Get to know the UCC’s Minister for Disabilities and Mental Health Justice: Rev. Dr. Sarah Lund

Sarah is passionate about loving God, her family, and being part of faith communities. Her personal mission is to partner with others to share God’s healing and hope.  She is an ordained minister with standing in the United Church of Christ and the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and has served as pastor to churches in Brooklyn, NY, Minneapolis, MN, and New Smyrna Beach, FL. Sarah also served as Regional Minister for the Florida Conference of the United Church of Christ where she worked with congregations on vitality and renewal. After serving Christian Theological Seminary as Vice President for Advancement, Pastor Sarah was called in January of 2018 to serve as senior pastor of First Congregational UCC of Indianapolis, IN.

Sarah’s formal education includes degrees from Trinity University (BA), Princeton Theological Seminary (MDiv), Rutgers University (MSW), McCormick Theological Seminary (DMin). Sarah also completed the certificate in Fundraising Management from the IUPUI School of Fundraising. 

Sarah is an active community volunteer and has served as a board member of the Indianapolis Martin Luther King Community Center and on the board of the national United Church of Christ Mental Health Network. Sarah currently serves on the leadership team for the Bethany Fellows, a national program mentoring young pastors. She is the Open and Affirming Consultant for the Indiana-Kentucky Conference of the United Church of Christ.

Sarah received the Princeton Engle Preaching Prize in 2002 for excellence in preaching and the Bob and Joyce Dell Award for Mental Health Education from the United Church of Christ Mental Health Network in 2015 for “her outstanding authorship and leadership in breaking the silence about mental illness in family and in church and offering healing and hope.” She is the author of the widely regarded book Blessed are the Crazy: Breaking the Silence About Mental Illness, Family and Church (Chalice Press, 2014) and blogs at sarahgriffithlund.com.

In April of 2018, Sarah was called to serve on the UCC National Staff in a part-time position with the Wholeness Advocacy Team of Justice and Local Church Ministries, serving as the newly created Minister for Disabilities and Mental Health Justice.

Please contact Sarah for availability to serve as a consultant, conversation partner, keynote speaker, workshop leader, or preacher for your event at lunds@ucc.org.