South Church Covenants to be a

Welcoming, Inclusive, Supportive and Engaged (WISE) Congregation

for Mental Health

We, the people of the Congregational Church in South Glastonbury, Connecticut, embrace all individuals and meet them on their mental health journey. We recognize the challenges many in our community face when dealing with mental health including, but not limited to, depression, anxiety, brain disorders, addictions and trauma. We believe that all people are beloved by God, and deserve the respect, regardless of the difficulties life may bring their way. While many people of all ages in the U.S. report difficulties related to mental health, the number is likely much higher, with family members and loved ones sharing the journey through these challenges. Yet mental illness continues to be stigmatized. We are graced by the gifts, stories and experiences by all in our community. We commit to meeting everyone wherever they are on their mental health journey.

Call to action:

We pledge to create a welcoming environment for people with mental health challenges and their families by:

•  Educating our community and offering opportunities to help all understand the issues surrounding mental health challenges including, but not limited to, depression, anxiety, brain disorders, addictions and trauma and the implications of this covenant.
• Combating social stigma. We will examine our own attitudes and preconceived notions regarding mental health challenges.
• Actively welcoming those with mental health challenges, and those that support them, into our faith community.
• Recognizing that the stories of those with lived experiences enrich and enhance our community.

We pledge to include people with mental health challenges in the life, work and leadership of the congregation by:

• Recruiting, nominating and supporting persons with mental health challenges to serve on teams and in leadership positions within our community.
• When calling clergy and other staff, we will be open to hiring people with lived experiences.

We pledge to support people in our congregation who have mental health challenges and their families by:

• Reaching out to those suffering from mental health challenges, including, but not limited to, depression, anxiety, brain disorders, addictions, and trauma in the same way we support those living with other physical illnesses.
• Offering companionship, compassion and support for individuals and families with lived experiences.
• Ensuring that all people are treated with dignity and respect.

We pledge to engage with other organizations that work at the intersection of mental health and faith/spirituality/religion by:

• Welcoming and encouraging outside groups who deal with mental health challenges to use our church facilities.
• Engaging with other organizations to find opportunities to be in shared mission, ministry and advocacy together. This includes working with our church’s Mental Health Ministry team, the UCC Mental Health Network and the UCC Disabilities Ministry.