Oct
13
Written by:
host
10/13/2009 7:00 AM
Since today is Tuesday, it must be technology day! As the Blogger-in-chief of Different Voice, Tim does an excellent job of keeping all of us up-to-date on technology and its potential uses in Christian Education. However, we like to give Tim a Tuesday off every once in awhile. That’s when I bring my “using but not completely understanding technology” viewpoint to Tuesday’s email. Today, I have a website recommendation for you. As promised yesterday, this website is a resource available to congregations and Sunday School teachers to encourage acceptance of persons with special needs.
Friendship Ministries is a nonprofit organization “that exists to help churches and organizations around the world share God’s love with people who have intellectual disabilities.” If you are not familiar with Friendship Ministries, I encourage you to take some time to explore their website.
Friendship Ministries resources are geared toward use with youth and adults. Friendship Ministries recommends including children with intellectual disabilities in children’s Sunday School classes. As children grow older, this inclusion becomes more challenging, and the resources of Friendship Ministries may be helpful.
Friendship Ministries materials are inter-denominational, and already in use by many denominations (according to their website). The approach to ministry with (notice, not to) persons with intellectual disabilities is the formation of Friendship Groups. Mentors are paired one-on-one with “friends” in groups that then study the Bible together. Several Bible studies are available from Friendship Ministries on a variety of topics including the 10 Commandments, learning the Lord ’s Prayer and telling others about Jesus. (Looking at their curriculum overview, I see just a few lessons that might require some adaptation of language and theology.) Lessons include group activities, as well as one-on-one time for friends and mentors. Music and art activities are designed to be accessible to all.
In addition to information on their own resources, the Friendship Ministries site contains recommendations of additional resources. I notice that on November 3 they are hosting a free webinar on Children and Autism.
Whether your church is already in ministry with persons with intellectual disabilities, or seeking to engage in ministry with these persons, the Friendship Ministries website is worth checking out.
~Sally Hoelscher