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What is Disability Ministry?

Does disability ministry require its own staff person or volunteers? Does it require its own room and time to meet? As a parent of two children with autism, I would just assume that any church that we attended would provide ministry even if there were no other children with special needs. It would never enter my mind that ministry would have to wait until “critical mass.” I am not criticizing churches that have organized disability ministries that have specific events for large groups of people with special needs. I am just saying that is not the only form of disability ministry.

By |2015-03-16T09:56:22-04:00March 16th, 2015|Resources|

Webinar Series on Supporting Spirituality and Inclusive Congregational Supports

In January, the National Collaborative on Faith and Disability will launch the new webinar series: Honoring Spiritual Needs and Gifts: From Inertia to Collaborative Action by Providers and Congregations. The series will run monthly, from January-June (excluding May), and will be free and available for viewing via Adobe Connect. The first webinar, “Including Spirituality in Assessment, Evaluation, and Person-Centered Planning Processes” takes place on Monday, January 26.

By |2015-01-14T15:27:53-05:00January 19th, 2015|Resources|

Friendship Festival Oakville (November 1, 2014)

Friendship Festivals have been running for a number of years, as a great day of music, singing, laughter and games with people impacted by developmental disabilities and their families. The featured musician this year is Jordan Raycroft, who you can learn more about and listen to his music at www.jordanraycroft.com. Visit www.friendship.org for more information about Friendship Clubs. [...]

By |2017-01-30T13:32:43-05:00October 20th, 2014|Events|

Faith Inclusion Networks

While the majority of resources posted on this site are from a Christian faith-based perspective, we recognize that the challenges to full welcome and inclusion faced by churches are also shared with a variety of other religious traditions, and advocating for emphasis on spiritual development in the lives of people with disability is needed regardless [...]

By |2014-09-04T09:44:09-04:00October 6th, 2014|Resources|

2014 Summer Institute on Theology and Disability

The 2014 Summer Institute on Theology and Disability, sponsored by the Bethesda Institute, ran from June 16th-20th at the Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University. The days were full, with a wide variety of speakers on diverse topics. We are already looking forward to the 2015 Institute, which will be held in Atlanta, GA [...]

By |2014-09-04T10:43:15-04:00September 21st, 2014|Resources|

Paul Smith’s Typewriter Art

Paul produced a variety of religious art. Lately a video (produced back in 2004) has been making the rounds on social media highlighting the artistic ability of Paul Smith from Philadelphia, PA. He had severe spastic cerebral palsy yet made the most of his abilities, and at the Rose Haven nursing home he found [...]

By |2014-09-15T09:59:53-04:00September 15th, 2014|Resources, Stories|

Ubuntu “I am because we are”

The Meeting House, one of the largest churches in Canada including its regional sites throughout Ontario, has just been through an Ubuntu series that has highlighted three marginalized groups: First Nations, New Canadians, and lastly People Living With a Disability.

By |2014-09-10T13:53:02-04:00September 6th, 2014|Resources|

Gayle Walls: Church Online Volunteer (video)

Gayle Walls desired to communicate his faith to the world, but found communication barriers to be challenging in light of being born with cerebral palsy. With the rapid growth of technological communication and the innovation of his church community, though, Gayle has found his niche as a Church Online volunteer with LifeChurch.tv. LifeChurch.tv has become [...]

By |2017-01-30T13:27:40-05:00June 23rd, 2014|Videos|
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