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Dear Friend,

I hope all is well with you and that you are as healthy in body as you are strong in spirit (3 John 1:2 NLT).

R U OK? Who’d have thought that four letters could open up a life changing and life affirming conversation for someone.

Thursday September 14^th, 2023 is a day when a national call to action towards suicide prevention goes out. A call to care, a call to notice, a call to ask a lifesaving question, R U OK?

So, taking our lead from the greatest question asker of all time – God, who asked

• “Where are you”? (Gen 3:9), “Where have you come from and where are you going”? (Gen 16:8) and “What’s your name?” (Gen 32:27), could we also activate?
• Could we find ourselves slowing down enough to be present with, to be right there, in that moment, breathing with, being with, as we ask R U OK?
• Could we place high value on the courage that is takes to answer this question with more than a cursory “yep, all good”.
• Could we engage our whole being to be present with, not only our ears to hear, but our hearts and minds to respond with compassion and care to ask the question.
• Could we activate, to sit with and to walk through, whatever proceeds that question, kindly, lovingly, and with hopefulness.
• Can we hold hope and safety of place for the one, can we pray, and can we anchor on Jesus, for them, and with them.

If your answer is yes, then thank you!!

Could I encourage you to have a look at the available resources on R U OK? website, there is so much there to ready us … A conversation could change a life | R U OK?

And our Pastoral Care Team is also on hand to assist in any way we can.

So I ask ….. R U OK? (pause and think on this).

Grace and Peace

Angela Van Roden

Pastoral Care