Details

Sessions related to mental health are not a common feature of many conferences on worship. Yet mental-health-related concerns affect as many as one in five people at any given time, with one of every twenty-five people living with serious mental health challenges. More than four in ten people in the United States experiences a psychological disorder in their lifetime. What we say or fail to say about these challenges in worship settings can be profoundly formative for how Christian communities respond to these challenges

Decisions we make about how to shape and lead worship can do a lot to either welcome or inhibit the participation of those among us who struggle with mental health issues. This agenda-setting conversation seeks to identify key priorities for congregations in the years ahead as well as for organizations such as the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship who seek to serve and strengthen congregational life. It focuses especially on these central questions:

• What are the most pastorally constructive ways to speak about mental health in public prayer and preaching? What are problematic tendencies to avoid?

• How can we shape public worship services in ways that deepen the participation of those who struggle with mental health issues, even when mental health concerns are not explicitly named?

• How might the Holy Spirit use the public worship life of Christian congregations to minister to those with mental health concerns as well as to those who care for them? 

• How might our answers to these questions vary if we focused on particular mental health challenges such as depression, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, eating disorders, substance addiction, or dementia? 

• What resources have already been developed to strengthen Christian worship practices to respond to these challenges? What resources are most needed? 

• What additional questions should we be asking? Who are key resources to help us address them?

Listen Online

Download audio

Recent Media Resources

Video
Receptive Ecumenism in Neighborhoods, Soccer Fields, and Workplaces

This session will explore how to talk about differences in Catholic and Protestant worship. Every time we talk with a neighbor, teammate, or coworker from a different Christian tradition about what we do in worship and why, we are practicing liturgical theology. When marked by both conviction and humility, these conversations have rich potential for building holy friendships and deepening our worship of God. Yet they can also backfire, perpetuating stereotypes and leaving us unsure about the point of common practices. Come to this session to learn from veteran participants in both formal ecumenical dialogues and informal neighborhood conversations about how we can engage with believers across the Protestant-Catholic divide in constructive and healing ways.

June 30, 2024
Video
Practical Worship Planning for Holy Week

Come and join a conversation with knowledgeable and experienced preachers and worship planners as we talk about our best practices for Holy Week worship planning. Bring your questions and ideas as we share and learn together.

June 30, 2024
Video
Music and Prayer in Worship

Music and prayer are prominent elements in worship liturgy. How does the culture of the worship community influence these worship practices? How should we engage culture and yet be countercultural in our practice of music and prayer? Engage with this panel from four continents as we explore how cultural values form and inform worship practices.

June 30, 2024