).

Bottom line is that he’s fed and, still negative and down, watered. But God doesn’t walk away (a clue here as to how we treat depression and those broken people we meet?). God is patient and help Elijah to a place where he can engage and hear.

Not with the wind (WHOOSH) nor with an earthquake (YOU WILL LISTEN), not with the FIRE but in a small, still voice, does He speak into Elijah’s reality.

God sees past the immediate and works at the inner, unseen, deeper and real needs (if you can’t see it – it doesn’t exist – broken leg better than a broken mind) and even if you’re in your cave – He still makes it work.

Not always the loud and proud – like  Mount Carmel but in the secret places (our caves) where the still small voice can penetrate and bring healing and a future hope.

And this is what the Luke Passage tells us too:  For Jesus steps out of a boat and is confronted by another broken person, this time he’s naked and demon-possessed and running at him from the graveyard; and the demons start on Him.

Well first we need to understand ‘possession’ for it is actually not possession but oppression we are dealing with. We need to see past the ‘problem’ and ‘problem solved’ mindset that many apply with this story – for it’s about more than that. So what’s it telling us?

He’s ‘greeted’ by a naked bloke (Jews didn’t do naked, that’s when they disliked the Greeks habit of going the gym’ and wrestled naked) form the graveyard! (met one of those in Nyharuru) it’s a confrontation! The demons know who He is (what a pity humanity doesn’t recognise Him so easily) and they’re scared – they know who and what and what He can do to them – they have their match in Him just like the Baal followers on Mount Carmel.

Jesus is going to solve the problem and give the spiritual powers at work in the man their marching orders and they (the demons) beg Him not to send them to the pit (the abyss of rev 20) and so Jesus asks the demon’s name. The response is that there’s ‘loads of us’ (we are legion – means many) and so Jesus allows them to move home into the pigs and the pigs, decide to drown themselves rather than have house guests.

All interesting; unclean spirits, unclean meat – a link? Possibly, not for me today – saving the bacon for later!

The story is, thus far, about recognising Jesus’ authority rather than Him having to state it – it is just there (like the small voice in the cave) – all we need it for us to recognise that too! It’s not just about solving the problem but the how it is solved and the why and who, too.

Both the men in our stories were suffering from mental illness (demons and depression are exactly that in the OT and NT settings) and were in bad places and they were met with a small voice of authoritative compassion. The work and enabling of the Holy Spirit in us means that where we are, so too is the ‘Kingdom of God’ (basilea)

The Galatians passage tells us that we are ‘children of God’ and if this is true then the small voices and the recognition of God in us are ours also.

Here we have God showing patience and love and compassion and gentleness and the reason? Simple – we want those whom we touch to return home and tell their family and friends: how much God has done for them.

Can there be a better form of evangelism?

Care: Mental, Social and others - CHAMPIONS

I would just like to set the record straight regarding what I feel about those who provide care for those who suffer from various needs of the mental, social, housing, medical and benefits kind. For those who devote their lives to addressing the needs of those with problems I have nothing but respect and admiration. I chance across many who are committed to their role and see them struggle against decreasing budgets, diminishing staff numbers, increased workloads and restrictions that would make a saint swear like an East End docker and they deserve, no demand, applause and respect by the bucket load.

BUT (has to be a but) to reflect on 2013's experience to date:

I have seen first hand those people who make decisions long before they've engaged with their client and the reason for this has nothing to do with proper or effective care. The reason is merely a desire to make the problem go away. The reason for this is the fact that they are no longer doing what they joined up to do (and most of the social workers did join to make a difference) but are merely pumping out the clients in an effort to keep their own heads above water. The need to rationalise their own jobs means that many who are client-facing are no longer proving care but merely attempting to contain things.

I happened across a case where someone was presenting serious mental health issues but when one of the family called their local unit for help they were told that they'd been 're-diagnosed' and so they were no longer on the unit's list. 'But they are a danger to others and themselves,' pleaded the family member. 'In that case here's the other team's duty crisis number,' said the voice on the other end. The number duly given, they hung up. Worse than useless as the number they were given turned out to have been changed last year! By the time they found someone from the 'right' team the person with problems had been picked up by the police (who could do nothing but bring them home to be a problem to the family and not the community - not a knock at the police, they had no power to do anything else as the local team wouldn't come out!).

