[Faith-talk] Disability service

Thu Feb 22 11:13:34 CST 2007

Hi, Paul.

Sounds like you've got a lot of good ideas for your service.  One thing we 
can say for sure is that, for better or worse, many people don't know too 
much about disability issues, so that gives us a lot we can talk about.  One 
thing you might want to do is contrast conditions for the disabled during 
Biblical times with those of today -- not to make religion irrelevant, but 
to give a little context.  You could also bring along some high-tech gadgets 
to make the presentation more interesting.  You might also make suggestions 
as to how the church could make its services more accessible and welcoming 
to people with disabilities, and emphasize that we want to contribute to the 
life of the church, just like the other members of the congregation.  Good 
luck with your service!

Beth Wright
----- Original Message ----- 
From: <cg2183 at columbia.edu>
To: "Faith-talk,for the discussion of faith and religion" 
<faith-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Thursday, February 22, 2007 7:12 AM
Subject: [Faith-talk] Disability service

> 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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