In partnership with Christian Reformed Disability Concerns, the Christian Learning Centers (CLC) network has a helpful list of practical tips and resources to foster accessibility and inclusion which may be critical to a sense of belonging in your church. … Read More →
As my youth pastor lifted my chair and me onto the bus he quite literally embodied God’s strength, breaking down barriers to belonging. … Read More →
Are you a person living with disabilities (visible or invisible), a caregiver, or an ally? What would you tell the church, over coffee, about your life with a disability?
The Theologies of Disability Working Group of the United Church invites you to tell your stories about your faith life with disability … Read More →
It is my hope and dream that by bringing the two groups together our kids will learn to see autism in a new light and have empathy for these kids struggling with enormous challenges. In this we, as a youth ministry, are living out the gospel of Jesus rather than just speaking about it. … Read More →
Creating a Culture of Inclusion for People with Disabilities is a series of 8 vignettes of real life situations in the First Presbyterian Church of Birmingham, MI that is meant to be a study resource for faith communities. … Read More →
“Just come, just get here.”
Sometimes, the best first step is invitation. Who knows how many people don’t attend on any given Sunday simply because no one has asked them?
The video below, from Harvest Bible Chapel in Oakville, Ontario, is an excellent example of an invitation for families with children with special needs. It also goes beyond the invitation to say we have prepared a place for you. Not only are you welcome here, but we have anticipated your arrival and have arranged the additional support you need.
For more information on the Building Communities of Belonging conference on May 3rd at Harvest, you can download the poster, follow the facebook event, or register today! Until the end of March, buy one ticket to register and bring someone else along for free.
These parents all have stories of dropping off or picking up their daughter or son from a ministry environment only to be told that the church is not set up to handle their child. These families have all experienced what Mary and Joseph felt when they were trying to find a place for their child to be born. … Read More →
You may already be involved with special needs ministry at your church, or it might be something that you know is important but don’t have many supports in place. Regardless, we always question whether what we’re doing is the ‘best way’, and the challenges we encounter send us seeking affirmation that we are on the … Read More →
Attending Harvest Bible Chapel in Niagara, Ontario, Brett and Breha have experienced a transformative journey which led to their adoption of William, a child with exceptional needs. Learn more about their spiritual growth as part of Harvest Niagara from 0:00 to 3:45, or jump to the story of William’s adoption at 3:46. Many of us, I’m sure, can relate to Brett’s observation (5:04) of our own tendency to place a primary emphasis on a lot of secondary things.
Looking for a resource to help church leaders and members welcome and engage people disabilities in the life of the church? : Faith Alive has recently released the second edition of Inclusion Handbook: Everybody Belongs, Everybody Serves. Description: Knowing the particular disability a person lives with will help churches better to understand and help that person, but people … Read More →