Mar 07

More reflections on Troubled Minds, a GREAT book by Amy Simpson

About a month ago I introduced you to a resource I believe every church leader should read. It is Amy Simpson’s book Troubled Minds (http://www.amazon.com/Troubled-Minds-Illness-Churchs-Mission/dp/0830843043 ). The book chronicles not only her own journey of faith and her church’s reaction to mental illness in her immediate family, but also gives fascinating insight into the mindset of most churches when it comes to addressing the issues of mental illness in their communities and congregations. As I wrote last time (http://www.intermountainministry.org/troubled-minds-by-amy-simpson-a-book-every-church-leader-should-read-part-1/) there is simply WAY too much good information in her book to digest in one sitting, so I intend to break up my reflections into numerous blog posts. This month, I’d like to visit a few of the statistics that are reported in Amy’s book. The data that Amy draws upon for her book is derived from a Leadership Journal survey on mental illness in churches conducted in 2010. Here’s what the survey reported:

  • More than 40 percent of church leaders have never reached out to and ministered to a family within their congregation with someone who has mental illness.
  • Nearly 5% (4.8) of church leaders have asked someone with mental illness to leave the church temporarily; 3.2 percent have asked that they leave permanently; 3.4 percent have sought a restraining order against the person.
  • 53.2 percent of church leaders indicated they feel “somewhat equipped” to minister to people suffering from mental illness; 16.1 percent feel “not equipped at all” to minister to those with mental illness or severe emotional disturbance. Read the rest of this entry »

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Mar 05

“Tests and Timing” an Object Lesson on Temptation

Objects needed: Two bags of marshmallows, one open so you can hand each child a single marshmallow, and the other closed.

Theme/Main Idea: The temptations that Satan confronted Jesus with had more to do with timing than anything else. Jesus trusted God the Father to give him what he needed and what was his at the appropriate time. As we look ahead to Easter, can we be as patient as we wait on the Lord to meet our needs?

Text: Matthew 4:1-11

Presentation:

“How many of you like to eat? Mmm-mmm… me too! I like to eat so much that sometimes I eat things I know aren’t really good for me, but they taste good! [Take out marshmallows.]

What are these? Yep. Marshmallows… yummy marshmallows. I’d like to give one to each of you. Would that be okay? But, before I do, what if I told you that you could have one yummy marshmallow now, or… IF you waited and just held on to that marshmallow, I’d meet you back here in 45 minutes and you could show me that marshmallow, and I would give you 9 more… making how many? Yes! TEN total marshmallows. What would you say about that? [Pass out the marshmallows, wait for responses] Read the rest of this entry »

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Feb 28

Blessed to be a blessing

“It is more blessed to give than to receive…” (Acts 20:35)

Recently, our children assembled hygiene kits as a service project. These hygiene kits are given to students that come from far away to attend the International Evangelism Centre in Salika, Tanzania. At the Centre, these students prepare to be church planters and pastors to a number of countries in East Africa. The relatively few supplies—all fitting into a 1 gallon Ziplock bag—are a tremendous blessing to these eager, but often impoverished, students. The assembly of the kits allowed us a wonderful opportunity to discuss in chapel just how richly we are blessed, and that there is always something to be thankful for in the midst of our struggles in life.

In a special chapel attended by Bishop Eliudi, the founder and president of IEC-Salika, the children were able to pray for each kit they assembled and the student that would be receiving the gift. Then, after a fun activity and some questions for Bishop Eliudi, the children presented the kits, one at a time. They shook hands with Bishop Eliudi and were thanked and blessed for their generosity. The smiles on their faces told the story. For many of our children, uprooted from their homes and working through some very difficult issues and matters of relationship, it was a healthy reminder that they, too, have something to give. They could see in a very tangible way that they had been blessed to be a blessing.

In the Chaplain’s Program at Intermountain, we feel it is important for the children to learn compassion, empathy, and the positive sense of self that comes from giving oneself in service to another. From the spirit and the energy that flowed from our chapel service with Bishop Eliudi, it is hard to argue against the therapeutic power of service and acts of kindness and encouragement. A big thank you goes out to the many Intermountain staff that donated items for the kits we made. A grand total of 29 kits were assembled, a fantastic feat and a great encouragement to Bishop Eluidi!

