God of All Comfort: Mental Health Resources for Church Worship

Statistics tell us that 20% of Canadians will experience mental illness in their lifetime. It affects all of us at some time, whether personally, through a family member, a friend or colleague. That means we share our pews with people who are living this experience. Yet, because of the stigma that surrounds mental illness and the culture of victory that pervades our places of worship, many who are living with mental illness do so in silence.

As a faith-based organization, Communitas Supportive Care Society provides services for people living with developmental disabilities and mental health challenges. We are inspired by Jesus Christ to be a place of belonging, growth and contribution. We envision communities of fully human, interdependent citizens. Our hope is that people with developmental disabilities and/or mental health challenges can participate fully in their places of worship. Our hope is that this material will create a space where people can talk freely and safely about the challenges they face. We hope to remove the stigma that still exists around mental illness and provide church leadership with further resources to help support everyone in our congregations towards mental wellness.

In this packet you’ll find tools to use in worship: prayers, readings, a dramatic reading, song suggestions, sermon prompts, videos and more. You’ll also find stories from people who live with mental illness and those who support them. We have created video clips that tell more stories in a shorter format. There is great variety here, from many authors and contributors, and we hope that you will find these tools helpful as your explore this topic in the context of your own worship service.