I found a child who had been removed and placed for adoption before conditions such as getting support and undertaking training had even been started. 'Best for the child'? I hope so because it looked like it was simpler for the caseworker and the team involved from where I stood. Another example of what might well be poor outcomes coming about because it required less effort and energy from those who are supposed to be supportive and caring.

Another case meant I found myself coming into contact with involved someone about to be made homeless with their partner and children. There were health issues and yet when they went to their local housing people they were told that they were at the very bottom of the pile because one of the couple had some income from a part-time job. The answer? They were made 'redundant' by the person they did five hours for and now at least they are moving up the list. Not so the person who left the army and was told that they 'were someone else's problem as they'd lived in married quarters in the SW and so were that council's problem!' Of course the rules regarding priority (mental and other health issues, released from prison, left the armed forces) are rarely considered because of the 'yes/no' game that many play to mitigate their workload and protect a non-existent social housing stock (yes - it's great selling houses to people but the money should have built new social housing stock!!!).

A plea to my clergy colleagues regarding the creation of 'Champions' in their congregations:

Build up a group of local 'champions'. People who can become experts (or at least be informed) regarding the various areas of need, which I suggest are, as a minimum:

1. Mental Health - one of the greatest and least addressed needs that face us.
2. Housing - Not just homelessness, because many who are housed will soon be homeless unless they find champions.
3. Debt - Debt coaching courses and support are essential parts of the pastoral care role of Church and yet, amazingly, few are equipped to come alongside and engage with it!
4. Family Issues - Yes, I know we do this as pastoral care but we need to know the law and the ways of protecting people at risk and we need to do it intelligently.
5. Old Age - one of the areas where provision is being withdrawn and where, even though people think the 'old' are always complaining, little is said as services disappear.
6. Addiction - and not just drugs and alcohol. It's amazing how sex and gambling often fall below the radar and how compulsive spending and other issues just don't feature at all.
7. Relationship and Reconciliation - can cover so many areas from providing a neutral place for engagement through to training and counselling
8. Health Issues - and this can include preparation for death, palliative and bereavement issues (including how to fund a funeral when the bereaved have no money!).

Eight areas which I reckon takes at least ten to twelve people to engage with if a church is going to offer support to the community outside (and within) its walls. It needs coordinators and someone who will keep the minister in the loop without making them the sole point  of contact.

When I have broached this with some clergy the response has been, 'Well that's what CAb and others are there for!" And indeed they are but I have to ask whether or not we have given up our pastoral birthright for a mess of 'other agencies' potage and I fear that the answer is 'Yes!'.

So feel feel to disagree (or add areas that you feel I've missed) but if you've read this then take it back to the church or team and see who and what you have to meet the needs for as money becomes even more tight the services will feel even more of the squeeze and clients less of the care and support.

Pax

Clearing the air (4) - Mental Health

I've saved this for (almost) last as it is one of the most contentious issues I get to deal with on a regular basis. But, as one of those who have a history of mental health issues so accurately put it: 'The mad will always be with us and they will be our friends, colleagues, family and . . well, probably . . us!'

The spectrum of mental health issues is wide and generally misunderstood. If you don't believe me find someone with depression and ask them how many people have told them to 'cheer up'; find those who have different issues and you'll find that they've been told to 'pull themselves together' (or better still, to 'ignore it and get on with life').

I am privileged to be in a place where a great many of those around me have mental health related needs and rather than limit the ministry of, or from, the Church I find that their experiences (and troubles) are nothing but beneficial. That said, around me I see centres closing and services 're-aligned' such that they are in effect removed and this is something that the Church must stand against and also take up the challenge and stand in the gap.

I have sat in the corner of a room whilst the 'caring professional' before seeks merely (or so it seems) to find that caveat which excuses them from offering care. An example of this being a series of questions aimed at a man suffering from depression which, as the interview went on, descended into questions about smoking and alcohol. When the answer to the question, 'Have you ever drunk chemical-based cider?' was in the affirmative the 'professional' stopped the assessment and, handing over a leaflet for the local drink and drug support agency, told their would be client that they couldn't help and terminated the assessment.