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Feb 24

2014 Valentine’s Day Tea with Pastor Kendra Wilde

Earlier this month we had the pleasure of putting on another wonderful Girls’ Valentine’s Day Tea. This time we hosted the Tea in our new Community Service Center building and were treated to a brief talk on Victorian era tea etiquette by Loy Chvilicek and a wonderful devotional talk from Pastor Kendra Wilde of Our Redeemer’s Lutheran Church of Helena. Cookies and other goodies were provided by the ladies of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church and Grace Community Fellowship, both of Helena. Many staff members helped with preparation, set-up, service, and clean-up, but the greatest assistance came from our resident wonder-woman, Anne Wilmouth! I was blessed to see our young ladies in residence truly feel special and honored by the fuss made over them. And, in preparing to open the Tea with a prayer, one of our girls volunteered to come forward and bless our time together! It warmed my heart to see how deeply the love of God has touched the children in our care and the difference it is making in their lives.

Here are a few excerpts of Kendra’s devotional talk on “feelings” in which she shared some of her own story about how Jesus helped her grow through her own hurt, anger, and depression into the wonderful woman of God she is now. Those gathered for the Tea were deeply touched by her words and the heart with which she shared them:

“When I was your age, I felt really overwhelmed by my feelings. Other girls seemed so cool and together. I didn’t want to be the only one with ‘issues.’

So, when someone asked me how I was doing, I gave the only appropriate answer: ‘Fine. And you?’ I was scared that people would find out my stomach was always in knots. And I wanted to protect my real tender heart. Yet, the truth of how we feel always has a way of coming out, doesn’t it? Read the rest of this entry »

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Feb 12

Marching in the Light

This last week has been a flurry of activity within the Chaplain’s Program, as we get ready for another girls’ Valentine’s Day Tea and prepare for a visit from Bishop Eliudi from Tanzania, who will be coming to chapel to speak with the children and answer questions about what life is like there. The kids are preparing questions focusing on how children live in Tanzania, what they do for fun, their languages and culture, and the role that faith plays in their homes and schooling.

Two exciting aspects of these preparations for our special guest include the assembly of Hygiene Kits for students who attend the Bible School, many of whom come from quite a distance and don’t have the basics we take for granted: soap, a toothbrush, a comb, etc. Each of the kids were able to put together a kit from items purchased by the generous employees of Intermountain. They will have a chance to present these kits and pray for a student that will receive them with Bishop Eliudi when we gather together in chapel.

The second exciting part of our preparations involve using the drums and shakers donated by our wonderful supporting UCC church in Absarokee to prepare a song in English and Swahili called “We Are Marching in the Light of God.” It is very therapeutic to sing and play (and even dance!) a little as a way of sharing a point of connection between cultures. Music Educator Zack Harris has been great, doing his best to contain the energy of dozens of children on drums… can you imagine?!

Indeed, it has been gratifying to hear the kids humming the song around campus and watching the joy they have in singing and learning more about the rhythms unique to the African gospel tradition.

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Jan 30

Troubled Minds by Amy Simpson… a book every church leader should read! [Part 1]

As I work towards a greater understanding of connecting churches with the children and the families that Intermountain ministers to, I occasionally come across something so brilliant or compelling I want to pass it on to as many of you as possible. Amy Simpson’s book, Troubled Minds: Mental Illness and the Church’s Mission (2013), is one such resource. There is WAY too much in this book to cover in a simple 400-word blog post, so I thought I might take a few bites at the apple each time, spreading my thoughts out over several articles.

I am the type of reader that still prefers an actual book to mark-up and dog-ear pages, circling quotes or phrases I like, and highlighting things that strike me as particularly profound or troubling. Here is one such passage from page 35 in Amy’s book:

The nature of much mental illness (or severe emotional disturbance) makes it different from most other disabling disease. The National Institute of Mental Health calls mental disorders “the chronic diseases of the young.” Many of these disorders begin early in life. According to one of the institute’s press releases,

“Half of all lifetime cases begin by age 14; three quarters have begun by age 24…. For example, anxiety disorders often begin in late childhood, mood disorders in late adolescence, and substance abuse in the early 20s. Unlike heart disease or most cancers, young people with mental disorders suffer disability when they are in the prime of life, when they would normally be the most productive.”

