Mulling Toward Access and Belonging: Eyes to Hearts to Souls
Ty Ragan reflects on mulling, disability, faith, and the Great Commandments, inviting us to consider how access and belonging can reshape the way we see, listen, and build community.
What Art Holds and Words Can Miss
A conversation explores how art can open space for belonging, healing, and a deeper understanding of God. Reflecting on creativity, accessibility, and community, this article invites readers to see how art can make room for beauty, dignity, and theological insight in ways words alone sometimes cannot.
Accessibility as Hospitality
It was an accessible restaurant for a couple of years. Dion and I would occasionally go, entering through a door that was both wide and street-level. One day we arrived to notice that the door was locked. I went around to the other side of building to discover that they had reconfigured the space.
Power in Policies Rather Than People (Part 1)
Often, somebody that holds a lot of power or privilege of one type has an easier on-ramp to additional forms of privilege and power than somebody who does not. Thus, rather than being evenly distributed, power tends to accumulate. This is a symptom of our broken humanity rather than the values of the kingdom of God in action.
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https://vimeo.com/120535615
The Great Banquet – Luke 5
Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.’ ‘Sir,’ the servant said, ‘what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.’ Luke 5: 22
Just ask, just listen
He was middle aged, had Down Syndrome, and spoke no English, but he said hello and quickly answered my introductory question about how long he had worked in that shop. I apologized for not understanding his answer and he realized that I was at a disadvantage in this conversation.
Our Doors are Open: an Accessible Welcome for People with Disabilities in Churches
How can Canadian churches “build back better,” or—more accurately—create a “new normal” after COVID that’s healthier than the old? I would simply, and strongly, recommend one strategy that works for us at the IDRC: just ask, just listen.
Prepare the Road: post-pandemic accessibility
This pandemic may soon be over, but for almost 20% of Canadians who experience some form of disability, the practice of self isolation and physical distancing will not necessarily end. As businesses, churches and community spaces begin to reopen, remember Isaiah 57:14 – 15.
Respecting Neurodiversity in the Church
Respecting neurodiversity in the Church means recognizing that people connect with God in different ways. This reflection invites congregations to move beyond assumptions and shape discipleship around the people actually present.
Why Online Church Services Should Continue Beyond the Pandemic
My plea is that congregations will continue to have online worship services long after the pandemic is over.