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