{"id":5464,"date":"2013-10-24T16:42:43","date_gmt":"2013-10-24T23:42:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.pnwumc.org\/news\/?p=5464"},"modified":"2013-11-01T12:04:13","modified_gmt":"2013-11-01T19:04:13","slug":"monica-coleman-on-faith-and-depression","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pnwumc.org\/news\/monica-coleman-on-faith-and-depression\/","title":{"rendered":"Monica Coleman: On Faith and Depression"},"content":{"rendered":"<style><!--\np.padding {padding-left:.5cm;}\n--><\/style>\n<p><em>Queen Anne UMC + The Well<\/em><br \/>\n<strong>On Faith and Depression<\/strong><br \/>\n<em>By Karen Yokota and Jesse N. Love<\/em><\/p>\n<p>At the heart of Mental Health Awareness Week, <a href=\"http:\/\/qaumc.org\/the-well\/\" target=\"_blank\">The Well at Queen Anne United Methodist Church<\/a> welcomed <a href=\"http:\/\/monicaacoleman.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">the Rev. Dr. Monica A. Coleman<\/a> to speak on the lessons learned while living with depression and what it means to be faithful to God.  <a href=\"http:\/\/www.peaceablekindom.blogspot.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">The Rev. Katie M. Ladd<\/a>, who is a close colleague of Coleman, welcomed attendees of The Well \u2013 some from the local Queen Anne community with a few members visiting from Seattle\u2019s U-District.  This particular discussion is a part of the fall 2013 \u201cWell-Being\u201d series at QAUMC.  <\/p>\n<p><strong>SEARCHING FOR THE LOST COIN<\/strong><br \/>\nColeman began her presentation acknowledging that October not only recognizes Mental Health Awareness, but also Domestic Violence and Breast Cancer Awareness.  She believes that both have connections to depression and help broaden the discussion on overall mental health.<\/p>\n<p><!--more How has your local church addressed issues of depression and mental health? (More)--><br \/>\nDuring her presentation, Coleman opened with a retelling of the parable of The Lost Coin. She shared how she would collect quarters to use for bus fare and laundry.  When losing a coin, Coleman mused on how important something is despite its quantitative value: \u201cIt doesn\u2019t sound like much \u2013 in fact, it\u2019s just a quarter.  But at that time &#8211; in that moment &#8211; I really needed the quarter to get to where I was going.  I was searching my bag, the ground, walking around, looking under the bushes, searching for something shiny.  I probably looked pretty distressed looking for this single quarter.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>Searching for a lost coin serves as a metaphor for how God needs us, despite how others view our worth or how we perceive ourselves: \u201cGod needs us, loves us, and desires to be in a relationship with us.  That quarter is a part of a bigger picture. You don\u2019t have to be phenomenal or do amazing things.  God knows that there is something that we are supposed to be a part of &#8211; and God will search those cracks and find you. I love the thought of God sifting through the dirt to find us. I love this idea that God doesn\u2019t want me to fall through the cracks \u2013 through the cracks of life.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>FALLEN THROUGH THE CRACKS<\/strong><br \/>\nWe are supposed to be looking through the cracks for people; it\u2019s part of our call \u2013 to rummage through the kitchens and to turn the couch cushions. Coleman says that we are supposed to do what God would do. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe are the \u2018hands and feet of God\u2019 and we are representing what God would do,\u201d she says. \u201cWe are supposed to be looking for our friends: the ones who have fallen through the cracks; the ones that we haven\u2019t heard from; the ones that haven\u2019t gotten out of bed in a day or two. It\u2019s our job to go searching for these people and it\u2019s part of what we are called to do \u2013 we are to rummage through the cushions, turn the couch over and sweep the ground. It means we\u2019ll get dirty and that it could become messy.  We are looking for our friends and family members because they matter so much to us.\u201d <\/p>\n<p><strong>BONDS, TIES, AND THE LOVE OF RELATION<\/strong><br \/>\nTo be around people who will sometimes bother and annoy you, is extremely difficult.  Sharing the same space while having our own personal limitations is not easy.  In her presentation, Coleman touts that being with such people is part of a bigger calling.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe are called to be around something else, and we are called to be with people who are different from us.  What is created &#8211; when we are communing with people who are not the same as us &#8211; are bonds, ties, and the love of relation.\u201d  <\/p>\n<p>Coleman concluded her presentation with the message that we still need each other:  \u201cThe quarter, the dime, and the nickel. We need each other so we can do what we need to do and get where we are going.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Giovanna White is a student who heard about The Rev. Dr. Coleman\u2019s visit to The Well via Facebook.  White shares what she has learned from Coleman\u2019s messages about mental health: \u201cI have a friend who is depressed.  I am leaving here knowing that I have to still look after that person like a lost coin.  It\u2019s so easy to have a bad attitude and say, \u2018I don\u2019t want to deal.\u2019  But when people are going through the motions, being unintentionally difficult (sic), this is when you still have to hold on to them.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHaving the conversation is very important in helping people to address and deal with things,\u201d shares Gary McKee, an attendee of this night\u2019s presentation at The Well.  \u201cI appreciate the fact that people joined in the conversations and asked questions.  It helped a lot to hear other people\u2019s views.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Having speakers such as Dr. Coleman \u2013 discussing faith and mental health &#8211; help serve as part of a larger movement toward nurturing community.  