I later asked the same person why this was the case and they said that any indication of alcohol abuse meant that they could 'pass on' the person to a different agency (even though this person is obviously suffering from the effects of quite bad depressive illness).

To make things even more interesting, as their symptoms increased and the illness deepened, the same person found that they were no longer eating or sleeping, to which one of the GPs merely proscribe a three month supply of sleeping pills and told them to come back in a couple of months!

Now I understand what it is to have a heavy workload and know that the cuts means that care and post-care support services are overstretched, underfunded and hard to find,

BUT

i. I am no longer prepared to walk away when I hit the brick wall that the mental health 'professionals' put up when they wish to neither be accountable or discuss the situation (and I always have a letter from the patient asking for disclosure and dialogue),

ii. I am not prepared to see those who need support services left to their own devices, but will move heaven and earth to create a safe space and find ways of providing what the system doesn't where I am,

iii. Mental illness cannot be 'caught' (as one moronic minister once said) and it does not create a bar to being a fully functioning member of the Church (except of course where behaviour and stuff does - and even then there are ways of making it work) - We have within our walls (Church universal) people with damaged bodies, missing limbs, cerebrally controlled limitations and, of course, mental illness. It is just another illness and just as I don't give sugar to diabetics or ask those with the effects of Polio  remaining in their bodies to 'run over to the shops', there are considerations when dealing with the mentally ill (have, are or perhaps will be) and this is to realise that it is merely just another illness with its limitations and considerations accordingly.

So, 2013 is knocking at the door - so are those with mental health issues; one you can't stop and the other you surely can't ignore. Can you?

World Mental Health Day

Yesterday was World mental Health Day - A day which hopefully raises the profile, and awareness, of mental health issues and encourages full, frank, open and honest discussion about this often problematic topic.

I was going to say that I struggle with my Christian faith at times, especially when it comes to mental health, but as soon as the words appeared on the screen I realised that in fact my struggle isn't with my faith or with God but with those who call themselves Christian. My reasons for this are easy to understand and simple to speak out (I hope). So I will try and explain them using some stuff from the Bible (it is what Christians do!)

James 2:14 - 17 (NLT):
"What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone?
Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do?
So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless."

This is the big problem with the issue of Christians and the poor, the homeless and the mentally ill (often, it seems, one and the same) for a number of Christians (and even more with other or no faith label). They walk past the focus of their pity and mumble, "God bless you," and hurry on by! But there is some help to be found in the Bible - Read on:

Micah 6: 6 - 8 (Revised Vic Version):
"What can we bring to the LORD?
What kind of offerings should we give him?
Should we bow before God with offerings of direct debits?
Should we offer him our debit card numbers and our Argos catalogue of gifts?
Should we sacrifice our children to pay for our sins?
No way people, the LORD has told you what is good,
and this is what he requires of you:
to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God."

What God wants is us up close and personal. We are made in His image and this displays itself in creativity, in coming alongside (parakletos - just like the Holy Spirit does with us, bringing God into our daily reality), in finding out our names and listening to our stories. I struggle with people who merely give those who beg a coin and rush by for in doing so the neither resolve the problem nor help the person!

When we see a beggar we need to stop and find out their story, engage them and come alongside. This done we provide an answer to their need - a sandwich and a drink if they need food is the fulfilling of the most basic need. Giving them the money to buy it themselves is perhaps to just fund that which supports their problem and thus is a curse rather than a blessing!

If the problem is homelessness - then there are people who deal with that (I found out the numbers of the local hostels and places of help and would give those who claimed to be homeless or with specific needs a card with the relevant numbers (and a 'phone card to ring them). So often we fail to do what is right because we are too busy or just don't know the answers - but if we keep seeing the problem can we use this as an excuse? Obviously not because the Bible has that covered too:

Matthew 7:12 (NLT)
"Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you."

This is up there with the 'Judge not . .' passage (beginning of the chapter). If we lived our lives on the basis of treating others as we would like to be treated then we would see a very different world and as Christians, isn't this where we should be now? I see Christians expel people because of their actions and yet in the same breath tell me that those actions were initiated by the person's mental illness! As my dear old (long departed) Mum used to say, "There but for the grace of God go I!"

She understood that the line between those who have and those who don't is fine and fragile (especially in today's financially challenging times) and to afford people the dignity that we would like to be shown is surely the conferring of a basic human right let alone a Christian duty!

