Suicide is the 12th leading cause of death in the US. For 5-14 year olds, it’s the 3rd leading cause of death. Yes! The 3rd leading cause of death of our children ages 5-14!!! For adolescents (15-24 years old), it’s even worse (2nd leading cause of death).
Why do our children feel hopeless?
Children and adolescents can experience strong feeling of stress and confusion in today’s world. Self-doubt, pressure to succeed, financial uncertainty and other fears can threaten their well-being. Divorce, the formation of a new family with step-parents and step-siblings, or moving to a new community can be very unsettling and can intensify self-doubts. Suicide may appear to be the only solution to their problems.
The warning signs of suicide are especially noteworthy when there has been a recent death or suicide of a friend or family member, a recent break-up with a boyfriend or girlfriend, conflict with parents, or news reports of other suicides by young people in the same school or community.
Warning signs:
Change in eating and sleeping habits.
Withdrawal from friends, family, and regular activities.
Violent actions, rebellious behavior, or running away.
Drug and alcohol use.
Unusual neglect of personal appearance.
Marked personality change.
Persistent boredom, difficulty concentrating, or a decline in the quality of schoolwork.
Frequent complaints about physical symptoms, often related to emotions, such as stomachaches, headaches, fatigue, etc.
Loss of interest in pleasurable activities.
Not tolerating praise or rewards or complaining of being a bad person or feeling rotten inside.
Gives verbal hints: “I won’t be a problem for you much longer”; “Nothing matters”; “It’s no use”; and “I won’t see you again.”
Puts his or her affairs in order (gives away favorite possessions, throws away important belongings).
Becomes suddenly cheerful after a period of depression.
With Help Comes Hope!
You can help! Show them you care. Ask questions: “I’m worried about you, about how you feel”; “You mean a lot to me. I want to help”; “I am here to talk whenever you need to”; “Are you thinking about suicide?”; “Do you really want to die?”; “Do you want your problems to go away?”
Don’t hesitate to raise the subject! Talking about suicide won’t put the idea in their head. Chances are, if you’ve observed any of the warning signs, they’re already thinking about it. Be direct in a caring, non-confrontational way. Get the conversation started. Seek assistance from a qualified mental health professional.
IF A PERSON SAYS THEY ARE CONSIDERING SUICIDE:
Take the person seriously
Stay with them
Help them remove lethal means (e.g., secure all firearms, drugs, medications).
Contact a mental health professional (see attachment for additional support services in the area).
Call the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: 988
Text HOME to 741741 to text with a trained crisis counselor from the Crisis Text Line for free, available 24/7
Escort them to mental health services or an emergency room.
If they refuse to go, contact the police and ask for a health and welfare check. Tell them your concerns. If they determine them to be at risk, they will admit them to a facility (e.g. hospital) for stabilization regardless of income or insurance.
IF A SUICIDE ATTEMPT HAS OCCURRED,
CALL 911 IMMEDIATELY OR
GO TO A NEARBY HOSPITAL EMERGENCY ROOM.
The information in this article came from a variety of sources, including Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Mayo Clinic, American Foundation For Suicide Prevention, American Association of Suicidology, and the Family and Youth Services Bureau-Valparaiso, IN. The information was compiled by Suzann Klett, a member of the Westville United Methodist Church Outreach Committee which is committed to loving and serving the community. The Westville United Methodist Church located at 154 W Main St, Westville, Indiana 46391.
Local Mental Health Services and Crisis Support Contacts
Swanson Center 1230 West State Road 2 LaPorte, IN 46350 Regular Hours: Mon, Tue, Wed, and Fri 8:00 am – 5:00 pm and Thurs 8:00 am – 7:00 pm Open Access (walk-in to sign up for services): Wednesday 9:00am – 4:00pm 219-362-2145 After Hours Crisis Line: 219-871-9975
Porter Stark 601 Wall Street Valparaiso, IN Call (219) 531-3500. Regular Hours: Mon – Thursday: 8:00am-8:00pm and Friday 8:00am-5:00pm Crisis and referral services are available 24-hours a day at 219-531-3500.
