For many years, especially after performing the hajj in Saudi Arabia, I had a passionate desire to visit Jerusalem. For me, it became all the more urgent because in my interfaith work, I speak about Judaism, Christianity, and Islam flowing from the same source and that despite our differences and challenges, we are the children of Abraham.

And, when we ask, God answers. All of a sudden there was an opportunity to go. My husband and I decided that a visit to the Holy Land must be shared with those who have similar dreams. So we invited our dear friends Jim Evans, a United Church minister, and his wife Karen to come along.

Poor Work Performance

• Consistent late arrivals or frequent absences/sick days
• Decreased productivity
• Lower quality of work
• Increase in errors
• Decline in dependability (e.g., not meeting deadlines or completing work tasks)
• Decreased interest or involvement in work
• May work longer hours, but performance still poor

The sign outside an Ontario church read, “We're too blessed to be depressed.” The author of the sentiment almost certainly meant to encourage gratitude, but the truth is the message betrayed a sad fact about many of our congregations: we do not understand mental illness and we do not appreciate how deeply it is affecting the life of the church. Not only are people in the pew suffering, but our clergy show alarming statistics of depression and anxiety disorders.

Mental illness in Canada is on the rise, and according to the Canadian Mental Health Association, one in five Canadians will develop a mental illness in their lifetime. Among the most common are depression and anxiety disorders, and the World Health Organization estimates that by the year 2020, depression will be second only to heart disease as the leading global cause of disability and mortality. This is no small matter to be kept under wraps; the economic, personal and social costs of mental health problems are immense. It has been estimated that the cost of lost productivity due to workplace mental illness in Canada is in excess of $30 billion per year. Mental health issues can also lead to strained relationships at work and at home, erosion of self-esteem, and for some, even suicide.

The Centre for Clergy Care and Congregational Health conducted the study Clergy Well-Being: Seeking Wholeness with Integrity in June 2003 under the guidance of Rev. Dr. Andrew Irvine. In addition to focus groups, the study examined responses from 338 clergy from the six major protestant denominations in Ontario: United, Anglican, Presbyterian, Evangelical Lutheran, the Baptist Convention of Ontario and Quebec, and the Pentecostal Assemblies.

Last year's General Assembly formally commended chaplains for their work and ministry. As recommended by the department of Ministry and Church Vocations, along with the Committee on Church Doctrine, the assembly agreed that ordination is not just for ministers heading off to a congregation, but to those who consider their pulpit to be in both Christian and secular institutions across Canada.

I grew up in Panaehperkho, a village in the mountainous regions of Karen State, Burma. Our village was one of several in the area.

There's no Christmas in Taiwan, or at least no Christmas in the same way you think of it here. Only five per cent of the population is Christian; the rest are Buddhist or atheist, so there's no national recognition and no big celebrations. It's not a national holiday (although a party holiday happens to coincide with it) and celebrations are modest even among Christian communities.

I grew up in Denmark, and that means I grew up Lutheran (although I admit that my family wasn't the most conscientious of church-goers).