Faith Connections “Come to me, all you who are weary and find life burdensome, and I will refresh you.” (Matthew 12:28)

Chair or Contact Person
Donna Olsen
919.942.6227
dolsen@st-thomasmore.org

Additional Contact(s)
Gail Komives
gmkomives@aol.com

Mission Statement/Purpose
St. Thomas More's Faith Connections was established in 2008 to provide education, understanding and comfort to those suffering from mental illness, their families, our parish, other interfaith communities and our local community. The role of this planning/advisory committee is to provide education about mental illness, eliminate stigma and offer faith, hope and understanding for those dealing now, or in the past, with mental illness. Mental illness is hence defined as biochemical illnesses/disorders of the brain, such as Depression, Bipolar, Schizophrenia and various Anxiety disorders (exclusive of learning disabilities.)

Major Accomplishments
St. Thomas More Church has played a significant role in the establishment of the larger InterFaith Connections, and has served as the pilot church for starting Faith Connections within its own faith community. Our kick-off event was in June 2008, and featured a short award-winning documentary film on mental illnesses, followed by a presentation by UNC Professor Emeritas Dr. William Jay Peck, who spoke on the importance of faith in dealing with mental illness. This first event was attended by many from St. Thomas More, as well as other local faith communities.

Major Activity
For the fall of 2008 and into 2009, we are planning for educational seminars including: Dealing with Health Professionals, Dual Diagnosis, Legal Issues and Mental Health, Support for the Family/Caregivers, Mental Health Organizations and Educational Opportunities. We will include comments/questionnaires following each session to discern what is most needed, and offer parish members an opportunity to send us their requests.

Meeting Frequency
Meetings are held on the last Friday of the month, with members of the InterFaith Connections committee. We will establish regular monthly or bi-monthly meetings when we have enough interested members to serve on St. Thomas More's advisory board.

Meeting Venue
The multipurpose room of the church.

Estimated Time Commitment for Volunteers
The time commitment will depend on the individual's skills and willingness to head or work on a particular event. Each event is unique and will require various skills and time commitments.

Special Skills
Anyone with current or past experience with dealing with mental health issues, either as a consumer, caregiver or professional, will be of great help. If you want to make a difference in the lives of those who too often cannot help themselves, then this is a vital ministry for you.