FCCPA W.I.S.E. Covenant

This covenant is the First Congregational Church of Palo Alto’s confirmation of the commitment to being a W.I.S.E. congregation. The term W.I.S.E. stands for welcoming, inclusive, supportive, and engaged. By this declaration, we commit to being welcoming, inclusive, supportive, and engaged with all of God’s people, which includes those of us with mental health challenges. After all, Jesus said “the greatest commandment is to love your neighbor as yourself."
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As a congregation, we commit to fostering a Welcoming* and supportive community for individuals facing mental health challenges and their families.
We are dedicated to actively Including* those with mental health challenges in the fabric of our congregational life, work, and leadership.
We are steadfast in our Support* for all who are navigating mental health challenges.
We Engage* in collaboration with organizations at the intersection of mental health and faith, working together to promote understanding and well-being.
 
First Congregational Church of Palo Alto UCC seeks to create a culture of radical inclusion. Not only are church members actively seeking to include and get to know others in the wider community, the congregation has also established many ministries that bear witness to the mission of being welcoming to people of all abilities, and those who are LGBTQ+.
 
Our new ministry called “Mental Health Allies” focuses on educating the congregation and community about mental wellness, mental health challenges, and resources available. We want to provide a safe place for people to speak openly and draw strength from one another. To this end, we invite mental health professionals from the community to speak, provide material about specific conditions, share our stories, and continue to invite NAMI members for educational forums after worship services. Together, we aim to create and maintain a safe, stigma-free space for those who experience mental health challenges and their families.

We meet every 4th Sunday   (no meetings July  and August) after church in the  Casaday Library. All are welcome to attend to be heard or to learn. Our meetings are kept confidential.

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 Welcoming: 
We commit to offering educational opportunities to help us examine our perspectives and pre-judgments about mental health challenges.
We will provide opportunities to talk openly about mental health challenges in a safe environment, as open dialogue can reduce the stigma surrounding this topic.
We commit to avoiding stigmatizing language.
We will continue to educate ourselves by inviting guest speakers, hosting seminars, organizing book groups, and more.
 

 Inclusive: 
We commit to including people with mental health challenges in the work of the Mental Health Allies group.
We welcome hiring persons with mental health challenges when calling clergy and staff.
We commit to including people with mental health challenges in the life and work of our church.
We commit to observing Mental Health Month in May and other Mental Health Awareness weeks.
 
Supportive: 
We hold monthly confidential meetings, open to anyone who wants to share their story and be heard.
We provide a community mental health resource list/library accessible to our church community.
Just as we support those with physical disabilities or illnesses, we are committed to assisting individuals facing mental health challenges.
 
Engaged: We commit to engaging with community partners such as NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness), BACA (Bay Area Clinical Associates), Mental Health America, and the UCC Mental Health Network.
We will engage our community by inviting these partners to discussion panels, distributing educational materials, and sharing our stories.