Beth Golik and Sandra Peoples give a Disability & the Church 2024 Conference Recap that happened this past week in Orlando, FL.
Dr. Steve Grcevich sits down and interviews Dr. Lamar Hardwick on his new book How Ableism Fuels Racism. This is Part 1 of a 3-part series! Dr. Lamar Hardwick will be speaking at Disability & the Church 2024 Conference in Orlando, FL May 1-3. Go to www.keyministry.org/datc2024 to register now!
Recently, Catherine had a conversation with Dr. Jim and Heather Sells, authors of the new book “Beyond the Clinical Hour: How Counselors Can Partner with the Church to Address the Mental Health Crisis.” Jim, Heather and their co-author Dr. Amy Trout offer a valuable resource to both mental health professionals and ministry leaders as a way to meet the heartfelt mental health needs impacting both churches and our culture. Take a listen to this thought-provoking conversation.
“I am disabled. For years that was so hard to admit. I couldn’t mention out loud my neurodivergence. I whispered about my post-traumatic stress disorder, insisting ‘I’m better now.’ I was a champion for the disabled who didn’t want to talk about her own disabilities. It was disingenuous, but I didn’t know how to come to terms with the fact that I was disabled. I was still scared that admitting my disability publicly would convince people I was not able to do anything.” Joanna French writes on her experience with disability.
One fateful day when I was a kid, my Dad adjusted my bicycle handlebars, forgetting to fully tighten the bolts. A few minutes later, I had knees and elbows full of gravel. Handlebars on a bike are designed to be inherently stable. What are the aspects of the Christian faith that can break loose if we don’t fasten them firmly?
As we all have a little more time at home because of Coronavirus, disability ministry leaders may be thinking ahead to summer. While summer brings an opportunity for rest, there are valid concerns for those who may be left out because of seasonal changes. There is a way of cultivating life with each other that protects the consistency of connections and cultivates an ongoing sense of belonging. Here are four questions to consider as your church builds communities of belonging to include people with disabilities.