988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline (Free) Call anytime or day 24/7(formerly National Suicide Prevention Lifeline) Call or Text: 988Chat online:www.988lifeline.org/chat/Text: HOME to 741741For Spanish Text: AYUDA to 741741 for Spanish supportFor Deaf or Hard of Hearing:For TTY Users: Use your preferred relay service or dial 711 then 988.Chat online: www.988lifeline.org/chat/
Veterans Affairs (VA) Crisis Line Free, 24/7, confidential help even if you’re not enrolled in VA benefits or health care (for military service members, veterans, and family) Call: 800-273-8255 or 988 then PRESS 1Text: 838255Chat online:www.veteranscrisisline.net/get-help-now/chat/Deaf and hard of hearing Call: 800-799-4889Homeless Veterans: Call 1-877-424-3838www.veteranscrisisline.net/get-help-now/chat/
Graduate Students – The National Grad Crisis LineCall 1(877) 472-3457 Available 24/7
Youthline (YouthLine is a free teen-to-teen crisis support and help line. Teens are available to help daily from 4-10pm PST (adults are available by phone at all other times!) Call: 877-968-8491Text: teen2teen to 839863Chat:www.theyouthline.orgEmail: Teen2Teen@LinesforLife.org
Summer has finally arrived — which means two things:
The church lawn is growing faster than the speed of sound making Alan a very busy (but proud) guy, and
Someone will inevitably ask me if shorts are “holy enough” for Sunday worship.
To which I say: if the disciples could follow Jesus around the Judean countryside in sandals and a robe, I think your knees will survive the sanctuary. Who am I kidding…nobody is going to ask me that question – because I will likely being wearing shorts myself.
We are kicking off a new series (or bringing back an old series) called “The Summer T-Shirt Series” on June 7th. My hope is to be able to wear a different t-shirt every Sunday and preach on the theme of the shirt. It’s going to be fun – and I encourage you to wear your favorite Christian t-shirt also.
Now…back to the lawn thing…
June always brings me back to a simple truth: growth happens when the conditions are right — but it still takes tending. Grass grows on its own, but a garden? A garden needs intention. Water. Sunlight. Occasional weeding. And, if you’re me, a whispered prayer that the tomatoes don’t give up on you. I can kill a plastic plant – which is why I tend to stay away from our own Community Garden and let the professional green thumbed ones take care of it.
Our spiritual lives work the same way. God plants the seeds — grace, hope, compassion, forgiveness — but we’re the ones who choose whether to water them or let the weeds take over. And let’s be honest: some of us have spiritual dandelions that could win awards.
This month, I want to invite you to slow down just enough to notice what God is growing in you. Not what you wish God would grow. Not what you think you should be growing. But what is actually sprouting in the soil of your life right now.
Maybe it’s patience. Maybe it’s courage. Maybe it’s the ability to say “no” to things that drain you. Maybe it’s the willingness to say “yes” to something new.
Whatever it is, trust that God is already at work — and that your job is simply to tend the garden.
A Prayer for June
Gracious God, As summer unfolds around us, open our eyes to the quiet ways You are growing new life within us. Give us the courage to nurture what is good, the wisdom to pull what harms, and the joy to celebrate every small blossom of grace. Make our hearts fertile ground for Your love, and let that love spill into our homes, our community, and our world. In the name of Christ, who makes all things new. Amen.
Your Challenge
This month, I challenge you to choose one small spiritual practice and commit to it for 30 days. Not a big one. Not a heroic one. Just one simple thing that waters the garden of your soul.
Here are a few ideas:
Daily Gratitude — Write down one thing each day that made you smile.
Scripture Snack — Read a single verse each morning.
Kindness Mission — Do one intentional act of kindness each day.
Prayer Pause — Stop once a day for a 60‑second prayer.
Pick one. Stick with it. Watch what God grows.
And if your spiritual garden still ends up looking a little wild — well, welcome to the club. God works beautifully with messy soil.
Every year when May rolls around, I’m reminded that God must have a sense of humor. This is the month when the weather can’t decide if it wants to be summer, winter, or “surprise, here’s a thunderstorm just as you’re grilling.” Flowers bloom, allergies bloom even more, and the church calendar starts to look like someone spilled coffee on it and smudged everything together.
And yet—there’s something wonderfully hopeful about May. It’s the month when creation seems to clear its throat and say, “Alright, let’s try this again.” Trees bud. Kids start counting down to summer. Lawnmowers awaken from hibernation. And we, too, get a little nudge from the Spirit to stretch, breathe, and remember that God is still in the business of making things new.