So three gold-plated rules from the Big Black Book of Life (BBBoL) - Three little things that would benefit our society, help support the mentally-ill and touch the weak, marginalised and oppressed (and that's before we bless those who have!).

Easy to explain - simple to do - so why aren't we doing them?

You may turn over your papers!

Mental Health - Care?

In what is basically an average day in the life of this dog-collar I found myself getting involved in the heady world of mental health care in a number of interesting ways which took me to a local hospital.

My first interesting incident resulted in the focus receiving some medical attention to remedy the (physical) results of their illness. Whilst we were doing that we were entertained by the patient in a number of ways, culminating in a wonderful shade of pink when the Sister (Nurse Practitioner) was complimented on her 'wonderful breasts'. A comment that brought a sharp intake of breath from everyone else!

The cabaret came in the form of a member of the local performing company (known as the MHU (Mental Health Unit) who had decided that they no longer wished to be part of the company. As they sat smoking a cigarette, one of the management came up and tried to persuade them to return. This invitation brought a torrent of expletive-ridden negatives, accusations and invitations to embark upon a journey of their own (in fine Anglo-Saxon). So effective was the torrent that the focus of it left and returned with the 'Unit Manager', a big guy. They started dragging the reluctant artiste and so I stepped in to try and stop my customer shouting at the assembled, struglling and expletive-ridden, gathering.

Around us people were coming and going and the, soon to be returned to the cast of madness, escapee sat themselves in the floor and cried out for someone to call the police as they were being kidnapped. Having sent my cast member back to the nearest bench, I stopped the circus performance and asked the, still crying out, person whether they would go back if I went with them. They agreed but the 'management' told me that they knew what they were doing and needed no help and proceeded to drag their reluctancy company member back to the unit.

Realising that I could do nothing to bring some sanity and stillness to the madness, and my person being called to see the doctor, I returned to the sanity of the hospital where we were treated to a few songs, poems and that wonderful assessment of the Sister's breasts (she was fantastic, for we both agreed that was a little inappropriate and yet she didn't flinch from discharging her duty with care, compassion and a great deal of tolerance).

Whoever said that being a dog-collar was a boring life?

Whoever said that care and health went together?

It did for part of my experience today, but sadly not all.

Pray for those who work within the circus that is mental health and for those whose lives are but one of many of the performances that make people members of such places.

Pax

Mental Health - starting to take a look

Following on from my Good Friday experience I have started taking stock of the people and situations around me and have realised that there are so many issues and attitudes which collide. Some show our society off to a bad light and others damage and mar the image of Christ in the Church and the Church in the world.

What has to be said is that the Church is made up of very human, humans, and this sometimes shows. But (always a but somewhere!) the Church is also made up of some truly Christlike people too and it would be wrong to tar the Church because of a few poor experiences (which after all might be their learning experience, albeit a costly one for some at times) and some ignorant (they can hopefully be taught) and costly (in terms of broken and wounded people) errors.

A few of the sadnesses I have discovered thus far:

+ A fair number of people have the attitude that once someone has had a mental health issue they are 'mental' for the rest of their life. This is obviously not always the case.

+ A fair number of people assume that mental illness has nothing to do with physical causes and ascribe the effects (which we call mental illness) to a number of odd causes ranging from abuse to demons! This often gets the 'cheer up' response to depressives and the enforced exorcisms that I have received mail about!

+ Those with mental health issues fluctuate and can be testing at times. I know this from experience and have to struggle to be open and accepting of this, especially at 3:00am! But if we stop and take a look in the mirror, so too can we be testing and a trial to others at times, so what's the difference they have a condition with a name, that's all (what's our excuse?).

+ I am amazed to find that some people don't like to be around those with mental health issue in case the 'catch it' and because people thus afflicted can be embarrassing.

I have started a thread on the Cavedwellers blog about this issue, anyone who wishes to join in is more than welcome (you'll need to join). I thought this was a better option than directing the blog to this issue, which I think is going to take some unravelling.

Thank you for the mail and comments I have received, I hope that from it I might be able to develop a positive way forward at personal, church and wider levels.

