Indispensable People
Making the Gospel Accessible to people of ALL abilities so that they may know Christ, grow in Him, and serve Him with the gifts He has given them.
Indispensable People
Church Experiences for Families with Disabilities
Creating an inclusive church environment is essential for families impacted by disabilities. The episode highlights the emotional, social, and financial challenges these families face and shares practical strategies for churches to foster intentional inclusivity through accessibility, programming, and community engagement.
• Exploring the challenges faced by families with disabled members
• Higher rates of poverty and food insecurity among disabled families
• Importance of physical accessibility in church spaces
• Sensory accommodations for individuals with sensory processing challenges
• Strategies for inclusive youth and adult ministries
• The role of respite nights in providing support for parents
• Necessity of staff training to raise awareness about disability
• Importance of open communication and positive reinforcement in relationships
• Calling churches to embody inclusion as part of their mission
Hi, my name is Tracy Correll and welcome to Indispensable People. I'm a wife, mom, teacher, pastor and missionary, and I believe that every person should have the opportunity to know Christ, grow in Him and serve Him with the gifts that he has given, no matter their ability. Over 65 million Americans have a disability. That's 25% of the population. However, over 80% of them are not inside the walls of our church. Let's dive into those hard topics biblical foundations, perceptions and world-changing ideas. Hey, hey, and welcome to this episode of Indispensable People. Today, we're talking about families. We're talking about creating an inclusive church environment for families that are impacted by disabilities, and why is this important? What are we talking about? So we want to outline some key aspects and strategies for fostering an environment where everyone feels welcomed and valued, and this includes mom, dad, brother, sister, caregivers, whoever. These are from the US Census. Some of them are from other studies, but here's what we want to remember as we're going ahead with this.
Speaker 1:According to recent data, approximately one quarter of families in the United States are impacted by disability, meaning at least one member. One family member has a disability, with these families often experiencing lower income levels and higher likelihood of poverty compared to families without a disabled member. Additionally, families with a disabled parent are more likely to face economic hardship and food insecurity compared to those without a disabled parent. Now, I love that these statistics include not just what our stereotypical thought would be of a child being taken care of, but also we know that the onset of disability can come at any point in time in life, through a health event, an accident, whatever. So it may be a parent or an adult loved one that you're caring for. So here's some other statistics to think about. Families with a disabled member often have fewer wage earners and are more likely to be in poverty.
Speaker 1:Studies indicate that parents with disabilities are more likely to be in poverty. Studies indicate that parents with disabilities are more likely to experience economic hardship. And here are some reasons why. One, if the parent with a disability can't work, they can't help provide in those cases, and the provisions that are made by the government are not necessarily to a standard at which would cover all of the needs. In addition to that, if it is a child in the family that is being cared for and the parent is providing that care, and this child has chronic illness, other things like that, then the parent is either missing work or they are not able to work because of those needs, and another study actually showed that a significant number of caregivers of children with special needs reduce their work hours or leave jobs altogether, costing their families an average of $18,000 per year in lost earnings. Now that's all about financials, but also let's take into consideration that those families that are impacted by disabilities, those parents the divorce rate is in the 90s Also isolation is high and the 90s Also isolation is high.
Speaker 1:There are so many layers to this that goes beyond the financials and really impacts the emotional, social areas of life as well. So we can do some very basic things as the church, and we can start with making sure that our buildings are physically accessible. Why? Because there's a parent pushing that wheelchair, there's a parent helping their child get in and out, there's a grown child taking care of a parent doing those same things, all the ease of using the restroom, how they can sit together in the church as a family All of those things impact how they feel welcomed and the more easily accessible the building is, the more likely they will be to attend.
Speaker 1:So, for example, if you have pews in your church for someone that has any kind of equipment or uses a wheelchair, coming in and having to sit either in the aisle or into a different, separate space or maybe in the back of the church, that kind of thing, it feels less welcoming. And if you are going, listen, we have pews. What in the world do you think that we're going to do? And I know that that's a very difficult thing. I know I have had churches come and they have done a little bit of construction, woodwork, and they have cut down the pew so that person can sit not in the aisle but included in the church. We in my sanctuary at my church, we have seats that are bolted down to the floor so they're not movable. That creates difficulty. We unbolted seats and placed open spaces for wheelchairs and then next to those seats we have a covering on the chair that is indicate for handicap accessible so that their family members can sit with them. So those are some very, very simple things that you can think about doing Clearing space, making sure there's not cluttered aisleways, making sure it's easy to get in and out of spaces and through doors and that kind of stuff.
Speaker 1:Also, considering sensory accommodations we've spent a few episodes talking about the different things that can be done. Providing quiet spaces or sensory rooms, having sensory bags with noise-canceling headphones or earbuds, creating visual aids to support the participation in service All of those things are going to help make your space friendly and welcoming and make it easier to be there and be a part of church. In addition to that, consider your communication methods. Do you have sign language interpreters? Do you have written materials available? Do you have closed captioning? Do you have visual descriptions for things? All of that kind of stuff that helps build that space of inclusion and participation so that people don't feel isolated and segregated and a burden.