This month, I’ve been thinking about how often we underestimate the power of small acts of kindness. Not the big, dramatic gestures—just the everyday stuff. The smile you offer a stranger. The text you send to someone who’s been quiet lately. The way you let someone merge in traffic even though you’re already running late and muttering under your breath. These tiny choices are like planting seeds. You don’t always see what grows, but something does.
And honestly, the world could use a few more seed-planters right now.
A Little Prayer for May
God of new beginnings, As the earth wakes up around us, wake us up too. Open our eyes to the small moments where love can take root. Give us joy that bubbles up unexpectedly, Courage that shows up when needed, And grace that flows even when we’re tired. Bless our church, our families, and our community With the kind of hope that grows quietly but changes everything. Amen.
A Call to Action
This month, I invite you to choose one small act of kindness each day. Nothing heroic. Nothing exhausting. Just one intentional moment of love—one seed planted. By the end of May, that’s 31 seeds. Imagine what God can do with that.
Let’s be a church that makes kindness unavoidable. Grace and peace, Pastor Toby
Grace and peace to you in this beautiful month of April! Spring is upon us, and with it comes that glorious celebration at the heart of our faith: Easter. The season always reminds me that, just as the world begins to shake off winter’s chill, our souls are invited to shake off anything that has dimmed our hope, weighed down our spirits, or clouded our vision of God’s goodness.
We Are Easter People
One of my favorite descriptions of the Church is this: “We are an Easter people, and hallelujah is our song.” Being Easter people means that the resurrection of Jesus Christ isn’t just an event we remember—it’s the foundation of who we are.
Everything hinges on it.
If Christ had only lived a good life, taught inspiring lessons, or performed miraculous acts, our faith might still be admirable—but it wouldn’t be transformative. What changes everything is that the crucified Jesus did not remain in the tomb. Death could not hold Him. Hope could not be buried. Love could not be sealed behind a stone.
The resurrection is God’s ultimate declaration that sin does not have the final say, brokenness does not have the last word, and darkness does not get to keep the light out.
So when we say we’re Easter people, we are proclaiming:
We live as people who believe God brings life from death.
We trust that no situation is beyond His redeeming power.
We walk with resurrection hope—steady, joyful, unshakeable.
A Lighthearted Easter Tale
Now, because even holy seasons need a little humor, let me share a brief Easter story:
A Sunday school teacher once asked a group of children, “What do you think Jesus said when He came out of the tomb on Easter morning?” One child’s hand shot up. Without hesitation, he exclaimed, “Ta-da!!!”
Now… I’m not sure that’s recorded in any of the Gospels—but I must say, it does capture the triumphant joy of the moment! After all, Easter is God’s great “ta-da!”—His dramatic unveiling of victory over death.
A Challenge for April
As we journey through this month of resurrection hope, I’d like to challenge each of us to live Easter out loud. Look for one way each week to embody resurrection life:
Offer forgiveness where it’s overdue.
Speak hope into someone’s discouragement.
Practice generosity in a way that stretches you.
Pray boldly for God’s renewing work in your life.
Let’s be Easter people not only in celebration but in daily practice.
A Prayer for the Easter Season
Risen Lord, Fill our hearts with the joy of Your resurrection. Renew our hope where it has grown tired, restore our faith where it has been shaken, and revive our love where it has faded. Make us true Easter people— people who shine with Your light, live with Your courage, and carry Your grace into the world. In Your victorious name we pray. Amen.
Blessings and peace to you all this month. Pastor Toby
WORD – FEBRUARY 2026
From the Pastor’s Desk — February 2026
Beloved friends in Christ,
As we step into February—a month often associated with love—it feels especially important to reflect on what Christian love looks like in a world that is hurting. Our nation continues to reel from the recent shootings in Minneapolis. Families are grieving. Communities are shaken. And many of our immigrant neighbors—already vulnerable—are feeling even more exposed and uncertain.
Moments like these tests the soul of a nation, but they also test the soul of the church. How will we respond? What voice will we listen to? What lens will we use to understand what is happening around us?
The Voices We Allow to Shape Us
We live in a time when news outlets, social media platforms, and online personalities compete for our attention. Their goal is not always truth. Often, it is outrage, fear, or clicks. In the aftermath of tragedy, misinformation spreads quickly. Conspiracy theories take root. People begin to see enemies where there are none, and suspicion replaces compassion.
