Mark Stephenson
After receiving an M.Div. degree, I served as pastor of two Christian Reformed churches for a total of 17 years. From 2006 through 2021, I was the Director of Disability Concerns for the Christian Reformed Church, and relish the close working relationship CRC Disability Concerns has with the Reformed Church in America Disability Concerns ministry. I have served as interim Director of the CRC's Offices of Race Relations and Social Justice since Feb 2020. My wife Bev and I have five living children, two daughters-in-law, and three grandchildren. Our oldest child, Nicole, was born extremely prematurely in the late 1980’s and lives joyfully with severe, multiple impairments. That label does not define her. She loves magazines, loves interacting with people, loves roller-coasters and wild amusement park rides, and she loves to worship and to pray with God’s people. In any group, she shares her own unique gifts.
Posted in: Including People With Disabilities in Church Life
Katrina, Thanks for your note. So if I understand you right, you are saying that when people have said to you, "God doesn't make mistakes," it felt to you that their underlying assumption is that people with disabilities just might be mistakes. I can see that that would be hurtful. What have you found to be helpful comments from others? Mark
Posted in: Including People With Disabilities in Church Life
Wow, Katrina, thanks for your detailed reply. This is great! I really appreciate your perspective as a mom.
Posted in: Is This How a Deaf Person Feels?
Dutch, one of the beauties of the online world is that it levels the field (to some extent) for people living with sensory impairments. You're still teaching here. The only way people learn about life from someone else's perspective is when someone tells their story. Thanks for sharing a little bit of your story. Mark
Posted in: Including People With Disabilities in Church Life
kelib,
I'm sorry to hear you feel that way, and I hope you give the Network a little more time. Spitfire welcomed the sharing of your story, and I'd like to do the same. Considering that you have been in dialogue with other people on the Network, others have been listening to parts of your story as well. As Spitfire says above, "every time you share your thoughts and experiences here, you are telling your story."
Mark
Posted in: Including People With Disabilities in Church Life
kelib, pleased to "see" you again!
Posted in: CRC Position on Critical Race Theory?
Stewart, Thank you for this question. The CRC has no official position on Critical Race Theory (CRT), and the CRC's office of Race Relations does not look to CRT to guide our work. Instead, we look to the Bible and to the many statements made by the CRC's Synod over the years which are summarized on this page: Race Relations. Of all the documents cited, the most important is the 1996 report: God's Diverse and Unified Family. God's blessings, Mark Stephenson, Interim Director, Office of Race Relations
Posted in: Bible Study Help for Adults With Dementia?
Richard, congratulations and God's blessings on your new call to serve as chaplain at HCH. Two suggestions:
1. Together Small Groups (I've written some of the theological introductions) has been adapted for groups of people with and without dementia.
2. Do you (or the HCH library) have a copy of Handbook for Worship: Christian Worship Experiences for Persons with Dementia? If not, please get in touch with me privately. I may be able to get you a copy.
Mark
Posted in: Resources on Caring for Aging Parents and Adult Children?
Disability Concerns has a number of resources on the Network that you may find helpful.
Posted in: Inclusivity in Alternative Worship Formats
Kory, Friendship Ministries is producing a new curriculum called "Together" that can be used in small group Bible studies that include people with and without intellectual disabilities. It's really exciting! Also, Walk with Me, a popular Sunday school curriculum for children, as well as hymnals, liturgical resources, and materials for adults are available in braille and/or large print from Faith Alive Christian Resources.
Posted in: Special Needs Children in Dwell?
Rachel, the Inclusion Handbook from RCA/CRC Disability Concerns has several articles that deal with challenging behaviors. Also, I was just talking with Barbara Newman today about this very issue. She suggests that the key questions to adapting material to children with special needs are these: what is the person good at? What does he/she find difficult? and (most importantly) what can the person do? By asking what CAN he/she do, that immediately gives you some direction about how to adapt. For example, if he/she uses a communication board, then he/she can use that for response rather than verbal response. If he/she is not good at listening but is very good with tactile stimulation, give him/her a figurine that relates to the story. There are a variety of forms in the back of Autism and Your Church (by Barbara Newman) that also will be very helpful to you. I think that book has suggestions for challenging behaviors as well (whether or not the child has autism).
Posted in: Is the Walking With People With Mental Illness webinar on Sept 26 or still on the proposed list?
That webinar is definitely scheduled. Thanks for helping us spread the word about it.
Posted in: How do I prepare for the future for my child?
John, Good thoughts. Westview CRC in Grand Rapids, Michigan, no longer used their parsonage for pastor housing. In line with what you suggest, that house is now a group home for several adults with intellectual disabilities! Exciting to see this kind of creativity to meet an important need and to engage in a significant ministry opportunity.