Sabbaths of Hope

Sabbaths of Hope is about faith communities responding to depression. It is an initiative that aims to:

• enable clergy, seminarians, and other faith leaders to recognize signs and symptoms of depression
• offer more effective support to congregants and clergy suffering from depression
• provide referral and linkage to treatment options
• address stigma, discrimination, and other barriers to treatment
• promote holistic approaches to depression treatment

Faith community participants receive training and resources to enable them to conduct educational events for congregants and colleagues.  All of this culminates in a congregationally designated Sabbaths of Hope weekend observance in May, designated National Mental Health Month.

Here are a few quotes from faith leaders who have observed Sabbaths of Hope:

• “Sabbaths of Hope will be an annual observance in our congregation.  It will also be an ongoing ministry effort in the church, both within the congregation and the community at large.”
  
• “This program has had unintended consequences.  In addition to raising depression awareness within our congregation and the community at large, Sabbaths of Hope challenged us to take a look within our congregation at what resources we might already have among us that we are failing to utilize.  As it turns out,... we already had within our congregation significantly more resources than we realized.”
  
• “When we combine Sabbaths of Hope resources with our own, we have the opportunity not only to raise depression awareness, but make a significant impact on those who are suffering from this disease.”
• “Our Sabbaths of Hope is coming just at the right time, as many are questioning and concerned about loved ones and fellow members who may be struggling with depression and grief and other mental and emotional issues.”
  

Click here for an executive summary of this initiative.

Mental Health America of the Heartland and the Center for Practical Bioethics are collaborators in planning and implementation of Sabbaths of Hope, with funding provided by the Health Care Foundation of Greater Kansas City and with much in-kind assistance from the theological seminaries, faith communities, spiritual and mental health care providers of the metropolitan area.