Our Commitment to
Mental Health
Welcoming, Inclusive, Supportive, and Engaging
In November of 2020, our church adopted a W.I.S.E. Commitment and became a certified W.I.S.E. Congregation by the national UCC on November 11th, 2020. This designation means that we work to be Welcoming, Inclusive, Supportive, and Engaging across the mental health and mental illness spectrum.
The photos below were offered during a worship series on gratitude. Some of our members shared why they are grateful for our W.I.S.E. commitment.
Our Relational Covenant
As part of our 2020 decision to become a WISE congregation, our congregation agreed to develop a Relational Covenant. Kay Pranis, a national leader in restorative justice and peacemaking circles, describes the essence of relational covenant agreements as being “shared values in action, expressed in a practical manner.” They can help us live out our values around honoring each other, making space for everyone, understanding the impact and intent of our words, and finding appreciation for our differences and similiarities.
With the guidance of Rev. Rachel Keefe of Living Table UCC in Minneapolis, our congregation developed a relational covenant that would help us deepen our ability to connect with one another even during challenging conversations. Part of our covenant reads:
We practice compassionate community more than being right, committing to share our voice and to keep our mind and heart open for change.
We honor the divinity in each person and will faithfully invite diversity of persons and thought, holding space for ideas and visions unfamiliar or confusing to us.
This covenant is a living document that we recommit to yearly. You can download the full HCUCC Relational Covenant here.
Learn More About What We’re Doing
Harm Reduction - Olive Branch Ministry
In November of 2021, we learned more about harm reduction, especially for those dealing with addiction. Olive Branch Ministry helped us learn and grow, and we collected supplies to support their harm reduction efforts in Hickory.
View our YouTube Page!
Visit our YouTube page to dive deeper into how we talk about mental health and hear from folks who are sharing their stories. We highlight mental health throughout our services, but we set aside specific Sundays to celebrate our commitment to our W.I.S.E. designation.
Interested in getting involved with W.I.S.E.?
If you would like to be involved with our mental health initiatives or learning more about what we’re doing, please contact hcuccwise@gmail.com.