where personal, professional, and communal ethics meet the challenge and promise of inclusive...
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Where Personal, Professional, Where Personal, Professional, and Communal Ethics Meetand Communal Ethics Meet
The Challenge and Promise of The Challenge and Promise of Inclusive Spiritual SupportsInclusive Spiritual Supports
My Friend CharlieMy Friend Charlie Nick Hajdu, Jubilee Association of Maryland, 2005Nick Hajdu, Jubilee Association of Maryland, 2005
He is my friend: I am his friendHe is my friend: I am his friend
I help him out: He helps me to learnI help him out: He helps me to learn
I help him to learn: He helps me to growI help him to learn: He helps me to grow
I help him to grow: He teaches me to acceptI help him to grow: He teaches me to accept
His struggle: Is my struggleHis vulnerability: Leads to my respect
My respect: Leads him to trustHis trust: Leads to my devotion
His availability: Feeds my desire to be neededI keep his secrets: He keeps mine
We have an arrangementHis lack of self-consciousness: Leads to my tolerance
His constant need for stimulation: Leads to my patienceHis discomfort: Sharpens my sensitivity
His unhappiness: Is my challengeHis presence: Eases my isolationHis loyalty: Leads to my loyalty
Which leads to mutual appreciation
His brokenness: Makes me accept my own brokenness Which leads to healing
His humanity: Leads to personal connectionHis steadfastness: Centers me
His smile: Is my rewardHis joy: Lifts my spirits
His happiness: Gives me a sense of purposeHis struggles: Expose my anxieties
Which tests me Then strengthens me
And in turn bolsters my faith
In guiding: I am guidedIn helping: I am helpedIn teaching: I am taught
In his laughter: There is joyIn that joy: There is energy
In that energy: There is spiritIn that spirit: There is grace
In his eyes: There is a glow
In that glow: Is his soulIn his soul: There is God
And in God: There is peace
Theological Questions Right in Theological Questions Right in Front of YouFront of You
What it means to be person?What it means to be person?
What it says about God?What it says about God?
What it says about God’s people: church, What it says about God’s people: church, congregation, people?congregation, people?
How we understand suffering and the How we understand suffering and the difference between the “Why?” of life purpose difference between the “Why?” of life purpose and the “Why?” of suffering.and the “Why?” of suffering.
Understandings of SpiritualityUnderstandings of Spirituality
o Two fold definition:Two fold definition:o Experience with/of sacred and holy Experience with/of sacred and holy o Ways that we make meaning, values, purposeWays that we make meaning, values, purpose
Spirituality as ConnectionSpirituality as Connection
With SelfWith Self
With OthersWith Others
With Holy/GodWith Holy/God
With TimeWith Time
With PlaceWith Place
Fundamental Spiritual QuestionsFundamental Spiritual Questions
Identity: Who am I?Identity: Who am I?
Purpose. Why am I? What is my role and Purpose. Why am I? What is my role and function in life? Why am I here?function in life? Why am I here?
Community: Who do I belong to?Community: Who do I belong to?
Why pain or suffering or death?Why pain or suffering or death?
Spiritual Questions at the Heart of Spiritual Questions at the Heart of our Values in D.D. Services our Values in D.D. Services
Independence: Who am I?Independence: Who am I?
Productivity: Why am I?Productivity: Why am I?
Integration: “Whose am I?” underneath the Integration: “Whose am I?” underneath the “Where am I?’ Under “Where do I belong?” is “Where am I?’ Under “Where do I belong?” is
““Who do I belong to?”Who do I belong to?”
Self Determination: How can I shape my life?Self Determination: How can I shape my life?
Professional ChallengesProfessional Challenges
When people we support and serve are When people we support and serve are parts of our community or want to be?parts of our community or want to be?
When ethics, doing what is good, is based When ethics, doing what is good, is based on relationships and connection, not on relationships and connection, not rights.rights.
Hans ReindersHans Reinders
Receiving the Gift of Friendship: Profound Receiving the Gift of Friendship: Profound Disability, Theological Anthropology, and Disability, Theological Anthropology, and Ethics. Eerdman’s Press. 2008.Ethics. Eerdman’s Press. 2008.
The Future of the Disabled in Liberal The Future of the Disabled in Liberal Society. Notre Dame Press. 1990.Society. Notre Dame Press. 1990.
