World Mental Health Awareness Day 10th October 2017 Perhaps you were not aware of this date. Did you recognise it? Perhaps questions for next year.

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2 World Mental Health Awareness Day 10th October 2017 Perhaps you were not aware of this date. Did you recognise it? Perhaps questions for next year. However, I would just like to share some of the extraordinary major happenings over the last few months. Last year I suffered extreme anxiety brought on by my medical condition which was diagnosed in November of an overactive thyroid. It had however been causing problems months before and the time I was actually well and had not had any symptoms was July 2016 when we had enjoyed as a family the occasion of attending Bethan and Carl s Wedding on 10th July up in Windermere the 11 of us plus 4 dogs. There were many symptoms and even this year in a frank conversation with one from the extended family I was made to feel that it was all in my imagination and that there was nothing wrong with me as they too had all these symptoms. Well this not being me I literally blew my top and ended up literally shouting in the middle of a meal in a public venue that when you have been well and there has been nothing wrong with you, there is definitely something up. This met with a silence and no comment from the one I had the conversation with and no comment what so ever from the other party. For me the encouragement and support has been fully provide from my little stars, my friends. They sparkle, offer comfort, advise, support and much more. I have four extremely good friends, who I also may add suffer with their own issues, however this never stops them helping via messages from Facebook, WhatsApp, Messenger, and face to face. I have a slightly different relationship with them all. If you are wondering just for the record, there are two beautiful ladies and two dashing gents. Also there are many other besties who support me and are there for me. Back in August there were many events that changed me. I completed 6 weeks with a person centred counsellor and the lovely lady could not believe the change even in week 3. That week the question had been posed, the person you are now would you go back to being the old you or is this a good opportunity to change things. This question I pondered on all week and it became a facebook post to which I received some rays of light on the subject. My initial reluctance to share some details came to a head when one of my friends shared they were going to counselling themselves. This in turn led me to post on facebook about my depression this year, however there was no mention of the deep anxiety from the end of last year. This in turn has opened many doors and if I never understood where it was all going I do now. My role is essentially to support and help when I can those around me who also suffer with anxiety and depression. I have extremely deep rooted connections with those that do suffer, not that I understand completely their situation, in the fact we share the same condition.

3 I have started conversations with very dear friends unknowingly and out of it has been shared some deeply personal information. I must emphasise at this point what I always tell the sharer I never disclose what has been spoken to me as it is not my place too, this has been taken totally in confidence and always will remain so. I see the friend who originally encouraged me a bit like a light and as this light was passed onto me so it has been carried and passed onto other people and their lives. I see God in many people, happenings and even music, it is really a very special experience. So back to today and what did I do? The original thought had been totally different. to what was going to happen, however you always need to start at ground level. Action started on Friday 6th October, a conversation I had with someone left me feeling deflated and their apparent lack of understanding of mental health resulted in such a comment to anyone suffering badly at the time would have taken them right down there. The old me would have taken this to heart and it would have gone in to sink deep. However, the new me does not and this resulted in an early morning inspiration (the time of the day that is most quiet and the thoughts and ideas arrive, I believe with a bit of Godly Spirit). Yes, so on the morning of Saturday 7th October a WhatsApp message went off to one of my friends and youth leader alike as I was concerned that mental health was not getting heard. I sent a second message as feared I was on the wrong track here (this is something I still experience from time to time self-doubt). My youthy connection came back to ask was I doing anything in J Team on Sunday as to quote never too young to struggle. The answer to this was I already had something prepared and even bought the yellow ribbon and yellow gift tags that morning! As the day went on I had to dash to meet another very good friend to go and see Joseph and then return to attend a very special birthday and Wedding Anniversary, an exciting night! I never did get to contact the leader on the rota for Sunday 8th October and I did mean to. However before leaving the party on Saturday the conversation had come up about J Team the next day and to say I was in the right place at the right time yet again was the understatement. Lately through not doing exactly what I had planned I end up being in the right place at the right time dramatically planned by a Higher Power. J Team was meant to be although I did not know this fact, neither did two other leaders. We did some different activities than usual and it struck me how well the children accepted participating in these and even my assisting leader. I will the leaders just to let them know what we did to see if between us all we can come up with positive changes. Speaking of positive changes from next Sunday 15th for a trial basis children will meet in the lounge at am to start their own activities as it was felt from Youth Council the majority of parents get very stressed in a service which is not good for anyone. Today I have posted a couple of things on Facebook and Instagram with reference to World Mental Health Awareness Day. I ultimately needed to write 4 cards, all the same to the four massively encouraging friends who without their time and effort I would not be in my

