[Faith-talk] Disability service

Thu Feb 22 06:12:02 CST 2007

Hello everyone,

How is everyone doing?  My name is Paul Grenier, I am a Masters of
Divinity student at Union Theological Seminary in New York and I
just joined up with the NFB a few months ago.  I am writing to
introduce myself and to get your help.  On March 7th I will be
leading a thirty minute chapel service on disabilities using the
story of the healing of a paralyzed man in John 5:1-15.  I was
wondering if anyone had any suggestions?
So far I have been thinking about doing something around the idea
that this man waited for 38 years to be healed by a magic pool when
all he needed was Jesus.  This is similar to people who spend years
of their lives and thousands of their dollars trying to find a cure
for their blindness, when all they need is the proper skills to deal
with it.  And of course Jesus is the one who can give them the hope
and confidence they need to confront their blindness and overcome
it through training and attitude.
We have already thought of a couple ideas for the service.  We often
do experimental things in Chapel, so we thought about passing out
blind folds and ear plugs, so that people could experience the
chapel with a simulated disability.  We also thought that for this
service it might be interesting to recreate the experience of the
paralyzed man by having an actual pool of water in the sanctuary. 
We could then use this pool in some way to add an experiential
activity to the worship service.  For example, people could either
throw pennies into it, as a symbolic prayer, or we could have
pennies in the pool already and the congregation could come and
take them out, just as we should take our hope from things in this
world and invest it in Jesus instead.  Do you have any ideas,
either for prayers, scriptures, exegesis, or activities?
Also, on a completely different subject, I thought it would be a
neat discussion topic to find out what  people are doing for lent,
if anything?  I am protestant but I have found a lot of power in
the Lenten season, so this year I am devoting myself to an hour of
prayer every day, and I am trying to have a vegetarian diet.  What
about you?

Thank you,
Paul Grenier

Permanent good can never be the outcome of untruth and violence.
--Mahatma Gandhi

Quoting Mary Ellen Sanchez <maryesanchez at grandecom.net>:

> Hello Penny.  I hope you are well.  I am doing good.  I would
> like to ask
> everyone please pray for me as I have been having somewhat of a
> challenging
> semester.  I can really use your prayers during this time thank
> you.
> Your Friend,
> Mary Ellen.
> Email: maryesanchez at grandecom.net
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: faith-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org
> [mailto:faith-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org]
> On Behalf Of Penny Golden
> Sent: Thursday, February 22, 2007 4:53 AM
> To: Faith-talk,for the discussion of faith and religion
> Subject: Re: [Faith-talk] hi all
>
> Greetings, Elisha,
> We are near neighbors; for I live in Eastern Nebraska where I
> teach
> school--and try to get numerous boys to learn their history,
> grammar and
> literature.  The girls generally come along for the ride without
> any
> difficulties.
> Nice to make your acquaintance.
> I see my friend  Mary Ellen has also welcomed you.  I think my
> next-door
> neighbor may be associated with this list in some kind of
> official
> capacity--but she's sensibly sleeping at this hour.
> Her name is Linda Mentink.  Her little ten-pound doggy and she
> hold court
> next door to my house.  And she is a very useful friend to have;
> for she has
> got lots of interesting things to share.
> Now I'd better stop writing and get on with what the day holds.
> The Lord bless you.  Where is your college?  we are about 400
> miles east of
> the Colorado border, give or take a few miles.
>
> At 01:21 AM 2/22/2007, you wrote:
> >Hello, I am Elisha I am from New Mexico but attending Colorado
> >Christian University currently. I am blind and A beliveer in
> Christ. I
> >just wanted to introduce myself and  Hope to get to know all of
> >yousooon God bless elisha
> >
> >
> >_______________________________________________
> >Faith-talk mailing list
> >Faith-talk at nfbnet.org
> >http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/faith-talk
>
>
>
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