Thank you for bringing awareness to the issue of clergy mental health in your Nov. 11 article, “Depression is an Occupational Hazard for Clergy.” Too often, we expect ministers of the gospel to have all of the answers and to be available 24/7 to listen to and meet the needs of God’s people. We fail to realize, however, that they are only human – like many of us, they have families, mortgages to pay and concerns about the future, and some clergy even take on additional jobs to help make ends meet. Thankfully, the Rev. Tom Rhodes of Unitarian Universalist Fellowship had both the humility and courage to reach out for help and to share his story of despair and then hope with others.
May we all recognize the importance of faith, community, taking time for ourselves and seeking professional help when life’s problems become too great. Thank you, Rev. Rhodes, for setting the example!
Willona Stallings, Program Coordinator, Partners in Health and Wholeness
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