by Rev. Racquel Ray,
Associate Minister of Congregational Life
Are you feeling particularly uneasy these past few years? We are in unstable and sometimes scary times. When we watch the news, we see images of natural disasters, violence, political discord, pandemic, and war. We are conditioned to be afraid of pending tragedy with commercials for life insurance, car insurance, home title insurance, and even insurance for our handheld tech. We are bombarded with offers for the latest medications which might ease our various discomforts and illnesses as though comfort and ease are perpetually possible as promised. Our times can often feel Biblical and apocalyptic – especially as we watch news from the Middle East. And, as we have come through the Covid pandemic, we are all still seeking post-traumatic resiliency from the tragic losses we all suffered. Is it any wonder we are uneasy?!
I have often found comfort in the 23rd Psalm. It was a comfort to me throughout the pandemic as I presided over so many funerals and it is a comfort as we wade through our challenges now. This version is from The Message version of the Bible:
God, my shepherd!
I don’t need a thing.
You have bedded me down in lush meadows,
you find me quiet pools to drink from.
True to your word,
you let me catch my breath
and send me in the right direction.
Even when the way goes through Death Valley,
I’m not afraid when you walk at my side.
Your trusty shepherd’s crook
makes me feel secure.
You serve me a six-course dinner
right in front of my enemies.
You revive my drooping head;
my cup brims with blessing.
Your beauty and love chase after me
every day of my life.
I’m back home in the house of God
for the rest of my life.
The Psalm is dichotomously comforting and disquieting. We remember it from so many funerals and times of grief. And, yet, we are soothed by the imagery of God as a shepherd whose love will never leave us isolated. But, many of us are still feeling lonely and isolated.
In fact, our uneasiness – or dis-ease – has become a secondary epidemic. In 2023, the US Surgeon General published a report on the Loneliness Epidemic; Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation 2023 The U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory on the Healing Effects of Social Connection and Community.1 The report details the social connections which are necessary for our flourishing and the harm caused by their absence. People flourish with strong social infrastructure in their local communities. We thrive with connections, access to healthcare, healthy digital environments, and communities. The connections we make and the ministries we share at church are major factors in our mental wellness.
Here, we find rest for our weary [news worn] souls. We find support for our grief. We find connections with people, creativity, art, music, and the Spirit. We find worship and bereavement. We share fellowship and fun. We laugh, cry, sing, and pray together. Our congregation is one antidote to the loneliness and isolation that many of us are feeling. In addition to isolation and loneliness many of us are also challenged by: Grief, Serious mental illness diagnosis, Caregivers of those with mental health challenges, Major depression, Bipolar, Schizophrenia, Eating disorders, PTSD, Anxiety, Substance Abuse, Addictions.2 Many are also impacted by neuro-differences and LGBTQIA+ realities.
The Southern New England Conference of the United Church of Christ (SNEUCC) voted at its annual meeting in the summer of 2024 to become a W.I.S.E. (Welcoming, Inclusive, Supportive, and Engaged) Conference. Members of the SNEC Health and Wellness Ministry has begun the process of becoming designated as a W.I.S.E. Conference by the UCC Mental Health Network. Recognition of the SNEUCC efforts is seen here: https://vimeo.com/989159593. The UCC Mental Health Network W.I.S.E. program encourages congregations and conferences along a path of exploration, conversation, and education to increase awareness and reduce the stigma of mental illness. Discussing issues of mental health challenges opens the door to acceptance and healing.3 Do we want to explore becoming a W.I.S.E. certified church here at BCCUCC?
This Sunday, October 6th, 2024, we will be supporting the Neighbors in Need special offering which this year is directed toward Mental Health Justice. October 10th is Mental Health Day. Our worship service on Sunday will include prayers and preaching on the realities of our collective Mental Wellness challenges. Let us continue the work of wellness and justice.
Works Cited
1 Vivek H. Murthy, M. M. (2023). O ur Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation 2023 The U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory on the Healing Effects of Social Connection and Community. Washington DC: US Department of Health and Human Services.
2 SNEUCC Health Ministry. (2024, July). Being Wise. Retrieved from Southern New England Conference United Church of Christ: https://www.sneucc.org/WISE
3 Deborah Ringen, C. s. (2022, August 23). Blogs. Retrieved from Southern New England Conference United Church of Christ: https://www.sneucc.org/blogdetail/snec-to-become-a-w-i-s-e-conference-16610483