Who are the mentally ill? We are your brother, your sister, the man across the street, or the person next to you in the pew, and some of us are homeless. One in four families is touched by severe mental illness.

From NPR Speaking of Faith Room for J:One Family's Story of Living with Schizophrenia


Rabbi Ron Segal,Temple Sinai, delivers a sermon on mental illness during the Yom Kippur service. Sermon__



This is my commandment that you love one another as I have loved you.
John 15:!2


For families and communities

Oh God, Who cares about all Your children, grant us the gift of acceptance that we might find serenity and courage this day to cope with the mental illness of our loved ones. Teach us the patience and understanding they need from us. Help us not to stigmatize with uninformed and uncaring attitudes. Strengthen us with gratitude for the love and understanding we receive from You and those who care. Enable us with wisdom and guidance to do Your will in our family and community and to serve those who suffer.
Amen



For advocates

Lord Jesus Christ,
You call us to serve and you promise we are serving you when we serve those who suffer in body and spirit, and those who are desperate, homeless, friendless, and hopeless.

Keep ever in our minds that we, as citizens of the United States and the state of Georgia, are responsible for the actions of our governing bodies. We are responsible for how money is spent and how programs are carried out.

Give us the courage to speak boldly and the understanding to speak with clarity when we speak in the public arena for the good of our neighbors who suffer from mental illness and addiction.

Give us the energy to act swiftly, the desperate and suffering cannot wait.

Lead us to act in accordance with your will.
Amen




For the current situation in Georgia

Dear God Our Creator and Friend.

We come humbly before your presence with praise and adoration for your abiding goodness and mercy.

We pray for our country our congress and our president of this blessed nation.

We thank you for the liberties we enjoy and the hope that is in our faith in Jesus our Savior.

We come today with a special petition for those who suffer chronic mental illness. These who are numbered among the least, the left out, the lost and the last to be considered by societal leaders. We pray particularly for our state legislation to realize that more funding is needed to increase the quality of caregivers to the mentally ill.

Touch the heart of our Governor and impress upon him that his responsibility is to all of the citizens of this state especially the most vulnerable ones.

Then Oh God, I pray for the empathy of the citizenry of this state and nation that we might come to realize that we are indeed our brothers’ keepers.

We offer this petition and ask if it be your will let it be done in the name of Jesus our Lord.

Amen
From the Rev. J. Allan Milner