Pax

Mad Priest - what the professionals say

MP wrote: "I wanted to send the following to Vic but was unable to find an email address for him so I'm posting it here.

A couple of years ago my diocese sent me to see a professor of psychiatry, chosen and paid for by themselves, who was to report back to them with an assessment of my ability to perform my priestly duties. The following is a scan of the conclusion of the psychiatrist's report:"

I have posted this as a remedy and source of information for some who have written to me privately to show that there is a degree of openness and transparency that denies some of the =comments received and perhaps warrants some consideration.

I am not seeking to vilify nor applaud, but engage in honest discussion. What I find before me leads me to consider my own attitudes and responses regarding mental health issues. Hopefully others will find themselves occupied likewise.

Pax

Madness and the uninsane

Looking at the post from the 'Mad Priest', which I posted yesterday (hard to believe that) I have received a number of comments, some of which are published on yesterday's blog, and others which are not.

Some tell me that we need to keep the insane from ministry positions, an aspiration which I'm afraid is all too late! Others tell me that the we need to keep our ministers 'pure', but I never realised that mental illness was a state of sinful existence. Mind you, when in the pentecostal movement I was told that mental illness was the result of unconfessed sin, perhaps that will suffice?

The reality is that the Mad Priest's response is one that demonstrates a degree of anger, bitterness and resentment at those whom he considers to have removed him from ministry and whilst I might not agree with the labelling of his bishop as a bigot, I can understand the reasons. What we see is the response of someone who is hurting and this is surely another area where we need to offer sensitive support (and perhaps a little correction in the form of a more measured, less vitriolic, response).

That the man chooses to live as he does is something for him to have decided and for those who are engaged with him to dialogue over if it is a problem. The problem for me is that it is an easy task for people to decide how they think someone should live, but perhaps there are reasons for them not conforming. Again, the key is engagement and dialogue - tow elements that are rarely to be found when dealing with the mentally ill (current or past - cant guess at future).

What I am concerned at is the potential for the Church to continue to shoot its wounded in this area, even if the occurrences are limited and few and far between. Surely one, wrongly handled causes us problems? It was for this reason that I have posted Gordon's story and the comments from MP. Not to be provocative 9in the wrong sense) but to provoke some thinking and a desire to see a balanced and positive response to this issue.

So . . . please take the time to read the two pieces - ask yourself what you would do if you were them and then ask yourself what you would do if you were presented with them?

What would Jesus have us do?

The time has come when the potter no longer looks for perfect vessels, cracked pots will suffice well if they can but contain just some of the Holy Spirit. Broken, shattered but able to be used for purpose? Then what right do we have to respond badly?

Pax

Tales from a Mad Vicar

No, not the one in the image. These words, a response to a previous post on the church and mental health, come from someone else:

"I am an unemployed Church of England priest. I am unemployed because 12 years ago I went through a couple of years suffering from a serious depressive illness. I was in and out of hospital and nothing the psychiatrists prescribed would shift it. Eventually I met a young occupational therapist and something clicked. Together we came up with a regime that pulled me out of the hell I was living in.

About ten years ago I was well enough to start working again. At the time I was the vicar of a two church parish, although I had been off work for over a year. I suggested to my archdeacon that I could manage one parish for a while until I was strong enough to cope with both. I was told this would not be possible. Then I was called into the bishop's office and he told me that I should retire and there was no job for me in the Church. I fought hard and he eventually gave me the post of assistant curate on a two year contract. He also insisted that I saw counsellors who reported back to him and undergo review procedures far more intrusive than what other priests had to go through.

At the end of the two years I had to fight again to keep my job. Again I was given a two year contract. At the end of that, after another fight, I was given a one year contract and at the end of that I was told there was no job for me, and I wasn't given any contract. However, I carried on working and they still paid me for another two years. Last September, the bishop finally got his way and I was dismissed.

During all those years of temporary contracts I did a perfectly fine and appreciated job and did not have a single minute off work because of illness, let alone mental distress. I have managed my depression by sticking to the regimes that were formulated with my OT and with medication.

During all those years the bishop never once considered putting me forward for a full time post. I am certain that he was convinced from the start that somebody who had suffered from mental illness could never be trusted to take on any position of responsibility. I also think he believes that all mental illness is the same and that we are all schizophrenics. He certainly does not understand that major depressive episodes are usually temporary and that even those who suffer from occasional relapses can be perfectly capable of holding down a job as well as anybody else between episodes. Basically my bishop was an ill-informed bigot.

