The Role of Spirituality in Our Mental Health, with UU Belmont Alliance

Spirituality and spiritual practices offer significant support and coping for mental health and well-being at every age, especially in moments of change and transition. Join us to learn more about the recent research into the role of spirituality in mental health and hear from Sophia about her experiences in mental health chaplaincy.

Our intern minister, Sophia Doescher, MDiv, is a recent graduate from Harvard Divinity School, pursuing congregational ministry and chaplaincy. Originally from Silver Spring, Maryland and nurtured within Cedar Lane UU Church, she received a Bachelor of Arts in Religion from New College of Florida. Since moving to Boston to begin her studies, Sophia has nurtured a passion for UU ministry and chaplaincy, discovering her call to mental health chaplaincy through internships at McLean Hospital and Boston Medical Center.

To get the Zoom link, contact Miriam Baker at  miriambaker426@gmail.com

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The Belmont Unitarian-Universalist Alliance is the oldest continuing meeting group at First Church. It was founded in 1890 as the local branch of the Alliance of Unitarian Women. When the Unitarian-Universalist Association was created, this Alliance became part of the Unitarian-Universalist Women’s Federation.  While it met at First Church in Belmont, the Alliance wasn’t part of the Church’s organizational structure. It had its own elected officers, dues, and bank account. Dues-paying participants were the official members.  The Alliance held monthly lunches, which included either a presentation or an excursion. In earlier years, the organization ran the Rummage Sale, put on a music program and Wassail every December, and provided the reception following funerals. The group also contributed to church projects such as the restoration of the Tiffany Window.  Alliance bylaws were amended in 1999 to reflect the dissolution of the national organization and the absorption of the local chapter into First Church. The structure of the Alliance remained largely unchanged until 2014, when the group dropped the word “Woman,” from the title to make it clear all, not just women, are now welcome to join in.  Now a subcommittee of Adult Programs, the Alliance remains semiautonomous with its own bank account and elected officers. Because the group now holds its monthly meetings on Zoom, it no longer collects dues. At its May 2023 meeting the group declared that anyone who attends two presentations during a two-year period will be a voting member. The group votes to elect officers and approve expenditures. Officers include President Nicole Bernstein, Co-President Patricia Hawkins, Treasurer Miriam Baker, Secretary Mary Harrison, Program Committee Doris Hunter, and Technical Advisor Mark Rosenstein.