It should break our hearts that there are so many children suffering these often “hidden” illnesses, many receiving very little help, care or encouragement to improve their situation. What can a church do, or a concerned spiritual leader in a church do about the hurting children in our midst? The first step is to get educated as to what the issues really are. I would suggest getting a copy of Amy’s book. I know it exposed some of the misperceptions and misunderstandings I have battled when thinking about children’s mental health issues.

A physical ailment, discovered in childhood, can often be treated and managed, and the patient learns how to enjoy life and have a productive adulthood. The same can be true for children who struggle with mental health ailments. With the proper intervention and the support of a spiritual community, these children too can find a life much more satisfying and engaged than they would be without our help.

Those interested in purchasing Amy’s book can find it at https://www.ivpress.com/cgi-ivpress/book.pl/code=4304 on Amazon, or many other online book retailers!

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Jan 24

Spring is here? A New Year for the Trees

The Jewish children on campus recently celebrated TuB’Shevat, the New Year for the Trees.  Within the Jewish tradition, the 15th of the Hebrew month of Shevat represents the day when the sap begins flowing upwards again, within the trees.  Spring has arrived…at least in the land of Israel… the winter rains are over and soon the land will be abloom with flowers and fragrance.

TuB’Shevat is an ancient and mystical holiday that is celebrated each year (exactly mid-point between the winter solstice and the spring equinox) by tasting fruits and nuts that come from the trees, as well as drinking four cups of wine or grape juice, representing the four seasons.  Our interconnection to trees and nature is emphasized, as is the need to protect, preserve and plant trees.

In Israel, the almond tree is the first to awaken out of its winter sleep. A skeptic once said, “Speak to me of G-d” and the almond tree blossomed.

Our Jewish Educator, Janet Tatz, did a wonderful job presenting the meal and the meaning behind the celebration of this special holiday. The Jewish students on campus were asked to think about the different types of people we encounter (and the personal characteristics WE sometimes display) and whether we have a hard shell on the outside of our hearts that might need to be cracked open so our love and joy can be released. I know sometimes I can be that proverbial “tough nut to crack,” making it hard to let others in.

As we celebrate the coming of Spring, perhaps we all can “turn over a new leaf” and resolve to open our hearts and minds more to God and others.

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Dec 11

Prayers from our children

Recently we participated in Operation Christmas Child as part of our weekly chapel services. The children had the opportunity to put together gift boxes for children in various places around the world. We spoke about how this gift might be the first gift some of these children would receive and how we can learn to be grateful with what we have been given, even if we know our lives are far from perfect.

As part of the gift assembly, the children were encouraged to write our messages or prayers for the children that would be receiving their gift. I have permission for two of our kids to share what they prayed for the recipients of their gift:

“I pray that the kid who gets this will be as excited as I am on Christmas. I pray that the girl or boy, mom, dad, teacher and anyone else will be safe from war, poverty, disease, famine, sickness. I pray that they will be loved for who they are.”

“I am sorry I cannot see you in person but I give you a gift that hopefully makes you smile. The Lord will be with you all your life.”

Amen! Isn’t it great to be reminded that even in the midst of very difficult circumstances, we can learn to be grateful and give to others something that might be an encouragement to them? Our children are an encouragement to me daily, and I hope that we can carry ourselves with the same attitude of selflessness and love that they are learning to express during their time at Intermountain

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Nov 07

Preparing for the Chaplain’s Tree at Festival of Trees

Fall is always a busy time on the Residential campus at Intermountain. Before we know it, we are making preparations for the holidays. This year’s preparations come with the added excitement of the children’s participation in helping decorate the first ever Chaplain’s Tree at Intermountain’s Festival of Trees. Good friend and supporter of Intermountain’s Chaplain’s Program, Lisa Lovell-Mattioli, has agreed to be the tree designer and coordinate the effort. Chaplain Chris Haughee has been working diligently with the children to create ornaments for the tree that point to the spiritual significance of the season. Janet Tatz, our Jewish Educator, will be supplying items for the tree display that reference the wonderful Jewish education and mentoring that is also a part of our Chaplain’s program. Surrounding the tree will be donated items from local supporters and churches that have expressed excitement about drawing special attention to the spiritual and cultural development of children while they are in residential treatment.

