First Congregational Church is approaching its first year as a UCC-designated WISE church. As a WISE church, we actively recognize the need to be welcoming, inclusive, supportive and engaged to all who enter our doors, regardless of mental, cognitive, or physical capacities.

So, we have special cause for celebration this year as we at FCC join other UCC WISE-designated churches in commemorating Mental Health Awareness Month during the month of May. We hope you will consider joining our planning team; feel free to send ideas for FCC’s own mental health-related activities (email your ideas to socialjustice@fcceugene.org).

We have a book selection for the May book group, entitled Blessed Minds: Breaking the Silence About Neurodiversity, by Rev. Sarah Lund, a UCC minister in Indiana. It’s a slender, thought-provoking book. While it doesn’t take much time to read, it’s sure to generate some stimulating discussion. You can order your own by visiting online book store Chalice Press or ordering through your favorite local book store. Date of book discussion to be announced.

Recently, several FCC members who have loved ones or friends with memory challenges participated in a class called “Living Positively with Aging and Memory Loss.” They met for five consecutive weeks, reading the book The Best Friends Approach to Alzheimer’s Care by Virginia Bell and David Troxel. Jenny Carmichael organized the curricula and at the end of the course arranged for Laurie Swanson Gribskov and Marna Broekhoff to speak to the group about their experiences as caregivers for loved ones who had dementia.

The need for this memory class evolved from the feedback we received on last June’s “mental health awareness survey” to learn what some of the needs might be in the church. A number of respondents indicated an interest in learning more about dementia as well as attending a support group for caregivers. Additionally, 20% of the respondents asked for parent education and behavioral support classes. We hope to focus on youth and family during May’s mental health activities.