May is Mental Health Awareness Month — a time to shine a light on mental wellbeing and to affirm that caring for our mental health is not only essential, but sacred. At the North Carolina Council of Churches, we believe the Church has a vital role to play in the mental health and wellbeing of our communities. Mental health is not separate from our spiritual lives — it is deeply connected to how we experience God, love our neighbors, and live into the promise of abundant life.
We understand mental wellbeing as more than the absence of illness — it’s the presence of wholeness. It includes emotional resilience, the ability to manage stress, cultivate healthy relationships, maintain purpose, and experience joy. It is about being rooted in love and supported by the community — especially in life’s hardest seasons.
Through our Partners in Health and Wholeness initiative, we are committed to educating, equipping, and mobilizing people of faith to support mental health and create spaces where people can truly flourish in mind, body, and spirit.
This sacred work is already happening in powerful ways. Across North Carolina, faith communities are breaking silence, reducing stigma, and planting seeds of healing. We’re especially proud to celebrate the 34 churches currently participating in our Abundant Life cohort — a year-long journey equipping congregations to become mental health and wellbeing hubs. These churches are leading the way in building compassionate communities grounded in healing, connection, and resilience.
Our next cohort launches this September — and we’d love for your faith community to be part of it. [Click here to learn more]
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The mission of Hope4NC is to assist individuals in communities as they recover from the devastating impacts of Hurricane Helene. Our trained crisis outreach workers are available to link survivors with resources that assist in recovery and rebuilding, help with disaster preparedness, and to offer emotional and educational support. The program is free and anonymous.