As followers of Jesus, we must be vigilant about the voices we allow to shape our hearts. Scripture warns us that not every spirit is trustworthy, and not every message is aligned with the way of Christ. When we let fear-driven narratives guide us, we risk losing sight of the gospel’s call to love, mercy, and justice.
Our task is not to interpret the world through the lens of cable news or social media feeds, but through the life and teachings of Jesus Christ.
What Scripture Calls Us To
The Bible speaks clearly about how God’s people are to treat those who live among us, especially the foreigner, the outsider, and the vulnerable. In Leviticus 19:33–34, God commands that the foreigner “be treated as your native-born” and loved as ourselves. Deuteronomy 10:18–19 reminds us that God “loves the foreigner residing among you,” and calls us to do the same. Jesus deepens this teaching in Matthew 25:35, saying, “I was a stranger and you welcomed me.”
These passages are not suggestions. They are the shape of Christian discipleship.
A Story of Neighbor-Love
A few years ago, a small-town church—much like ours—learned that a newly arrived immigrant family had lost everything in a house fire. They spoke little English and had no extended family nearby. The congregation didn’t know them personally, but they knew enough: here were neighbors in need.
Within hours, people showed up with blankets, clothing, meals, and gift cards. One member offered temporary housing. Another helped navigate paperwork. A retired teacher volunteered to tutor the children. No one asked whether the family “belonged” or whether helping them would be convenient. They simply acted out of love.
Months later, the father stood before the congregation and said, “We came to this country hoping to find safety. We found something even better—people who treated us like family.”
This is what it means to love our neighbor. Not in theory, but in practice. Not only when it is easy, but especially when it is costly.
Our Call in This Moment
In the wake of the violence in Minneapolis, many of our immigrant brothers and sisters are living with renewed fear. As followers of Jesus, we are called to be a counter-testimony to that fear. We are called to be people of refuge, compassion, and courageous love.
And we are called to guard our hearts against the noise of the world—against narratives that divide, distort, or dehumanize. When we let Christ shape our vision, we see people not as threats, but as neighbors. Not as strangers, but as children of God.
A Prayer for Peace
God of mercy and justice, Hold close all who grieve in Minneapolis and across our nation. Protect those who feel vulnerable or unseen. Quiet the voices of fear and falsehood, and tune our hearts to your truth. Make us instruments of your peace, that our lives may reflect the love you have shown to us. Amen.
A Call to Action
This month, I invite each of us to take one concrete step toward loving our neighbors—especially those who may be immigrants, refugees, or newcomers in our community.
And I invite us to take one big step away from the noise: limit the voices that stir fear, resist the pull of conspiracy theories, and choose instead the steady, compassionate way of Christ.
May we be a church where strangers become neighbors, and neighbors become family.
Grace and peace, Pastor Toby
January 2026
From the Pastor’s Desk: A New Year, A New Opportunity in Christ
Dear Church Family,
As we step into 2026, we are reminded that every new year is a fresh gift from God—a chance to grow deeper in His grace and experience His fullness in our lives. The Apostle Paul writes in Philippians 3:13-14 (NIV): “Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”
This year, I invite you to join me in exploring four areas of life where we can make changes that open the door to God’s blessing:
Better Priorities
Life is full of demands, but Jesus reminds us in Matthew 6:33 to “seek first His kingdom and His righteousness.” When God is first, everything else falls into its proper place. Let’s commit to prioritizing prayer, worship, and time in His Word above all else.
Better Relationships
Healthy relationships reflect God’s love. Forgiveness, kindness, and encouragement should mark our interactions. Ask yourself: Who needs grace from me today? Let’s build bridges, not walls, and strengthen the bonds within our families and church community.
Better Choices
Every decision shapes our spiritual journey. Whether it’s how we spend our time, handle our finances, or respond to challenges, let’s choose what honors God. Remember, small daily choices lead to big spiritual victories.
Better Christian Witness
Our world needs hope, and we carry the greatest message of all—Jesus Christ. Let’s live in such a way that others see His light in us. Share your faith through words and actions, and let your life be a testimony of God’s goodness.
A Prayer for the New Year
Heavenly Father, thank You for the gift of a new year. Help us to set better priorities, nurture better relationships, make better choices, and be better witnesses for Christ. Fill us with Your Spirit so that we may walk in Your fullness and blessing. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
As we journey through 2026, let’s press forward together, trusting that God has great things in store for His people.
Westville IN United Methodist Church 