Circle of Grace

Alternate worship service for persons affected with chronic mental illness and their families

Enter Into the Circle of Grace

Mental health is how we think, feel and act as we cope with life. Everyone feels worried, anxious, sad or stressed sometimes. But with a mental illness, these feelings do not go away and are severe enough to interfere with daily life. There are various types of mental illness, but all share in the common feelings of loneliness and isolation. These disorders affect people of every race, ethnic heritage, gender, language, economic status, age and religious orientation. Mental illness impacts one in every five families in the U.S.

“Circle of Grace” is an alternate worship service for persons affected with chronic mental illness and their families. It meets the second and last Thursday of every month here at Saron at 5:00pm. This worship service provides a message of acceptance and hope to those who feel alienated from society. Saron, as a faith community, reaches out to individuals and families by sharing the message that all persons are worthy in the eyes of God. For some, this may be the only place where they feel truly accepted, valued and loved.

For persons who may find no other welcome in the larger community, being welcomed into our house of prayer by a concerned and caring community can make a critical difference in their lives. As participants in “Circle of Grace” have journeyed together over the past 5 years, they have grown in the knowledge of God’s unending love for all of His creation. We have had one baptism of a person who had wondered away from the church for many, many years. . Participants now often read the lessons, play guitar, contribute readings, assist with the distribution of communion and continually reach out with God’s grace. It is an incredibly powerful worship service—where the presence of God can be tangibly felt.

After the worship service we share a meal, followed by a time of fellowship and games. For a few hours, twice a month, no one in this group is lonely. There are smiles where smiles seldom are seen. There are caring, supportive relationships developing, creating trust and love. In the words of one of Circle of Grace participants, “At first all was darkness, now there is light…”