What United Methodists Believe About Mental Illness 

“We believe that faithful Christians are called to be in ministry to individuals and their families challenged by disorders causing disturbances of thinking, feeling and acting categorized as ‘mental illness.’ We acknowledge that throughout history and today, our ministries in this area have been hampered by lack of knowledge, fear and misunderstanding. Even so, we believe that those so challenged, their families and their communities are to be embraced by the church in its ministry of compassion and love.”

— 2016 Book of Resolutions  3303 

Mental Health Task Force 
“The United Methodist Mental Health Task Force’s mission is to promote mental health and empower persons living with mental illness for full inclusion within all levels of the church and society through a network of communication, education, program development, advocacy and support.” 

In early 2020, at the urging of Susan Gregg-Schroeder, founder of Mental Health Ministries, the United Methodist Mental Health Task Force was formed. There was no existing United Methodist entity dedicated to equipping church leaders and congregations for ministry with people who have mental illness. With 1 in 5 people experiencing mental illness each year and 50% of the population receiving a diagnosis sometime in their lives (Learn About Mental Health – Mental Health – CDC), it is a certainty that people with mental illnesses are already in our congregations and in our pulpits as well as in the communities we serve. The formation of this Task Force took place in response to this great need. 

We are finding and creating resources and advocating for greater awareness and education about mental illnesses. Our goal is to provide you with the tools you need. This webpage will grow in usefulness as our work continues. Please check back often and feel free to e-mail us at information@umcdmc.org if you have a question or a specific need. This will help us set priorities for our work.