Decorations on the tree will be predominantly white and gold, drawing upon the purity and majesty associated with God, regardless of religious tradition. The ornaments will be “Chrismons”—or “Christ monograms,” a tradition started at Ascension Lutheran Church in Danville, Virginia about sixty years ago. Since that time, a number of churches have started a tradition of displaying a tree in their sanctuaries that tells the story of Christmas through signs and symbols. As the children have been learning throughout the Fall, there is a great deal of meaning and power connected between the mysteries of faith and the signs and symbols we choose to represent them.

Chaplain Chris has taken a great deal of care in preparing materials for partner churches to participate alongside our children as they learn more about the Chrismons and the meaning behind them. If you have yet to examine those materials, make sure you check out the resource page on the intermountainministry.org website. There are sermon outlines, children’s sermons, candle lighting liturgies, and a special Advent devotional based on the Chrismon symbols. Finally, if you have the opportunity to attend this year’s Festival of Trees in Helena, please take time to visit the Chaplain’s Tree and see just how beautifully our children’s creations have made the tree. Every child was given the chance to participate, and we believe that you’ll find even the little imperfections in their creations to be a reminder of the love and grace God shows us and wants us to know during this season. All the money raised by auctioning the Chaplain’s Tree will go right back into the spiritual and cultural education of our children. So, even if you cannot attend, please pray for a wonderful and successful festival and great generosity by the donor that will end up purchasing the Chaplain’s Tree!

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Oct 23

“I don’t like grace…”

Last Thursday I had the pleasure of attending a Festival of Trees -Tea in the Trees planning luncheon with a few of the girls from our residential program. We had been invited to share a bit of what we have been doing in chapel services and the girls would be given the opportunity to share what had been most impactful in the recent series of lessons.

The lessons, five in all, were each based upon spiritual truths that common road signs could teach us. Conceptually, the lessons would also feed into the discussions we would have in November and December around the meaning and significance of Christmas holiday symbols. But, sometimes in the midst of a pretty straight-forward presentation the profound breaks through, as it did for all of us in attendance.  It was an honor to hear it from the heart of one of our children.

It all happened because I was working the children through the Bible stories we had discussed. I started with the STOP sign… this sign taught us to stop and listen to God.  One young lady helped walk the rest of us through the insight that “Stop and listen to God” is a little like the skill learned in the cottage about stopping and thinking. “How am I feeling? What is my body telling me? How can I slow down and not get caught up in strong emotion (anger, wanting to fight)?” These are the kinds of questions children are encouraged to process when they stop and think. The STOP sign we used added one more step to that process: Pray and listen to God. That Bible lesson was on Samuel as a little boy and how he heard God’s voice in the night. God called Samuel to follow him, and the children were encouraged to think about how God is calling us, too.

Then, we came to the caution sign for “GRACE AHEAD.” The girl that held this sign did a wonderful job of recounting the story and lesson behind the sign. We had covered the parable of the unforgiving servant in conjunction with that sign. She explained to all in attendance that “The King had forgiven this guy – like a whole bunch, and then he had someone who owed him – just a little bit, thrown in jail when he couldn’t pay it back. The servant had been forgiven so much, but he couldn’t forgive anyone.” Then I asked her why she had chosen that particular “GRACE AHEAD” sign to share with the group. She responded, without hesitating, “Because I don’t like grace.”

“I don’t like grace.” Truth be told, not many of us do like grace—at least not when we are honest with ourselves. We are much more patterned to think we need to earn our place in the world and jockey with others for position and power. This young lady is coming to grips with an issue that is really holding her back from having a connection with God and with her family: she doesn’t like grace. She feels she needs to earn what she has been offered freely: love, acceptance, and a sense of truly belonging in a family.  Will you pray for this young lady, and many others like her (maybe even yourself?) so they can get to the place where they accept the grace of God and the love of others as a gift and a resource for building strong and healthy relationships?

Shared by Intermountain Chaplain Chris Haughee

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