The national organization known as Disability Ministry Network is made up of over 65 organizations from various Christian traditions who serve communities impacted by disability.
Leaders in the Network gathered in Grand Rapids in November 2024 for retreat, discussion and future planning.
They visited City Hope GR and The King's Table Ministries.
Here are a few highlights from the amazing minds and hearts uniting to improve the lives of people with disabilities in faith communities:
Hopes & Dreams
Resourcing people and organizations in the DMN and in culture-shift in the church
Disseminating materials usefully & effectively
Outgrowing the need for these conferences, networks -disability being normal
Disabling theological education
Being a hub connecting local churches with the enrichment of people with disabilities
Reaching pastors where they need to be met
Culture shift so that people with disabilities are in and belong in churches
Language used frees and gives access
Stripping away what hinders
Eccumencial something that would support pastors with disabilities (network?)
Challenges
Sense of urgency to work with people with disabilities though time is limited
Stand-offishness of churches who are baffled, fear doing it wrong
Discerning what is ours to do, what is for others to do
Church resistance
Denominational lines
Need for continuous training in churches
Biases keeping some from hearing this message
Business model of the church constraining funding priorities
New being scary
Fatigue from the constant pushing against the grain
Silos
Attempts to do ministry with persons with disabilities that are not helpful
Medical model mindset
Ableism in church leadership processes
Resources that inspire
Becoming Friends of Time (John Swinton)
Human resources -people!
Body of Praise (David Taylor)
10 Dimensions of Belonging
The 5 Stages of Changing Attitudes
Being together
I Corinthians 12, John 9
Music
Personal stories, local churches that are doing it
Rooting for Rivals
Beyond Words
Finding the Right Hill to Die on (Gavin Ortland)
Lingovongo for learning ASL
Ideas from City Hope GR & The King’s Table Ministries
Church of all abilities -think of people with disabilities first, along with everybody else
Preaching with ONE main idea, lots of “handles” for people to grab onto it. Videos like “Hey O” often used
Everybody participates in the benediction
Food incorporated into the worship service (which is in late afternoon), with communion served at the end
There are things broken in the church that God wants to heal
Basic order of worship printed
Always encourage a preview visit
Grief support specific to losing someone due to their disability
The church can offer hope
Helping with funerals, filling in gaps for families
Churches losing people with disabilities as they age out of school supports -connecting with group homes is a response
Meet needs. Build trust. Ministry with a long game
Church-Group Home relationship for 1 year, committed to regular contact points
Discussion “aha”s
We know the issues, we’re asking how to answer them.
The church has huge opportunity to fill gaps
The network could try mini-grant projects, devotional book for people with IDD, support network for leaders with disabilities in ministry, agency-church connection
DMN can break down silos, mixing local, academic, and national voices
We are only as strong as our members
Bite-sized is good.
He makes me lie down (I don’t do it on my own)
Dare to be obvious; it will be creative in another context
Sorting curated sets of cards naming worship practices with church staff has potential to be a fruitful exercise
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