Everybody belongs. Everybody serves.
Disability
Michele
Heather
Diane
lynn
On June 23 of this year, Barb sent us a message that began, “I heard someone say that there are times in life when you are driving on this great road and you hit a patch of black ice. All of a sudden, life seems quite out of control."
Disability Concerns hosted their first fully online Leadership Training event this year! It was a very successful event that focused on the theme of agility.
Social distancing has not stopped many of us from speaking out for an end to the killing of unarmed black men and women by police. Did you know that 30 to 80 percent of those killed have been persons with some type of disability?
People of color and people with disabilities both are harmed by long-held parallel beliefs or practices that devalue, discriminate, and oppress them because of their identity.
Disability Concerns Ministry congratulates Terry DeYoung, coordinator of the Disability Concerns ministry for the RCA, on receiving the 2020 Henri Nouwen Award.
People with disabilities tend to be highly agile because they must navigate physical and social structures that are created by and for people who do not have disabilities.
Every church should be a place where everyone belongs and everyone serves, but often people with disabilities are inadvertently overlooked and not able to participate fully in the life of the church.
Crisis planning for COVID-19 to hit, and hit hard, is sobering work. We and congregate settings everywhere stand in need of your faithful prayer.
A living will (also called an advance directive) identifies the kind of medical care you want or don't want in times of serious illness. If you haven't had those conversations yet, now is the time.
Disability Concerns has assembled a list of support services and resources in the wake of COVID-19. We hope this will be helpful if you are caring for people with disabilities in your community.
Pastor Ken Vander Horst of Smithers CRC speaks to the importance of the concept of "Everybody Belongs" and what that looks like in a practical way within your church.
I have been disabled and mostly house bound for 25 years! I was a type A person before and in some ways, I still am.
Disability Concerns shares resources to help your congregation mark Disability Awareness Sunday (October 20, 2019 or whenever works best for your church).
There is one article specific to the Canadian context, but the remainder of the pieces are must-reads all over North America.
What keeps many people with a disability from being considered for a leadership position? I've included a video that raises awareness about how pastoral search teams can discriminate against leaders with a disability.
Often we are changed in and by our relationships with people with disabilities and their families. Consider these videos a glimpse into their lives and an invitation to deepen relationships in your congregation and community.
Recently a church member asked, “How long have you suffered with your disability?” I immediately replied, “I have lived with my Cerebral Palsy since birth.”
In this video Dori Dykstra reflects on how she feels called to be in relationship with others in the Body of Christ and how that both encourages and prepares her to pick up the phone or send an email.
For Regional Disability Advocates, following up with churches is an important part of building and maintaining relationships as you continue supporting churches in being places where everybody belongs and everybody serves!
In this blog Dori Dykstra shares her experience of phoning congregations to speak about the ministry of Disability Concerns. This is a helpful tool especially for Regional Disability Advocates.
At a recent RCA Classis Minnesota meeting there was a discussion about no-cost options for welcoming people with disabilities. Here are some of the strategies they wanted to share.
Be sure to order printed copies of this insert for Disability Awareness Sunday on October 20, 2019!
“Since we do not have sufficient funds to change the building, we want to find other ways to help and support families so that they feel loved and appreciated.” Listen to Daysi share in her language of Spanish (English captions available).
Because he couldn’t get in the door, safely use the restroom, or access the pulpit, Kyle Crist “decided to become a disability advocate out of necessity.” Listen to Kyle share more of his experience as a disability advocate.
While Cara had worked with people with disabilities, disability advocacy wasn’t connected back to her faith until this opportunity came.