We have gathered a few resources here in a new section of the wellbeing pages of the Diocesan website. They cover themes such as physical and mental health, faith-focussed commentary, cultural resources and suggestions for keeping children occupied. There are also signposts to organisations responding to the rise in homelessness, alcoholism and vulnerability to domestic abuse. Social isolation is exacerbating all of these issues and you may be called upon to point people in the right direction. We hope that all of our clergy households in their wonderful variety will find something helpful among this rather eclectic offer, which makes no claim to be comprehensive and cannot possibly appeal to everyone, but is offered with good intentions!
Whatever your circumstances, you will be facing significant challenges. We are all struggling to find new ways of living calmly and faithfully through this time of crisis and we need to be gentle and kind towards ourselves and one another. More than ever, our relationships need to be influenced by the biblical themes of belonging, brokenness, mutuality and love rather than the anxious competition which sometimes divides clergy colleagues and their households from one another. We can only do what is possible for us: comparing ourselves with others is deeply unhelpful for our mental wellbeing.
Some of you may already have been connected through social media with other members of clergy households and those networks will have come into their own in recent weeks. If that isn’t the case and if you have the time and the motivation to create those networks now then please do so. But in all of this remember that the last thing any of us needs is additional pressure or to feel obliged to be doing any more than we already are! Above all, in the words of St Paul, ‘Encourage one another and build up each other, as indeed you are doing’ (1 Thessalonians 5:11).
You remain in my thoughts and prayers.
Yours in Christ,
The Rt Revd & Rt Hon Dame Sarah Mullally DBE