Creating a Caring Congregation by Fostering Wholeness
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, a time when communities nationwide remind one another that mental health matters. At White Memorial Presbyterian Church, our newly named Health and Wholeness Ministry joins that call: you’ll notice our new logo around the church this month as a visible sign of our commitment to supporting mind, body, and spirit.
Wholeness is the integrated well‑being of a person or community. It’s where spiritual, emotional, mental, and physical dimensions are cared for so life is balanced, resilient, and connected. For individuals, it means feeling known, supported, and able to seek help for struggles like depression, anxiety, grief, isolation, or chronic stress. And for our congregation, it means mutual care that binds the body of Christ together through attentive listening, practical help (such as Angel Food Ministry meals, rides, caring notes of encouragement), pastoral support, and references to supportive clinical resources. Wholeness combines compassionate presence, faith resources (prayer, worship, pastoral care), and evidence‑based treatment so people are supported holistically rather than in isolated parts.
At the individual level, fostering wholeness manifests in several ways:
- Common mental health challenges in our congregation and community can include depression, anxiety and stress, isolation, grief and loss, and other conditions that affect daily life and spiritual well‑being.
- WMPC resources are available to help!
- Stephen Ministry — confidential one‑to‑one lay care giving for those needing ongoing support.
- Healing Prayer — intercessory prayer sessions to provide a sense of balance and facilitate self-healing (offered monthly).
- Healing Through Grief Workshop — offered twice a year to companion those navigating loss (contact Cate Church Norman or Caroline Parker for more details).
- Triangle Pastoral Counseling (onsite) — Did you know? Licensed counseling is available at WMPC, and scholarships reduce financial barriers.
- WMPC encourages integrated care that combines evidence‑based treatment, pastoral presence, and spiritual resources so persons are supported holistically, through events such as our past guest speaker, Warren Kinghorn, and a recent book study focusing on the book “Dear William” by David Magee.
Our congregation can also foster wholeness in several ways. Caring for one another individually strengthens our shared faith community by building resilience and reducing stigma. Each of us can assist our fellow disciples of Christ:
- Listening with presence: allow time to hear without rushing or fixing.
- Sending notes: brief cards or messages of encouragement show someone they’re remembered.
- Bringing meals: sharing food after illness or loss is a tangible sign of God’s love.
- Offering a steady presence: regular check‑ins, rides to appointments, or accompaniment to visits provide meaningful support.
In May, the Health and Wholeness Ministry will share information and prayers and highlight local resources and practical tips for connection and early recognition. When these small acts are multiplied across our congregation, we create an environment where people feel safe to seek help and find accompaniment.
If you would like to be connected with a Stephen Minister, please contact Caroline Parker, Administrative Assistant for Congregational Care, at 919-834-3424, extension 210.
To learn more about WMPC’s onsite pastoral counseling, please contact Triangle Pastoral Counseling at 919-845-9977.
For additional information about area mental health resources, please contact Martha Grove Hipskind, Health Ministry Coordinator, at 919-834-3424, extension 213.