special needs, special blessings embed
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Special Needs, Special Blessings
Ministry with Individuals with Special Needs and Their Families
Amy Dunaway
Introduction
Who Are They?19% of the population.A marginalized part of society - Often lonely
and isolated.Seen and judged as without value in a society
which values external beauty and earthly achievements.
Large percentage are unchurched – many know rejection when trying to enter our communities.
Why People with Special Needs?Intentional part of God’s Creation
Psalm 139:13 RSV
For thou didst form my inward parts,thou didst knit me together in my mother's
womb.
People with special needs are not mistakes!
Why People With Special Needs?God has a purpose for individuals with
special needs.
“Then the LORD said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the
LORD?”
Exodus 4:11We need not know the purpose only our duty to have all God’s children included in our faith communities.
Why Us?Our families need your support to thrive.The Church is lagging behind the rest of
society in including people with special needs in our faith communities.
Adults are often left in the care of those who are paid to provide services – not necessarily to care about them.
‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ Matthew 25:45
Why We are Called?
The Great Commission
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit
Matthew 28:19 RSV
Why People with Special Needs?Each one of us is unique, known by name,
loved by the One who fashioned us…we don’t have to prove our belovedness or our worth before God.
Why should they have to prove their worth, their right to love and serve the Lord – in your church - with the gifts they have been given?
Why People with Special Needs?The Body of Christ is not complete unless
people with special needs are invited to and included fully in our congregations.
“And the eye cannot say to the hand, I have no need of thee…Every member of the body has its place and is needed by every
other member.”
1 Corinthians 12: 21-26
Who Are They?Intentional part of God’s creation
Each with unique gifts and talents
Each with a ministry to fulfill on earth
Who Are They?Fully human with the same dreams, desires &
needs
A temple for the Holy Spirit, bearing fruits of the spirit – and recipients of God’s grace
In need of salvation through Jesus Christ
The CallOutreach is important but not the fullness of
the call.
God wants us not only to minister to and with those with special needs but to bring them into our faith communities.
What Stands In The Way? Our attitudes towards those with special
needs
Do we unconsciously see ourselves as better than “them?”
Do we see each other as Christ-bearers?Do we see the inherent dignity in all God’s children?Do we value the unique gifts that we are all given?Do we treasure the unique ministry given to all of us
during the miracle of our creation?
What Stands In The Way?Transportation issues.More attitudinal barriers.
They don’t feel welcomed.Don’t feel accepted.They aren’t invited to participate fully in
the life of the congregation.Architectural barriers.Liturgical barriersProgrammatic barriers
How Can We Begin?Prayer
Heavenly Father, Bless this journey into ministry to and with those with special needs and their families. Help us to let them know of Your love and saving grace. Direct us in ways which bring them and their gifts into our faith communities to faithfully serve You. In all ways & all things, we ask you to provide us with the guidance we need & the resources to use to serve with them. Above all, may all we do glorify Your Holy Name. Amen.
How Can We Begin?Gain Support, Educate and Find Support
Gain the support of the Clergy and the Vestry/Bishop’s Committee
Educate others in your congregation about the need and importance of this ministry.
Recruit others to this ministry for outreach to the community and for support.
How Can We Begin?How much will it cost?
Sharing the love of Jesus?
Sharing God’s Word?
Integrating people with special needs into the fullness of congregational life?
How Can We Begin?A Team
A few others who share the call to this ministry to:
Pray with and for youTo brainstorm issuesTo share the joys and difficultiesTo share what you are learning and how
you are growing spiritually
The Ministry
What do we need for this ministry?LOVE!
A few people with a passion for sharing the love of Jesus and serving the Body of Christ.
People to support the individual and family with special needs – an outgrowth of “typical” fellowship.
The MinistryThe Individual with Special Needs
They want the same things you do when it comes to their spiritual lives:
WorshipEducation/Spiritual GrowthFellowshipSense of CommunityOpportunities to Serve
The MinistryWhere are people with special needs?
Look inside your own congregation.
Community agencies
Outreach – getting to know individuals with special needs in community-based settings, nursing homes or other institutional settings, in your neighborhoods.
The MinistryCommunity – Based Settings
The “system” is not set up to network for clients to meet their spiritual needs.
