North Alabama Conference of the United Methodist Church Disability Ministries Debbie Wade, Convenor

1
North Alabama Conferenceof the United
Methodist ChurchDisability MinistriesDebbie
Wade, Convenor
2

• Making it possible for all of Gods children
• to worship!

3
Why Have a Disability Ministry?

• Following Jesus example

4
Why Have a Disability Ministry?

• Following Jesus example
• Scriptural

5
Why Have a Disability Ministry?

• Following Jesus example
• Scriptural
• No one should feel excluded from Gods House

6
Jesus Set the Example For Us

• One of the major aspects of Jesus earthly
  ministry was His interaction and outreach to
  people with disabilities. Time and time again,
  He offered invitations for the blind, lame,
  diseased and deaf to enter the kingdom of God
  through the gift of salvation. He, thus,
  ministered to their spiritual and physical needs!

7
Scriptural

• God calls the lame his beloved remnant He
  loves the diversity of each unique person.
• Micah 46,7

8
God Dont Make No Junk!

• No one should ever feel anything other than that
  he/she is an accepted individual of worth to the
  family of God!

9
What does the Discipline
say?

• Page 107 We recognize and affirm the full
  humanity and personhood of all individuals with
  . Disabilities as full members of the family of
  God. We also affirm their rightful place in both
  the church and society. We affirm the
  responsibility of the Churchto be in ministry
  with these.

10
Page 189 of the DISCIPLINE

• Disability Awareness Sunday shall be observed
  annually on a date to be determined by the annual
  conference.

11
Our Annual Conference

• At our June 2005 Annual Conference the Consent
  Calendar proposal passed concerning Disability
  Awareness Sunday. Now, each local church in our
  Conference is to have an annual Disability
  Awareness Sunday during the Fall of each calendar
  year.

12
WAKE-UP CALL

• 1 out of every 5 people in the USA has one or
  more disabilities

13
WAKE-UP CALL

• 1 out of every 5 people in the USA has one or
  more disabilities
• Estimates 85 to 95 of these have NO contact
  with a Christ-centered, Bible believing church!

14
WAKE-UP CALL

• 1 out of every 5 people in the USA has one or
  more disabilities
• Estimates 85 to 95 of these have NO contact
  with a Christ-centered, Bible believing church!
• Nationwide, the unemployment rate for those with
  disabilities is 60

15
WAKE-UP CALL

• Of those with disabilities who do find a job,
  their pay is often as much as 50 less than
  co-workers without disabilities!

16
Are we still dozing?

• Of those with disabilities who do find a job,
  their income is often as much as 50 less that
  co-workers without disabilities
• 4 out of every 5 marriages in which a family
  member has a disability will end in divorce after
  the disability enters the family

17
The Pay-Off

• Churches with active Disability Ministries GROW
  in number and spiritually according to statistics

18
The Pay-Off

• Churches with active Disability Ministries GROW
  in number and spiritually according to statistics
• Churches benefit from those with Disabilities who
  take an active part in the worship life of the
  church (singing greeters etc.)

19
The Pay-Off

• Churches with active Disability Ministries GROW
  in number and spiritually according to statistics
• Churches benefit from those with Disabilities who
  take an active part in the worship life of the
  church (singing greeters etc.)
• Communities benefit

20
The Pay-Off

• The love of God is spread

21
The Pay-Off

• The love of God is spread
• Jesus is made REAL to those who previously
  thought He was for others

22
Decatur District Goals for June
2005 June 2006

• Every local church will have a Disability
  Ministry Representative (District level)

23
Decatur District Goals for June
2005 June 2006

• Every local church will have a Disability
  Ministry Representative (District level)
• Every local church will have a Disability
  Awareness Sunday this Fall

24
Decatur District Goals for June
2005 June 2006

• Every local church will have a Disability
  Ministry Representative (District level)
• Every local church will have a Disability
  Awareness Sunday this Fall
• Every local church will support the Decatur
  District Disability Ministries financially

25
Decatur District Goals for June
2005-June 2006

• Every local church will have a Disability
  Ministry Representative (District level)
• Every local church will have a Disability
  Awareness Sunday this Fall
• Every local church will support the Decatur
  District Disability Ministries financially
• Every local church will complete an Accessibility
  Survey and send it to the Director of Disability
  Ministries by October 1, 2005

26
Need Help?

• Debbie Wade
• Director of Disability Ministries
• 962 Black Road
• Somerville, Alabama 35670
• [phone]
• debowade_at_bellsouth.net