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Everybody Belongs, Everybody Serves
Most churches are very good at helping people through short-term crises such as accidents and illnesses. But churches have more trouble dealing with someone who is not going to “get better.” The paid and volunteer staff of Disability Concerns help churches to include all of God’s people in their life and ministry so that all members know that they belong and can use their gifts fully.
A full-time director as well as administrative assistants working part-time in Grand Rapids, Mich., and in Burlington, Ont., comprise the paid staff. Their work is multiplied by a network of hundreds of volunteers who serve individual churches as church advocates, and who serve entire classes as regional advocates.
Disability Concerns committees in Canada, in Chicago, and in Michigan support the work of the regional advocates. The Canadian committee holds a training conference every spring in Ontario for the church advocates, and the Michigan committee sponsors an annual training workshop in the fall.
Disability Concerns also cooperates with Friendship Ministries in its ministry to people with cognitive impairments in the United States and Canada.
Quick Facts
Disability Concerns communicates with churches primarily through its network of volunteers, but also through its newsletter, Breaking Barriers.
Studies by the U.S. Census and Statistics Canada indicate that about 17 per cent of their populations live with at least one disability. That translates to over 46,000 Christian Reformed people, or 17 out of every one-hundred people in your church, who live day in and day out with a disability.
Consulting Services
Disability Ministry Workshops
Healthy churches train their members in warmly welcoming people and encouraging them to use their gifts. Disability Concerns is offering training in a variety of settings over the coming months to help churches grow in their inclusion of people with disabilities. Here are opportunities coming this fall:
Holland, Michigan: September 20 One Body Together in Christ
Western Theological Seminary
Contact: Disability Concerns, 888-463-0272, disabilityconcerns@crcna.org
www.togetherinchrist.us
Ancaster, Ontario: October 18 Ancaster Day of Encouragement
Hamilton District Christian High School
Contact: Diaconal Ministries Canada, 800-730-3490, info@diaconalministries.com
www.diaconalministries.com/daysofencouragement/easterncanada.htm
Calgary, Alberta: November 1 Paliser Day of Encouragement
River Park CRC
Contact: Riky Goebel, 403-242-2887, goebels@telusplanet.net
www.diaconalministries.com/daysofencouragement/westerncanada.htm
Palos Heights, Illinois: November 13
A Compassionate Journey workshop
Trinity Christian College
Contact: Jan Visser, 708-307-2370, jvcsm@sbcglobal.net
www.christianserviceministries.org
Disability Concerns conducts training workshops on how to create regional or congregational disability ministries of various types to serve individuals with disabilities and their families.
We are available to plan jointly with a church or a group of churches conduct workshops that train people to organize disability ministries, whether they be respite programs or support groups of various types. Support groups may be for people with a specific disability or group of disabilities (developmental, emotional, mental, physical, sensory), or they may be support groups for parents or siblings of people with such disabilities.
Disability Concerns is available to offer assistance by phone, letter, email, or (when possible) in person on matters related to the needs of persons with disabilities, their families, and their churches.
We have general information on a wide range of disabilities and are in contact with organizations serving people with disabilities in a variety of ways. We do not staff licensed counselors, nor do we operate facilities offering shelter, work, or professional services to people with disabilities. However, we will give any help we can in establishing contact between inquirers and such facilities.
Contact Us
Christian Reformed Disability Concerns
Rev. Mark Stephenson, Director
(United States)
2850 Kalamazoo Ave SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49560 United States
Phone: 616-224-0844 or 888-463-0272
Fax: 616-224-0834
E-mail: disabilityconcerns@crcna.org
(Canada)
3475 Mainway
PO Box 5070 STN LCD 1
Burlington, ON L7R 3Y8 Canada
Phone: 905-336-2920 (x 279) or 800-730-3490
Fax: 905-336-8344
E-mail: disabilityconcerns@crcna.ca