Of course, having been subject to such prejudice for so long and held back from pursuing my vocation, all the parishes I apply to for work are suspicious of me. After 75 rejections in less than a year I gave up. This would never have happened if I had been in secular employment because my employer would have been breaking English law if he treated me in the same way as my former bishop. My bishop used the church's exemption from employment laws to get away with worse than murder - stripping me of my vocation and my reason for living.

The Church occasionally makes the right noises about mental illness but they are, in reality, a bunch of hypocrites."

'Mad Vicar'

A very sad and sobering tale, especially as one of the accusations about the Church used to be that we were 'the only army to shoot its wounded', an accusation I thought (hoped) we'd grown out of.

Please pray for this minister and the many others in the same boat.

Pax

All Sins can be forgiven . .

We just can't deal with the mental health issues!

Outside the 'unforgivable sin' and grieving the Holy Spirit, I have always been taught that regardless of the sin, there was always healing, forgiveness and renewal available to the sinner, should they repent. The problem is that in the United Kingdom, one in every six people is affected by a mental health issue, one in every four has been (or will be, mentally ill at some time - varying degrees, but identifiably mentally ill) (ONS 2007 UK Census - 23%).

Following the 2007 census, the then Health Secretary, Alan Johnson, spoke about the situation:

"At any one time, one in six people will be living with a mental health problem. One in four will experience an episode of mental illness at some point in their lifetime. If this statistic were applied to some of this country’s most venerable institutions, it would mean that at least one presenter of the Today programme, one of the Strictly Come Dancing judges and around six players in the current England football squad, have experienced or will experience a mental illness at some point in their lives"

I am concerned at a number of levels and for a number of reasons. The first being that I find Christians who are so excited by an issue like homosexuality, which affects four to five percent of the population (globally or locally, take your pick) . They rant and rave about something that affects one in twenty people tops. These same people studiously avoid an issue which affects one in four (or perhaps one in six, depends upon the definitions used).

Now I know I'm treading on dodgy ground here because some will accuse me of comparing apples and pears rather than 'like-for-like' (worse still that I am lumping both together as a 'illness' - which I am not). What I am trying to do as I open this discussion is to show the scale of the issue before us and the inordinately skewed focus regarding it (so it's not a discussion about homosexuality - O.K.!).

So hopefully I have put in some context and a datum from which to work regarding the man spoken of yesterday.

One of the more compassionate people regarded the issue as one that the man's pastor needed to address 'decisively'. Another spoke of the man needing to be 'locked up' and another was angry and upset because the bloke had (basically) 'spoilt his Good Friday religious bit!' (my words, his attitude!).

The problem with mentally ill people is that they aren't rational. They are disruptive and often controversial, noisy, aggressive, frightening, weird, and more beside. they just don't make sense and cannot see sense when it paraded before them. Rational conversation aimed at them produces fluffy bunnies, a world that is out to get them, half a dozen other personalities popping out to say 'hello' (sorry - 'sound of music' gene problem) and totally ridiculous responses (ever tried talking to me?).

The problem is, that 'they' (for it seems that the mentally ill lose identities and become that wonderful, anonymous, 'they') just don't do anything towards making church comfortable and 'they' can be disruptive and do need to be managed such that our services run with a degree of decency and decorum. BUT, there has to be latitude (not lassitude) shown, a degree of accommodation and acceptance along with the managing (AKA 'lock them up somewhere away from us')

Another issue is that having these 'nutters' (a word used to describe the mentally ill 'they'recently) going around telling people they're Christians isn't good marketing. Even if we let them come to our services, it would be good if they didn't support the idea that to be Christian, or even religious, is the province of the mentally ill, after all, we claim to hear voices and have a God fixation (two of the signs when I was training).

And then we have the 'demon' brigade. The wonderfully weird and often certifiable Christians who see mental illness as merely 'demonic' and, because "Demons are their ministry and calling!" (which is actually tosh!) look for a gunfight with the demonic causes of the illness. Now here's a bit of gained wisdom that I have built up over the years, your for free. Demons might not cause mental illness, but things demonic can use mental illness, the lowering of mental and emotional barriers caused by the illness and amazingly the medication and can sign up to make issue worse.

