Mystery of Hope

Mystery of Hope is starting its second year as a focus group on January 25th.  For those of you who don't know what Mystery of Hope is or what it is all about it is: a focus group for those that are struggling with depression and anxiety.  We started it a year ago as we recognized there was a need to provide space for people who deal with issues of depression and anxiety within our church community.  

We also acknowledge that the church as a whole hasn't always been good about providing supportive, safe places for those who deal with valleys of mental health.  Historically, we see that much has been done to ignore the problem or to shame those that are experiencing these hardships by questioning faith or sin or offer other hurtful and insensitive claims towards those dealing with depression and mental health issues within the church.  Where is the church's call to extend compassionate care and to come alongside men and women in all seasons of life?  When have we forgotten the instruction given to us in Romans to, "Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn" (v 15)?

It is sometimes easy to feel frustrated over the churches lack of advocacy in this area, but the reality is there is a void of knowledge & understanding surrounding these issues.  Some of the responses from people do not come out of a place of malice or ill intent but rather due to the fact that people are not always prepared to deal with these difficult situations.  People often feel uncomfortable and not equipped to offer help or support to those suffering with depression or anxiety.  However, that does not mean that we should not be striving to care for people who struggle in this area.  And we need to recognize the delicate and vulnerable place a person may be in if they are experiencing depression or anxiety.  Here are a few statistics to keep in mind the issues of depression:

•    Depressive disorders affect approximately 18.8 million American adults or about 9.5% of the U.S. population age 18 and older in a given year.
•    Everyone, will at some time in their life be affected by depression -- their own or someone else's.
•    15% of the population of most developed countries suffers severe depression.
•    54% of people believe depression is a personal weakness.
•    80% of depressed people are not currently having any treatment.
•    15% of depressed people will commit suicide.
•    Depression will be the second largest killer after heart disease by 2020 -- and studies show depression is a contributory factor to fatal coronary disease.

In an attempt to acknowledge the need, Quest has started this focus/support group.  Mystery of Hope will not fix people’s problems or make the difficulties of depression go a way, but what it will provide is a place where folks can come to share those struggles together in community.  The hope is to extend support and to foster a means to help those that struggle support one another in relationship, study and prayer.  Mystery of Hope is a safe, confidential space to come and share our stories together in community.  

Mystery of Hope will meet through the month of May (approx 16 weeks).  We will meet every Sunday from 1 to 2:30 pm.  It is a serious commitment to join this group as we want to create consistency within the group dynamics.  Prior to joining the group please contact Pastor DeAnza to set up an initial meeting or to ask any questions pertaining to the group at deanza@seattlequest.org.  We will be studying the book called: Cry of the Soul by Dan Allendar and Tremper Longman III.  Our start date is January 25th and we will have a two-week open period to allow people to join within the next few weeks and to give people time to discern committing to the group.