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The Rapha
Initiative
[http://www.baptist-atlantic.ca/departments/witness/rapha]
First of all, our name The Rapha Initiative, is based on
Jeremiah 30:17 "But I will restore you to health and
heal your wounds, declares the Lord, because you are
called an outcast..." Rapha is the Hebrew word for
healing. Jehovah Rapha is the God who heals. |
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Our
OBJECTIVE is to promote awareness of mental health
issues and seek to eliminate the stigma of mental
illness in and through the churches of the Atlantic
Baptist Convention (C.A.B.C.).
In August of 2008, our Convention sent a letter of
affirmation to the Mental Health Commission of Canada,
stating:
The C.A.B.C. commends and supports the Mental Health
commission of Canada for beginning a ten year
Anti-stigma campaign for those who struggle with mental
illness. We recognize that one in five Canadians will
suffer some form of mental illness at some point (or
period) in his/her lifetime. We believe that every
pastor in our Convention provides mental health care as
a part of their pastoral role. Therefore, the C.A.B.C.,
seeks to raise awareness, in our churches, of the stigma
of mental illness and its negative effects. May our
local churches be safe, supportive and caring places.
After this letter of Affirmation was sent last year,
several Associations have organized Mental Health
Workshops. Our EVBA held a workshop in March of 2008.
At the moment, the Rapha Initiative is a small working
group with Dr. Lois Mitchell, our Director of Social
Concern and Public Witness. We would like a member of
the African Baptist Association (the AUBA) and a member
of Atlantic Baptist Youth to join our group!!
During the autumn of 2009, we will be creating a DVD
featuring Maritime Baptists to address this issue of
mental health/mental illness. Then in 2010, we plan to
distribute the DVD to all Baptist Associations.
In Charlotte County, NB, Lois Mitchell led a seminar
which featured Sharon Fawcett as speaker (author of
“Hope for Wholeness”, a book chronicling her travel
through depression, and recovery thanks to Christian
counselling, a book that we would like to promote on our
web page)][
http://www.amazon.ca/Hope-Wholeness-Spiritual-Freedom-Depression/dp/1600062156]
Upcoming Workshops & Presentations [http://www.baptist-atlantic.ca/departments/witness/rapha/workshops]
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