What is a WISE Congregation?

What is a WISE Congregation?

WISE (Welcoming, Inclusive, Supportive, and Engaged) is a designation for congregations who are committed to being sensitive to the challenges faced by the millions of Americans with brain disorders or mental illnesses.  

The goal of obtaining the WISE designation is to openly communicate that we offer support, acceptance, and respect to each person, and to provide information and education that helps reduce the stigma around mental illness.

The scope of this initiative includes, but is not limited to, anxiety, depression, eating disorders, suicide, OCD, PTSD, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, ADHD, autism, Alzheimer’s Disease, dementia, grief, Tourette Syndrome, substance abuse and other addictions, etc.  We care about both those who may be suffering from these disorders and their caregivers.

WISE congregations DO

• offer support, acceptance, and respect to each person
• Create a safe environment for people to share their challenges and seek support
• Provide information & education
• Serve as advocates in our church and community at large to reduce the stigma surrounding mental illness and brain disorders

WISE congregations DO NOT

• Provide treatment or other recommendations that should be appropriately addressed by a trained professional
• Ask anyone to participate or share anything that they do not want to
• Assume that participation in any event implies anything other an interest in mental health
• Share anything outside a gathering without explicit permission (with exception of immediate danger to self or others, in which case an appropriate mental health professional or emergency service will be contacted)

To learn more about the WISE journey at Webster UCC, contact the WISE team (UCCWISE@gmail.com) or the church office at 585-671-3757.

May 2018 WISE update

WISE Update: At Webster UCC we are on a journey to become WISE – Welcoming and Inclusive to those with brain disorders or mental illness, Supportive of them and their families, and Engaged in fighting the stigma of mental illness. The WISE team has a number of initiatives underway to help this become our way of being. We have already seen benefit from just opening up the conversation: 

• one congregation member reached out for support when a family member was hospitalized for a mental-health related issue. 
• another member shared with a few other church members that they were experiencing depression - a fact that they had previously not been comfortable mentioning to anyone 
• yet another member reached out to the WISE team for a list of community resources to provide to a family member who was struggling. 

These examples illustrate the importance and value of WISE. Our goal is for each person in our congregation to feel that they can bring their whole self here, and be supported without judgement. On May 20 we will observe Mental Health Sunday with services focusing on mental wellness. We will also be conducting a survey to get input on the WISE initiative - it will be available both in hard copy and electronically. Look for the announcement soon, and please participate!

Eating Disorder Myths and Facts by Sharon Mathiason

I hope that everyone enjoyed the service for Mental Health Sunday and the presentation by Joe Gerard.  In Joe’s message we learned a little about his mental illness and a lot about the importance of a caring congregation in healing.  As we work to become a WISE church in name and practice, it’s important that we continue to expand our awareness.  For this month, I’ll provide some myths and facts about eating disorders.

Many people do not think that eating disorders are serious.  But, in fact, they have the highest mortality rate of any mental illness.  It’s currently estimated that, in the United States, 23 people die every day from eating disorders.

Many people believe that eating disorders only affect young females.  Males suffer, too, and are often misdiagnosed.  About 25% of people suffering from anorexia and bulimia are male.

Another fact that surprises many people is that our military is seeing an increase in eating disorders at a rate of 6 times the civilian population.  Last year, part of the military budget was set aside for research into this alarming rate.

It’s true that many sufferers die from the physical effects of an eating disorder.  It’s also true that people with eating disorders are 57 times more likely to die from suicide than their peers.

In this diet conscious world, it’s important to remember what you say in front of your children.  Here is an excerpt from my daughter’s journal:

June 30, 2003 09:00 pm

“My mom is more obsessed with weight than ever (or do i just notice it more now?) I mean seriously, she always talks about losing weight, about being a "fat slob" etc...no wonder i learned at such a young age to hate/fear fat. I dunno, it kinda gets to me...”

I didn’t cause Jenn’s disorder, but I certainly didn’t help.  Fat shaming, whether it’s ourselves or others, is never appropriate.  According to the National Eating Disorders Association, 1 in 4 people who go on a diet will develop an eating disorder.  Make sure your child or friend or loved one or yourself is not that one in four.

Finally, and maybe most importantly, you can’t tell someone has an eating disorder by looking at them.  For 5 of Jenn’s 10 year struggle we thought she was okay because she wasn’t overly thin.  We were very wrong.

There are brochures in the Narthex which will help you recognize signs and symptoms.  The library in the lounge has a good book with true stories about the struggles.  And, of course, I can help point you to professionals and other materials.

Take care and be WISE.

Introducing WISE by Sharon Mathiason

I’ve had cancer twice.  And each time we were overwhelmed with food and cards and phone calls and visits from family and friends.  There is no way to describe how much that outpouring of support meant to us.  But, when my daughter suffered from an eating disorder, my family and friends were no where to be found.

There was one exception.  The women in UCC’s Fourth Thursday Women’s Group listened when I talked about her illness.  They prayed.  They sent Jennifer cards.  They brought her a prayer shawl before she went to the hospital.  They told her that when she wore that shawl, she should think of all of them hugging her.  Jenn cherished that shawl.  While in the hospital, she shared it with anyone who was seriously struggling.  It was the knowledge that I had a safe place to share our pain without judgment that helped get us through those days. 

After 10 years of struggling with Jenn’s mental illness, I can’t say I know exactly what you should say or do for a family in a similar situation.  But I do know that the safety of 4TWG brought some calm in a world coming apart.

In the upcoming days and weeks you will hear about an effort to become a WISE congregation.  Welcoming, Inclusive, Supportive and Engaged.  If, as a congregation, we can offer a safe place to talk about illnesses that are often hidden, then we will be moving in that direction.  If we decide to learn about various mental illnesses, then we can speak with facts and help dispel myths and misconceptions.  It’s all part of being WISE.

If you’d like to help us, please join in our open meetings.  If you’d like to learn more about mental illness, then let us know and we’ll find speakers.  People suffering from a mental illness and their families need a safe place without judgment.  Like me they may not get that support from family and friends.  This may be the only place to find comfort.