Mental health ministry for reservists set to launch

Notes: "On November 10 [2016], Holy Trinity Anglican Church in Edmonton will hold its second Pre-Remembrance Day healing service, an opportunity for people affected by war to share their experiences and pray together. The service will also include the inauguration of a new church ministry -- an outreach program serving the mental health and other needs of the South Alberta Light Horse, a reserve regiment of the Canadian Armed Forces" (p. 1). "Part of the reason for the ministry is the fact that since reservists don't live on base, mental health and other programs available to people in the Regular Force are not as accessible to them, [says Archdeacon Chris Pappas, rector of Holy Trinity]. Soldiers may also be reluctant to take advantage of these services because of the stigma attached to mental illness" (p. 1). "The ministry's annual budget us around $15,000, with $8,000 contributed by Holy Trinity and $7,000 in the form of a grant from the Anglican Foundation of Canada" (p. 12). Canon Judy Rois, executive director of the Anglican Foundation, "praised the many ways the ministry plans to make 'physical and emotional space' to address the challenges experienced by those who have served in places like Afghanistan, Bosnia and Haiti" (p. 12).

Subjects: Holy Trinity Anglican Church (Edmonton, Alta.); Pappas, Chris (Christopher Athan), 1962-; South Alberta Light Horse; Canada - Armed Forces; Canada - Armed Forces - Reserves - Medical care; Canada - Armed Forces - Religious aspects - Anglican Church of Canada; Remembrance Day - Religious aspects - Anglican Church of Canada; Mental health services - Religious aspects - Anglican Church of Canada; Pastoral ministry - Anglican Church of Canada. Diocese of Edmonton; Anglican Foundation of Canada - Grants; Rois, Judy