It is good news that after many weeks of closure we are now able to open the “No Labels” Mental Health Support Group at Seaton Road Methodist Church. We are most grateful to John Gillett our Mental Health, Walton Parish Nurse who has been responsible for producing all the risk assessments required. We meet for a shorter session with no refreshments and with full compliance with Government and Methodist Covid-19 guidelines. We, of course all book in for track and trace purposes.
I am not sure if I can convey in words the relief this meeting has brought to the people who come.
At the present time of cut backs and many services not operating, I would go as far as to say that such a service is a key component in meeting some of the many mental health situations that the presence of Covid-19 in our world has exacerbated.
In a similar vein, I am finding that Care Homes are calling me back in to meet with residents who are just craving some sort of physical presence. Also the amount of staff seeking appointments has risen. I have been very impressed with all the care homes I have had contact with during the pandemic and especially how they have worked so hard in recent weeks to enable folk to visit under a strict appointment system in compliance with Government guidelines.
The honest and painful situation is that we have and are all, exercising a deprivation of physical presence.
This may be especially true for Christians who believe in the incarnate God in Christ who physically came to this earth and whose Ministry was largely dependent upon human touch.
We do indeed live in very challenging times, we have a responsibility laid before us all to address as best we can, this deprivation of human contact.
A Prayer
Loving God, incarnate in Jesus
We give you thanks for all those who help us in these difficult days.
We thank you for all those who have been so creative in their service.
We especially pray today for those who crave physical presence and contact.
We pray for those whose mental health has drastically deteriorated in recent weeks and months
And we ask God’s blessing upon all our efforts in his name to meet people in their acute pain and need.
Amen.