Through The Well, the Rev. Katie Ladd\u2019s goal is to create a space to have generous conversations with substance, rooted in the Gospel.  Up for discussion are issues that affect mind, body, spirit, community, and souls with the intention of creating community for all of us in seeking a common good, rather than a partisan goal. <\/p>\n<p>How has your local church addressed issues of depression and mental health?  If your church prepared discussions, activities, or special messages in regard to mental health, share your story and e-mail <a href=\"mailto:channels@pnwumc.org?Subject=Re: Monica Coleman: On Faith and Depression, PNW News Blog\">channels@pnwumc.org.<\/a> <\/p>\n<hr>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><a href=\"http:\/\/www.rqmweb.com\/results.asp?q=pnwumc&#038;resID=2685&#038;detail=Y\" target=\"_blank\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Creating Caring Congregations (D4439)\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.pnwumc.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/RESOURCES_CreatingCaring1.jpg?w=696\" \/><\/a><\/td>\n<td>\n<p class=\"padding\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.rqmweb.com\/results.asp?q=pnwumc&#038;resID=2685&#038;detail=Y\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Creating Caring Congregations (D4439)<\/strong><\/a><br \/>\nThis program is designed to educate clergy and laity on how to decrease the stigma of mental illness in  faith communities.  Individuals share their personal experiences with depression, anxiety disorders and mental illnesses in adolescents, young adults and older adults.  Carol Usher of Klamath Falls UMC (Klamath Falls, OR) said \u201cthis is a very good resource.  Extremely useful.  It stimulated conversation among adults.\u201d To reserve this video now, e-mail <a href=\"mailto:ejohanson@pnwumc.org?Subject=Re: Creating Caring Congregations (D4439)\">The Regional Media Center<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><\/p>\n<hr>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><a href=\"http:\/\/www.pnwumc.org\/download\/channels-67-november-2013\/\" target=\"_blank\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Channels 67\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.pnwumc.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/COVER_Channels67.jpg?w=696\" \/><\/a><\/td>\n<td>\n<p class=\"padding\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.pnwumc.org\/download\/channels-67-november-2013\/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>DOWNLOAD CHANNELS 67 HERE.<\/strong><\/a><br \/>\nDes Moines UMC feeds in Body, Mind and Spirit \u2022 #givingtuesdsay \u2022 WJC Stepping Out Event \u2022&nbsp;Make It Happen at Assembly 2014 \u2022 Clarkston UMC and Highland Elementary School Pumpkin Patch \u2022&nbsp;Dr. Monica Coleman speaks at The Well \u2022 Rethinking Our Camps in the Midst of Change \u2022&nbsp;Listen, Listen, Love, Love: Working with At-Risk Youth  \u2022 On the Shelf: Advent Resources \u2022 Journeys: Certified Lay Minister Training \u2022&nbsp;Musings: The State of the Modern Church \u2022 Bishop: Testing our Assumptions \u2022 To subscribe to Channels, e-mail <a href=\"mailto:channels@pnwumc.org?Subject=Sign me up for Channels!\">channels@pnwumc.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><\/p>\n<hr>\n<p><center><em>For more information on The Well and Queen Anne UMC, visit qaumc.org.<\/p>\n<p>The Rev. Dr. Monica A. Coleman serves as an ordained elder in the African Methodist Episcopal Church and she is an associate professor of Religion at Claremont School of Theology and Claremont Graduate University (Calif.). <br \/>In her latest book, \u201cNot Alone: Reflections on Faith and Depression, A 40-Day Devotional\u201d, <br \/>she shares her personal insights in coping with depression.<\/p>\n<p>Karen Yokota serves as pastor for Milton and Whitney Memorial UMCs.<br \/>\nJesse N. Love serves as the print &#038; publications manager for the PNWUMC.<\/em><\/center><\/p>\n<hr>\n<p><em><center>This article will be featured in Channels 67, November 2013 \u2013 COMING SOON.<\/center><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Queen Anne UMC + The Well On Faith and Depression By Karen Yokota and Jesse N. Love At the heart of Mental Health Awareness Week, The Well at Queen Anne United Methodist Church welcomed the Rev. Dr. Monica A. Coleman to speak on the lessons learned while living with depression and what it means to [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":51,"featured_media":5474,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[111,6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-5464","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-channels","8":"category-conversation"},"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.pnwumc.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/IDEAS_TheWell_montage.jpg?fit=700%2C700&ssl=1","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p2l75j-1q8","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pnwumc.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5464","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pnwumc.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pnwumc.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pnwumc.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/51"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pnwumc.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5464"}],"version-history":[{"count":17,"href":"https:\/\/www.pnwumc.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5464\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5647,"href":"https:\/\/www.pnwumc.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5464\/revisions\/5647"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pnwumc.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5474"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pnwumc.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5464"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pnwumc.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5464"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pnwumc.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5464"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}