Mental Illness Awareness Week is Oct. 5-11
National Day of Prayer is Tuesday, Oct. 6
National Depression Screening Day is Oct. 8

Prayer of Confession
(from the National Health Ministries site)

Leader: We confess that we are still uninformed about mental illness and how it impacts persons and their families.

Response: At times, because of our lack of knowledge and understanding we find ourselves separated from our sisters and brothers with mental illness, their families and ourselves.

Leader: There are lines drawn between us because we may define wholeness and normality with different words, but not a different spirit.

Response: Because of our lack of knowledge we live cut off from sources of strength and power that would help us be present to people with mental illness. This lack often makes us feel that we cannot act.

Leader: So many events, meetings and needs call to us, grabbing for our attention, that we find ourselves stretched to a fine, thin line.

Response: In the face of all this, we continue to seek knowledge and understanding of mental illness that will bring liberation and shalom to us and those we serve and unite us to action.

All: O God, our liberation and shalom, we seek the power of your Spirit, that we may live in fuller union with you, ourselves and our sisters and brothers with mental illness. Also grant that we may gain courage to love and understand each other. Amen.