Speaker 1:Also, consider your inclusion in your ministries, whether it's children or youth or adults. You want to integrate children with disabilities into existing programs with the necessary support, whether that's a buddy system with breaks put in mind, all of that kind of stuff that goes along with youth groups and adult classes where you can offer those supports to include individuals with disabilities in these groups. Sometimes all it requires is another person who becomes a navigation system to support that individual to participate. You can also have specialized programs available, such as respite nights. If your church has sports programs, you can have adapted sports programs. You can provide art classes, doing different things that specifically meet the needs of those with disabilities. With it I will speak to the ends of the earth about the importance of a respite program and how incredibly important we do two and a half hours once a month and how incredibly important we do two and a half hours once a month and our parents love it. That also gives us a chance to share the gospel disciple and build long lasting relationships with those individuals so that they can love coming to church when they know what the church is about, when they can share the love of Jesus with them. And I will tell you, I have a lot of families who will bring their individual for a respite night that don't regularly attend church and that becomes a point of connection with us. So through all of that, you want to make sure that you're training your staff and your volunteers.
Speaker 1:Build up that disability awareness. We don't want to accidentally make someone feel unwelcomed because we didn't attempt to understand their situation. We're not going to get it all right. We're not going to know all the things, we're not going to have every tool in the toolbox that every person is going to need, but we can have some disability awareness, we can use some disability etiquette, we can know about talking directly to the individual and not just to their caregiver. We can know that we don't necessarily need to know their disability label and all of those kinds of things. We just want to say, hey guys, we are so glad you're here, we love you and can you help us know how to best serve you and what that looks like.
Speaker 1:So, keeping family communication open, that open dialogue. We don't want to come to them giving them all the negative reports and just focusing on the bad and the difficult. We want to make sure that we highlight the good, that we show them the things that they were able to participate in and be a part of. Yes, there is going to be communication needed for certain things that may not be the best or the what you want to talk about, but they are going to be necessary. But if you're negative, the communication will break down and will slow down. But if you show how much you love and are excited that their individual is there and with you, then they're going to be open to those harder conversations.
Speaker 1:We want to make sure that each and every church is a welcoming experience where we can have shared experiences, because having the church accessible, remember, goes back to. It's not just physical, it's also social and spiritual. So we want to make sure that they can get in the building, maneuver about the building, feel comfortable in the building. But we also want to make sure that we look at people with disabilities as those we can build friendships with, that we can be co-laborers in Christ with, and that we can do what scripture says and lift one another up, carry each other's burdens, be there for each other and help, because every person is supposed to be a part of the body of Christ. So we want to remember that. We want to make sure that we are discipling and we are being purposeful in sharing the gospel so that people of all abilities have the opportunity to know Christ and to grow in him and we believe that they can serve him with the gifts that he's given.
Speaker 1:I want to highlight a blog that was written by Ellen Stumbo a few years ago and she really, if you ever get a chance, read into some of her stuff. Ellen Stumbo, she is a speaker and a writer and she has this great understanding for serving people with disabilities because she lives it. And part of her blog says I parent two disabled kids and I have been told multiple times I'm so brave, and in parentheses it says insert eye roll. Maybe I should start asking people exactly what they mean by that phrase. I wonder if they realize how problematic that comment is.
Speaker 1:Do they think that I am brave for taking my kids out in public? But why wouldn't I? Anyone paying attention would recognize that we are a family, same as everybody else. One of our kids uses a wheelchair and one of our kids may be hard to understand when she speaks, but what exactly is brave about that? Do they think I'm brave for parenting my kids? Do they think I would abandon them? These are my kids, disabled or not. Why would I not parent my kids? Isn't that what all parents do? Do they think I'm brave for providing for their needs? Wouldn't they do the same thing for their kids? Or are they suggesting that if their kid was disabled, they wouldn't provide the available supports at home and in the community? I think saying you are so brave is supposed to be a compliment, but it's not Worse.
Speaker 1:This has been said to me in front of my kids, with the look of pity directed at my children. Please do not make assumptions about what parenting my kids is like. I do think parenting in general is brave because the responsibility we have to love and protect and raise other humans can be overwhelming. It is brave to parent kids in a world that is so divided and lacking kindness. But this is a reality for all parents, not something reserved for those raising disabled kids. As a parent, I do need support, I do need words of affirmation, I need to be reminded I'm doing a good job, because this parenting thing is hard work.
Speaker 1:And so then she lists a couple things that she says that you could say to support parents like her You're a great mom or you're a great dad, you're a great advocate for your kid. I loved how you stood up for your kid. I appreciate that you have helped me understand your world a little better. And then she says now, if you see me skydiving, yes, please do call me brave. But I think that gives us a great visual of great understanding into understanding those who are caregiving for an individual with a disability.
Speaker 1:They want to be supported, they want to be included. They don't want necessarily to be seen as something special, above beyond or whatever, for doing the basic things that their kids need, just like anyone else's or the individuals that they're caring for. So support them, love them. Don't look at them in pity, don't look at them with a lack of, you know, compassion for their life, but support them where they're at, love them where they're at, include them at all in all possibilities, and let them know that they were created in the image of God, that they are loved by the God who chose to create them, that he has a plan and a purpose for their life. And yes, I'm talking about the parents and the caregivers, because it is the same for them that God created their individual that has a disability and has a plan for their life. He knows them, loves them, never leaves them, provides for them, and part of his provision for them is the body of Christ, is the church. So let's be that body of Christ, let's be the church to all people.
