United Church of Christ Mental Health Network

Working to reduce stigma & promote the inclusion of people with mental illnesses/brain disorders.

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
DONATE
  • About
    • Who We Are
    • Board Members
    • Our Partners
    • Request Our Logo
    • Join Our Board
  • WISE Certification
    • What is Becoming WISE?
    • How to Begin the WISE Process
    • WISE Congregations
    • Contact WISE
  • Resources
    • Congregational Toolkits
    • Mental Health Resource Links
    • Suicide Prevention Awareness
    • Mental Health Sunday
    • MHN at UCC General Synod 2021
    • Press Releases
  • Open & Affirming
    • Announcement of Our ONA Designation
    • Our ONA Covenant
    • Video: Why We Became ONA
    • Support for Ban on Conversion Therapy
  • News
    • UCC Mental Health Network Offers New Resources to Address Youth and Trauma
    • UCC Mental Health Network Designated Open and Affirming Ministry
    • Caring for Our Communities Amid Tragedy
    • Condemning Violence Against AAPI Community
    • Sign Up for MHN News
  • The Journey Continues Blog
  • Trauma & Youth Resources
  • Contact the MHN

Ministries of Hope

February 3, 2020 By Rev. Dr. Sarah Lund (she/her/hers)

Standing in the back of the fellowship hall on Sunday afternoon, my voice hushed to a whisper as I listened to the congregation’s words. Words of welcome. Words of inclusion. Words of support. Words of engagement for mental health. On January 26, 2020, at our congregational meeting, we voted to adopt our WISE covenant for mental health. Prior to this vote, we recited the WISE covenant together and it literally took my breath away.

To be completely honest, I did not expect to be profoundly moved by the power of this moment. I have read this draft covenant dozens of times, critiquing it and tweaking it. Nothing in the words was new to me. Yet, suddenly as the people of God spoke the words aloud in unison, the words took on a new life of their own. The words came alive, and with this life, new life was born in our midst. There in the church basement, I felt God’s powerful presence invite us to co-create the realm of God on earth as it is in heaven. A realm where people with mental health challenges and their loved ones are treated with unconditional love. 

I am a pastor whose life is touched on all sides by mental health challenges, both my own and those of my loved ones. I will never forget the experience of witnessing this historic vote. Before the vote we heard two testimonies from church members whose lives are impacted my mental health challenges: personality disorders, post-traumatic stress syndrome, addiction, and mood disorders. Eyes filled with tears at the vulnerable sharing that shed light on the importance of creating a church community that works to end the stigma and shame associated with mental illness. My heart swelled with love for a God that would invite us on such a healing journey and for a people who would open their hearts to such transformative love. 

I give thanks for the United Church of Christ and the Mental Health Network for our ministries of hope. There is no greater joy than living out and sharing the love of Christ. When we can share this love of Christ with people who experience the pain of mental health challenges and their loved ones, we are embodying the Gospel’s mandate to love our neighbor as ourselves. Now we journey into the future as a WISE congregation, open to ways God’s Spirit will invite us to live into our WISE covenant. All we can do now is open our hearts and say, “Here we are God. Take our lives and use them. May we be a place to belong, a place to heal and a place to love.”

Rev. Dr. Sarah Lund (she/her/hers)
Minister for Disabilities & Mental Health Justice

Rev. Dr. Sarah Lund (she/her/hers) serves on the national staff of the United Church of Christ as Minister for Disabilities and Mental Health Justice. She also serves as senior pastor of First Congregational UCC of Indianapolis, IN. Sarah is the author of the acclaimed and best selling books “Blessed Are The Crazy: Breaking the Silence About Mental Illness, Family and the Church“ (Chalice Press, 2014) and “Blessed Union: Breaking the Silence About Mental Illness and Marriage (Chalice Press, 2021). She blogs at www.sarahgriffithlund.com. 

Filed Under: Community Tagged With: Mental Health Network, UCC, United Church of Christ, WISE Congregations

Quick Navigation

  • Congregational Toolkits
  • Donate
  • Who We Are
  • Becoming WISE
  • WISE IKC Fall Webinar 2020
  • Contact

Our Partners

  • The United Church of Christ
  • UCC Disabilities Ministries
  • Advocate Aurora Health – The Center for Faith and Community Health Transformation

Stay Connected

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
NEWSLETTER SIGN-UP
Request to Use WISE Logo

Copyright © 2023 · United Church of Christ Mental Health Network · Log in