Many are not comfortable meeting the spiritual needs of their clients.
Some professionals fear imposing their own beliefs on their clients.
The MinistryCommunity-Based Settings
People are employed to provide services and care for individuals with special needs .
They cannot be paid enough to care about the client.
The Church can fill the gaps in meeting the needs of individuals with special needs in a caring, inclusive community
The MinistryThe Greatest Suffering
“The greatest suffering is being lonely, feeling unloved, just having no one. I have come to realize more and more that being unwanted is the worst disease that any human being can ever experience. For all kinds of diseases, there are medication and cures, but for being unwanted, unless there are willing hands to serve and loving hearts to love, I don't think this terrible disease can ever be cured.”
Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta
The MinistryFor Children and Adults
Is an individual ministry – based on the needs of the individual and their family.
Diagnoses may be useful but not necessary.Survey the needs of the individual and their
family.Consult them
The MinistryFor Children – Create a Place for EveryoneBuddy – peer or adult volunteer
To assist in routines of the classroomTo assist with understanding lessonsTo aid as necessary
Behavior issues – have a plan in place before the child arrives
Service opportunities
The MinistryAdults
Based on the individual needs of the person. Consider:
Assistance in learning the church layout and facilities.
Assistance in the use of the Prayer Book & HymnalAssistance in understanding God’s Word and the
sermonAssistance in understanding the liturgyAssistance in getting to know othersOpportunities for service
The MinistryBringing People with Special Needs into
Congregational LifeInvite themA genuine welcomeAcceptance as they are Investment in the spiritual growth of one
another
The MinistryThe Family
The families of those with special needs should not be designing this ministry. They should only be used as consultants unless otherwise stated.
They spend much time and energy caring and/or advocating for their loved one with special needs.
This must also be a ministry to and for them.
The MinistryWhat Do Families Need?
They need love, understanding and acceptance for themselves and their child/relative with special needs
They have stressors beyond the family with typically developing children/relatives – frequent trips to various specialists, more frequent hospitalizations, frequent evaluations and therapies, behavior issues, dealing with the system(s)
The MinistryWhat Do Families Need?
Worship comfortablyKnow their child/relative in Sunday School is
safe, learning and valued Respite
Nuts & Bolts of MinistryConfidentiality
The family of an individual with special needs should only be used as consultants to gain information that may be helpful, insights into the learning style of the individual or to help with behavior issues
Respect their right to privacy and the privacy of the individual with special needs
What you learn about an individual or family should only be shared on as need to know basis AFTER asking if the information can be shared to help the individual.
Nuts & Bolts of Ministry“People First” Language
Sensitive issueNever us the words
RetardedCrippledCrazy
Don’t use the termsSuffers fromAfflicted with
Nuts & Bolts of Ministry“People First” Language
Not:The Disabled BoyThe Downs KidThe Blind Man
Use:Ben, the little boy with Cerebral PalsyCharity, the little girl with Down
syndromeArt, the man with visual challenges
Nuts & Bolts of MinistryRemoving the Veil of Fear & Ignorance
EducationMany resources
ExampleShow others their value through
words/actions
Nuts & Bolts of MinistryYou are going to make mistakes
Learn from them
Ask forgiveness
Your efforts and love will make the mistakes negligible
In ClosingChallenge
*From a woman with a disability:
“Don’t pray for my healing. Don’t be presumptuous enough to assume in your prayers that I should become like you. Pray for yourselves, that you become aware of your own limitations as I have had to become aware of mine. Then we can become a community of faith.”
*Special Needs, Special Ministry by J. Pierson, L.T. Jones & P. Verbal
In Closing
“Then Jesus said to his host, “When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or sisters, your relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”
Luke 14: 12-14 NIV
In Closing
Christ has no physical body to work in this world – let us be His eyes which he looks with
compassion on this world, His feet and His Hands to do His work on earth.
Attributed to St. Teresa of Avila
Jesus said “Feed my sheep.”Not just those we deem worthy but
all of His sheep.
In Closing“At the end of life we will not be judged by how many diplomas we have received, how much money we have made, how many great things we have done.
We will be judged by "I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat, I was naked and you clothed me. I was homeless, and you took me in.”
Blessed Mother Teresa