This is an online version of my column for the 25 October 2023 edition of the Billericay & Wickford Gazette.

I’m writing this article on Tuesday 10 October #WorldMentalHealthDay and I’m reflecting on the impact of loneliness on people’s wellbeing.  Research has found that a lack of meaningful social interaction can be as bad for your health as 15 cigarettes a day.

Loneliness can affect us all, at any time of our lives. We might live in a busy city or a rural location, on our own or with others and still feel isolated. Those who are lonely are more likely to suffer from dementia, anxiety, depression, obesity and are more susceptible to heart disease and high blood pressure. All of us will have felt lonely at times, but I’m talking about the type of loneliness where people speak to no one day after day. When no one calls, no one pops round for a chat, and no one seems to care.

It’s said that around 7.6 million people live by themselves in the UK – this equates to over 3,000 people in Billericay. They can be found everywhere, in every avenue, in every close and on every street.  Could one of these be living near to you?

The Bible is clear about our responsibility to reach out to the lonely, widowed and orphaned.  In Matthew 25 Jesus says that if we help someone else, it’s like directly serving him. Mother Teresa often said that she saw Jesus in others – just as I tried to do when I served in the Prison Service.

Churches in Billericay are perfectly positioned to help those who are lonely and they provide many excellent groups to enable people of all ages to meet with others, such as: Warm Spaces; Anna’s Place; Bereavement Groups; Midweek Break for the over 60’s; Café on the Common; Babies and Toddlers; Coffee Mornings; Home Bible Study Groups; Mothers’ Union; Who Let The Dad’s Out?  Ladies on Thursday; Family Time; Messy Church; Youth Groups; Uniformed Groups; Street Pastors; Foodbank – the list just goes on and on!  Church isn’t just confined to Sundays; we are pretty active Monday to Saturday too!

God designed us to live in community and to live in relationship with other people. We see this in the book of Genesis with Adam and Eve, and this is echoed throughout the Bible. The Christian understanding of Father, Son and Holy Spirit as the Trinity also shows us the importance of living in community.

The church is one of the few organisations that offers true community including people of all ages, backgrounds and political persuasions. Recent reports suggest that churchgoing positively affects our physical health. Scientists studied 74,000 women over a 16-year period and found most regular churchgoers were 33% less likely to have died than those who never attended.  So now we can say with authority, what we’ve known for ages: church is good for your health!  And that’s on top of the eternal benefits! What’s not to like?

If loneliness is something you’re carrying at the moment, can I encourage you to ‘get out there’ because you are needed. Whether it’s meeting someone for a coffee, sharing a meal, getting involved with the Billericay Community Garden, the Billericay Cinema or the Good Companions Club or joining a church-based group. Don’t let age be a barrier: volunteer to help children read at school or become a pen-pal or support some of the excellent Uniformed Groups around town. Be brave!  People will welcome you with open arms and you can be sure that God won’t let you down.

Read more Gazette articles here https://revpacman.com/category/billericay-gazette/