Hi, it’s Debbie here.
I want to take this opportunity to talk about some cool collaborations that are taking place around the topic of Mental Health. Two of my children are in the mental health field, and the 3rd is in education with an interest in differing learning styles. I have also had my own journey with ADHD, its frustrations, heartaches, and amazing strengths. So, it is not unusual that I would have a keen motivation to learn about mental health and its de-stigmatization, and the exciting headway (excuse the pun) being made in acceptance, understanding and inclusion.
Several years ago, I ran across a little blurb in the Seattle Pacific University (SPU) magazine about The Porter’s Gate. The Porter’s Gate is an interdenominational Christian music collective. I looked them up and listened to their music, and I was intrigued and excited. I have since sung some of their songs at church. They first wrote sets of songs around the themes of Neighbour, Work, and Justice. Later they added a set of songs around the theme of Lament, something particularly appropriate post-COVID.
Since I first learned of The Porter’s Gate, they have become a collective of fifty-plus songwriters, musicians, scholars, pastors, and music industry professionals from a variety of Christian worship traditions and cultural backgrounds, making music for churches. They have worked together to set portions of The Message (the Bible, translated by Eugene Peterson) to music. They also have a recent album of Climate Vigil Songs. I am very impressed with the generous ecumenical aspect that is foundational to who they are.
Recently, I heard about Sanctuary Mental Health Ministries. They are a Vancouver-born (and now also in the UK) non-profit organization. One of the things they do is provide the Sanctuary Course free to churches who want to offer it to their own congregations with the goal of becoming a safe place for mental health to be discussed, understood, and de-stigmatized. It prepares churches to be a sanctuary for those who struggle or have struggled with mental health issues. (My ADHD brain is really excited about this.)
So most recently, I heard how The Porter’s Gate and Sanctuary Mental Health Ministries have collaborated to write and produce an album of music surrounding the theme of Mental Health. That work took place on Keats Island this past year. The album is called Sanctuary Songs.
Matt Maher (“Your Grace is Enough”, “Lord I Need You”, “Come as You Are”, “Jesus Son of God”, and more), who was among those working on the album, will be in concert on Wednesday, October 18. Part of what he and others he worked with will be doing is to introduce songs from the brand-new album, Sanctuary Songs. The concert will take place in downtown Vancouver at the Centre. Read more about it below.
Tickets and more information are available at this link.
Rod and I are going. Tickets are just over $20. It should be a beautiful time.
Also take a look at this article in Light Magazine, and this blog post from the SMHM website describing the partnership and event.
