Rev. Alan Johnson and Rev. Craig Rennebohm of the UCC Mental Health Network and UCC Disability Ministries Board of Directors traveled to the White House to meet with President Obama and others during the White House Conference on Mental Health. As a UCC representative to the White House Conference on Mental Health, Rev. Johnson was encouraged to join with the newly formed UCC Mental Health Network to help reduce stigma around mental illness. Rev. Johnson has long been involved with the leadership of the Widening the Welcome Conferences. Both Rev. Johnson and Rev. Rennebohm will be continuing their work to reduce the stigma of mental illness within our churches and wider culture by presenting workshops at the upcoming fourth “Widening the Welcome: Inclusion for ALL” Conference.
There’s still time to register for the one day Widening the Welcome Conference, June 27th in Long Beach, CA. Click here for Widening the Welcome Brochure and Registration
The Rev. Susan Gregg-Schroder, Founder Mental Health Ministries, will be one of two keynote speakers at Widening the Welcome. We’d love to have your congregation join the UCC movement of inclusion of people of varying disabilities, apparent and unapparent, including those with mental health challenges. Please, if at all possible, have a member of your congregation attend the Widening the Welcome Conference so together we can continue to extend God’s extravagant welcome to all people.
Watch Alan’s trip to the White House for this momentous occasion: http://youtu.be/i0zbJI9rQEU
Submitted by Rev. Alan Johnson; edited by Rev. Kelli Parrish Lucas