I have learned that what is presenting before me is more often than not (I've seen and dealt with less than twenty truly demonic mentally ill people in a quarter of a century of ministry)) a medical issue. At one stage I was the man who was called out to support a fair number of people under a section 4 admission and these were generally people who had felt better and stopped taking their pills. Some of them were 'demonised' (but the term is demon oppression, not possession) and although I have had my share of the funny voices, weird contorted faces, odd smells and even a levitation (I kid you not!) - we speak too often of demons as a cause and not enough as a parasitic entity (now I bet I sound mad myself!) and an effect.

That mentally ill people can be manipulated is often seen by the timing of their appearance. Often, just when stuff is trying and testing along comes someone presenting and I don't think this is coincidence. But it doesn't just interfere or distract, it also causes us to reject, deal with in a summary fashion or even condemned as 'knowing what they are doing and being disruptive or damaging' to the proceedings. Of course, what is often at stake is the comfort zone of the observer (cruel, but it has been true of me and I assume I'm normal).

We move on to the issue of 'WWJD'and this always raises in me the question, "Well, what would Jesus do?"

I think He'd take the person and their situation seriously. He'd afford them the chance to talk and would find the point where He could bring them to a place of awareness, stillness, realisation and peace. He would address the person rather than be drawn in by the illness and He'd bring healing. healing which would deal with the spiritual as well as the physical (after all, I was taught that mental illness is often a physical cause manifesting in the behaviour of the ill person).

Jesus would bring about a physical healing and would mop up any attached demonic followers as well. And so, the question nearly always comes, often in a statement. "Well, we don't have the power jesus did. Or perhaps we don't have the faith or it's not a gift I have, perhaps one day!"
But as we focus on Jesus, as we rejoice in the empty tomb, didn't he appear yesterday and give his Shalom? Didn't he breathe on those present and pour upon them, and us later at Pentecost, His Holy Spirit? Isn't the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead, that is Christ (homousios) within us and therefore what stops us from healing (another issue for another day) as He healed?

Is it faith? Or belief? Or our sins? I don't know - but I do know that I have prayed and seen blind eyes open (six of them) and have prayed and seen healing that defied my logic or experience and yet my faith was low, but my obedience was high.

Perhaps the first step is to start regarding the 'mentally ill' and merely regard them as being 'ill'. No different from any other physical illness, other than the fact that they enter into our comfort zones, that they are often embarrassing, difficult to deal with, obvious and apparent to all who see them. The manifestations are more obvious than a rash under clothing, for rashes don't shout out or wave their arms. the manifestations are more pressing and so therefore is the need to love and accept them as Christ would - not second class, not an embarrassment but as fellow humans with a more obvious affliction that our own, physical or spiritual.

Would would jesus do? Got an idea, then share it and do it!

Pax

ps. as an aside, please pray that as the mental health units and support centres close under the current financial cuts, that more churches would open their doors to provide support groups with spaces to continue their essential support work. That's one of the things jesus would do, I am sure.

Loving as Christ loves us

After the Good Friday witness I met people who spoke of a man, mentally ill, needing to be 'managed' or acted against 'properly' or as one put it, "Just locked up!" Another has spoken of acting 'decisively', but what do these words mean?

As they uttered those words I had the feeling that a man, somewhere in time was holding a scroll of the prophet Isaiah, and reading thus:

"The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me,
because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor;

He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,

To proclaim liberty to the captives,

And the opening of the prison to those who are bound;

To proclaim the year of the LORD’s favour, and the day of vengeance of our God;

To comfort all who mourn; giving them beautiful headdress instead of ashes,

The oil of gladness instead of mourning,

The garment of praise instead of a faint spirit;

that they may be called oaks of righteousness,

The planting of the LORD, that he may be glorified."

If we cannot stand with those who know the Lord and have broken minds;

If we cannot stand with those who know the Lord and have broken lives;

If we cannot weep with those who weep, grieve with those who grieve, love those who are unloveable and yet know the Lord, what hope is there for the lost?

What hope is there for the Church?

Who can be saved?

What reason is there for His rising up today?

Pax