Public Policy and SpiritualityPublic Policy and SpiritualityUneasy PartnersUneasy Partners
Spirituality as private matter, not publicSpirituality as private matter, not public
Separation of church and stateSeparation of church and state
Science vs. religionScience vs. religion
Equation of faith with reasonEquation of faith with reason
Professional Practice and Professional Practice and SpiritualitySpirituality
Understanding of professional role and Understanding of professional role and identity identity
Separation of values and belief from public Separation of values and belief from public rolerole
Pendulum away from proselytizingPendulum away from proselytizing
Bewildering array of practicesBewildering array of practices
Fear of its powerFear of its power
Who am I? Recovering the Who am I? Recovering the “Profess” in Professional“Profess” in Professional
Capacity to journey with others: loyalty, fealtyCapacity to journey with others: loyalty, fealty
Capacity to deal with the tough ethical and spiritual Capacity to deal with the tough ethical and spiritual questions that disability so starkly raises for usquestions that disability so starkly raises for us
Capacity to recognize and celebrate those holy Capacity to recognize and celebrate those holy moments and miracles of accomplishment and moments and miracles of accomplishment and growthgrowth
Capacity to give thanks for discovery, meaning, Capacity to give thanks for discovery, meaning, and gift to usand gift to us
Capacity to sacrifice, give up, for sake of othersCapacity to sacrifice, give up, for sake of others
Why am I? Calling and vocationWhy am I? Calling and vocation
Call to honesty and mutualityCall to honesty and mutuality
Nurturing and sustaining commitmentNurturing and sustaining commitment
Language of the heart and community, as Language of the heart and community, as well as professionwell as profession
Power to blessPower to bless
The grace and ministry of receivingThe grace and ministry of receiving
Blessings in the IHP ProcessBlessings in the IHP Process
The great paradox of ministry, therefore, is that The great paradox of ministry, therefore, is that we minister above all with our weakness, a we minister above all with our weakness, a
weakness that invites us to receive from those weakness that invites us to receive from those to whom we go. The more in touch we are with to whom we go. The more in touch we are with
our own need for healing and salvation, the our own need for healing and salvation, the more open we are to receive in gratitude what more open we are to receive in gratitude what
others have to offer us. The true skill of ministry others have to offer us. The true skill of ministry is to help fearful and often oppressed men and is to help fearful and often oppressed men and
women become aware of their own gifts, by women become aware of their own gifts, by receiving them in gratitude. In a sense, ministry receiving them in gratitude. In a sense, ministry becomes the skill of active dependency: willing becomes the skill of active dependency: willing
to be dependent on what others have to give but to be dependent on what others have to give but often do not realize they have.often do not realize they have.
Henri Nouwen, Henri Nouwen, GraciasGracias
Whose are we?Whose are we?Belonging and connectionBelonging and connection
What story are we part of?What story are we part of?
Friendship and/or ProfessionalFriendship and/or Professional
Embracing Paradox in Community Embracing Paradox in Community BuildingBuilding
Revised staff roles: Embracing ParadoxesRevised staff roles: Embracing ParadoxesServices on needs, community on giftsServices on needs, community on gifts
Do, Be, Do - Belief to belonging to belief to actionDo, Be, Do - Belief to belonging to belief to action
““Come to me” vs. “give it away”: Caregiver to Come to me” vs. “give it away”: Caregiver to coachcoach
Professional knowledge and professional Professional knowledge and professional ignorance: Use what we don’t know.ignorance: Use what we don’t know.
Everyone a community builderEveryone a community builder
Community Building RolesCommunity Building Roles
Consult: Plan with, not forConsult: Plan with, not for
Collaborate: It takes a village…Whose are Collaborate: It takes a village…Whose are they?they?
Compete: If they can, how come we can’t?Compete: If they can, how come we can’t?
Coach: Alongside consumer, congregationCoach: Alongside consumer, congregation
Your role, within your congregation as Your role, within your congregation as applicable or in helping others?applicable or in helping others?
Coaching Roles: Coaching Roles:
Vision: Art, symbol. Belief, image, poetry, Vision: Art, symbol. Belief, image, poetry, values. What is their vision, not yours?values. What is their vision, not yours?
Storyteller. Share observations and Storyteller. Share observations and experiences.experiences.
Guide: You are inviting people into an inward Guide: You are inviting people into an inward and outward journeyand outward journey
Celebrant and Blesser: Your power to help Celebrant and Blesser: Your power to help others see the significance of their careothers see the significance of their care
Guiding Lines Guiding Lines Faith Based Strategies in Community BuildingFaith Based Strategies in Community Building
Setting the tableSetting the table
The last shall be first. Reverse the questionsThe last shall be first. Reverse the questions
The deaf shall hear. Reverse the answersThe deaf shall hear. Reverse the answers
Who do you say that I am? Be careful with Who do you say that I am? Be careful with words.words.
Joshua committee. One person at a time.Joshua committee. One person at a time.
Guiding Lines (continued)Guiding Lines (continued)
Jericho mentality: power of persistent celebrationJericho mentality: power of persistent celebration
Fish and loaves approach to planning: finding Fish and loaves approach to planning: finding abundance in communityabundance in community
Believe in the call…for everyone. God’s hooks are Believe in the call…for everyone. God’s hooks are everywhereeverywhere
What is most critical is invisible to the eyeWhat is most critical is invisible to the eye
Watch out for idolatry, dogma, and ideology. Use Watch out for idolatry, dogma, and ideology. Use the talents you have. Let the light shine. Just do itthe talents you have. Let the light shine. Just do it
It’s About All of Us: “Where there It’s About All of Us: “Where there is no vision, the people perish!”is no vision, the people perish!”
Themes Emerging from Inclusive Ministries and Themes Emerging from Inclusive Ministries and Spiritual SupportsSpiritual Supports
Hospitality to the StrangerHospitality to the Stranger
Re-membering the Body and healing of the Re-membering the Body and healing of the memoriesmemories
Restoring the SanctuaryRestoring the Sanctuary
Redeeming the GiftsRedeeming the Gifts
Visions (continued) Visions (continued)
Reversing the callReversing the call
Recovering our sensesRecovering our senses
Rekindling the spiritRekindling the spirit
Reframing service, support, and professionReframing service, support, and profession
ShalomShalom
Contact Information for AAIDD Religion and Contact Information for AAIDD Religion and Spirituality Division and Journal Spirituality Division and Journal
of Religion, Disability, and Healthof Religion, Disability, and Health
Rev. Bill Gaventa Rev. Bill Gaventa
The Boggs CenterThe Boggs Center
P.O. Box 2688P.O. Box 2688
New Brunswick, New Jersey 08903New Brunswick, New Jersey 08903
732-235-9304732-235-9304
(([email protected]@umdnj.edu))