As we celebrate 90 years of faithful work for justice and equity this year, we’re sharing stories of 90 Years Rooted in Faith that reflect the heart of the North Carolina Council of Churches. Each month, you’ll hear from staff and long-time friends of the Council as they highlight the transformative impacts we’ve had on our community and our vision for the future. Stay tuned for these inspiring reflections throughout the year!
When I reflect on the work I have been privileged to carry out for nearly three years as the East Regional Associate Director at the North Carolina Council of Churches, I often think back to a question I posed to a religious leader in Northern Uganda during a Duke Divinity Center for Reconciliation pilgrimage in July 2011. I listened to the leader discuss the impact of their recent civil war on the people of the nation. When permitted, I asked about the effects of the war on clergy leaders. I’ll sum up his response this way: “It’s as if you were to call AAA roadside assistance because your car broke down, but AAA can’t dispatch anyone to assist with your vehicle because the trucks providing rescue are also broken down.”
Fourteen years later, I revisit that analogy daily as I work to support the wellness of clergy and faith communities. If we are to assist those who need emotional support and resources to secure appropriate help for recovery, we must be well ourselves. When we are individually and collectively well in mind, body, and spirit, we can strategically work together to ensure people in our pews and the surrounding community will experience abundant life.
We plant, we water, and God gets the increase.
For the past 16 years, the Partners in Health and Wholeness has amplified the Council’s outreach efforts, reflecting the planting and watering metaphor that the Apostle Paul uses in 1 Corinthians 3:6. Since its inception, PHW has modeled the collaborative nature of ministry by working alongside local congregations, social service organizations, denominations, physicians, farmers, mental health providers, researchers, hospitals, and health departments.
In one place, we plant seeds by helping faith leaders understand the importance of sharing information on such topics like the opioid epidemic and mental health, often stigmatized in religious spaces. In another place, we water by helping faith communities enhance existing wellness programs with programmatic guidance, connection to resources, and financial support, when available. Watering also occurs through our webinars and in-person events, which we carefully plan and prepare to ensure they meet the needs of our collaborative partners and the broader community.
As the Council observes 90 years of service to faith communities across North Carolina, my prayer is that we expand our reach and help even more congregations learn about how faith and behavioral health should be a conversation in our places of worship. In the days ahead, both the Council and its partners are working to creatively and strategically utilize our resources to respond to the growing needs of those we serve. Sometimes we will plant, other times we will water, but God will always yield the increase.