4 positive frame of mind today, plus a further few cards to other great friends as you can never say thank you too much they are all treasured and greatly appreciated. I started a conversation at work relating to stress, which at times the three of us all suffer in varying degrees. A conversation to be continued.. All small measures put into place, however the important thing is it is a start and then you need to progress. Once again thank you to all those lovely little stars, continue to shine your light and know that the person you are makes such a difference not only to me, also to many others, sometimes you may not always see the blossoming of the flower within the person. I finish with if anyone would like to speak to me at any time I would be more than happy to help in any way I can as also Mike has also expressed in his article from last month. It is the speaking to those friends that have encouraged and made me see I am not alone. These illnesses can truly isolate you and nearly did at the end of last year except for the fact of three long standing friends, a school friend and several members of church family who always kept in contact and gradually very slowly I progressed and returned to Marshside Methodist on Sunday 20th March for the evening service after 6 months break. There had been the lovely cards, messages from Facebook that had kept me in touch and knowing I was loved and missed by many. One last thing.. I decided it was a good idea to visit a group and the first one that came to mind was Thought for the Day, how very unlike me! Always learning, I discovered today being 24th October on reading an article that I have been practising Mindfulness over the past 3 months, astonishing! Connect, Be active, Keep learning, Give to others, Be mindful! Karen O Meara 'Had he and I but met By some old ancient inn, We should have sat us down to wet Right many a nipperkin 'But ranged as infantry, And staring face to face I shot at him and he at me, And killed him in his place. 'I shot him dead because - Because he was my foe, Just so,: my foe of course he was; That's clear enough ; although' THE MAN I KILLED He thought he'd 'list, perhaps, Off-hand like - just as I - Was out of work - had sold his traps- No other reason why. 'Yes; quaint and curious war is! You shot a fellow down You'd treat if met where any bar is, Or help to half-a-crown.' Thomas Hardy 1902

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7 Sunday Services Marshside Road Methodist Church, Southport, PR9 9TL Ministers : Revd. Jan Fraser Tel : revjanfraser@hotmail.co.uk 09:00 am. Holy Communion first Sunday of each Month 10:30 am. Morning Worship including Crèche, J Team and Teenscene 18:30 am. Evening Fellowship see Weekly Notices Weekly Programme Day Meeting Time Contact Monday Parent, Carer & Toddler Group Playgroup Term time only Monday Evening Fellowship 12:50 14:45 20:00 Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Mrs Margaret Boston (211548) Mrs Joan Owen (220436) Playgroup Term time only Bible Study Fellowship Prayer Fellowship 12:50 14:45 10:45 19:00 20:00 Mrs Dorothy Taylor (211643) Mrs Pat Wright (213647) Knit & Craft Club, see website for details 13:00 16:00 Mrs Dorothy Mitchell (228430) Boys Brigade & Girls Brigade Wednesday Group - every 4 th Wednesday Thought for the Day Playgroup Term time only Choir Practice Chris Wright s School of Dance & Drama Chris Wright s School of Dance & Drama Monthly Messy Church (see Website) 18:30 21:30 10:15 12:50 14:45 19:30 21:00 16:00 19:15 09:15 15:00 16:00 18:00 Other Contacts : Church Notices Mrs Dorothy Simpkin (229987) Cradle Roll Mrs Margaret Boston (211548) Magazine/Website Editor Mr Mike Owen (225126) Action for Children Co-ordinator Mrs Dorothy Taylor (211643) Pastoral Committee Mrs Joan Owen (220436) Premises Letting Officer Mr Bob Rowlandson (224689) World Missions Mrs Lin Mayor (212059) Mrs Kay Owen (225126) Miss Heather Jackson (532977) Mrs Sheila Jones (227661) Mr George Phillips (514795) Mr Glenn Howard (840485) Miss Alison Wright ( ) Miss Alison Wright ( ) See the Church Website for details Disclaimer : The views and opinions expressed in this Church Magazine are solely those of the author of the individual article and not necessarily the views of the Church, Leadership Team or Minister.