Submitted
Grace Lutheran Church of Oak Ridge will host a candle lighting service in support of those challenged by mental illness, substance use disorders, and other brain disorders at 5 p.m. Sunday. Everyone is welcome, and a special invitation is extended to family members, members of all area churches, community organizations, and the healing professions from neighboring counties.
One in four adults experiences a mental health problem in any given year, and 50 percent will experience this problem at some time during their lives. One in five young people aged 13 to 18 also experience mental illness. These numbers continue to grow.
“The church is in a unique position to provide a community of support for those who are in pain,” Pastor Steve Damos said. “We can provide solace and faith, and be compassionate advocates for those seeking recovery and wholeness.”
“Lighting a single candle might seem like a small gesture, but when we come together in a spirit of healing and light many, our hope becomes the light for the world,” he said.
The candle lighting service will cap off the church’s first-time observation of Mental Illness Awareness Week (Oct. 6-12), sponsored by the National Alliance on Mental Illness, or NAMI.
“We have started small this year, hoping to educate our congregation and others about current mental health issues and providing information on area organizations and services. We hope to see this become an important part of our ministry,” Damos said.
For more information on the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America’s social statement on mental illness, go to www.elca.org. For information about other faith-based ministries to those challenged by mental illness or brain disorders, go to www.nami.org/namifaithnet.
For more information on the candle lighting service, call Sharon Boudreaux at (865) 385-3556.
Grace Lutheran Church ((865) 483-3787) is located at 131 W. Gettysburg Ave. in Oak Ridge.
Cindy McCullough says
Be careful on how you word your titles. This one makes it sound like the service is only for those with mental illness, like if I go, someone is going to ask me what is your mental illness? It isn’t. It is for anyone who wants to support those with mental illness. Mental illness in America is a problem we often try to ignore and sweep under the rug. This is the beginning of trying to undo that. Mental illness should not be something everyone hides in their closet. Other physical diseases aren’t something to be hidden normally, why should mental illness be such a thing? (Okay, going out on the street corner and shouting it to the world might not be desired, but one shouldn’t have to hide it either. Hard to get support when you need it, if you are hiding it for fear that others will judge you, etc.)
johnhuotari says
Thank you, Cindy. I agree.
Untreated mental illnesses can lead to tragic results, and I applaud any effort to make it easier for people to discuss mental illness and any problems they or their family members or friends might be having, and to seek help. I do agree that it is probably more difficult for many people to discuss mental illnesses than other illnesses.
It does seem to me that there have been more public efforts here locally in the past few years to raise awareness of mental health issues and provide help to those struggling with mental illnesses. For example, there is the East Tennessee Crisis Intervention Team that trains crisis intervention officers. It’s a partnership between law enforcement agencies and mental health systems and advocates. Maybe you’re already aware of the program, but if not, it seeks to “promote dignity, safety and appropriate care for individuals with a mental illness, instead of incarceration.” See this June press release from Ridgeview on the program: http://www.ridgevw.com/News/13%20CIT%20training%2005-10.pdf
And earlier this year, there was a “Preventing Tragedy” seminar organized by the Oak Ridge Police Department and Ridgeview and other supporting organizations. See this letter: http://oakridgetoday.com/2013/04/21/letter-thanks-orpd-ridgeview-mental-health-community-for-preventing-tragedy-seminar/.
I believe efforts like this will help, and I appreciate the work.