Aurora Ministries provides free copies of the Bible-Old and New testaments-on audio cassettes, to organizations who support persons with visual impairments or other disabilities. To order a copy write to the above address or call the above telephone number.
The Council for Jews with Special Needs is a non-profit human resource agency, composed of concerned individuals working together to ensure that all Jews have the opportunity to fully participate in the richness of Jewish religious, cultural and social life. The Council serves individuals with special needs who are physically, mentally or emotionally handicapped or learning disabled and their families. The Council's efforts shall include both integrated and specialized programming, family support groups, information and referral, community education and effective networking with other Jewish agencies to achieve full accessibility for Jews with disabilities. There is a charge of $36.00 to be placed on their mailing list.
DISC is one of the ministries under the umbrella of the United Methodist Church's Health and Welfare Ministries that address the critical health needs of children, youth, older adults, people with disabilities, and racial/ethnic communities. It also has a computerized AIDS Ministries and Disability Concerns electronic bulletin board services and two noteworthy
resource lists are: "Access and Inclusion: An Interfaith Resource List," and "Annotated Bibliography on Developmental Disabilities and the Church" (the latter at: http://gbgm-umc.org/DISC/ddbib.html).
Formerly the Center for Ministry with People with Disabilities, and now under the umbrella of the Institute for Pastoral Initiatives, this group's mission is to facilitate the acceptance of people with disabilities into church communities at the local, state, and national level. They also work to assist the University of Dayton to prepare its students to be "morally aware and committed" in relation to people with disabilities. Available by calling and asking are an excellent list of videos on faith inclusion for people with disabilities, a list entitled, "More than 50 Ways to Make your Parish Accessible With Little or No Cost Involved," a check list to monitor accessibility of your worship building, and discussion starters for making your place of worship more inclusive.
for Faith and Light:
305 Michigan Ave.
Detroit, MI 48226
(313) 237-4664
L'Arche was founded in 1964 in France by Jean Vanier and Father Thomas Phillipe, when Vanier welcomed Raphäel Simi and Phillipe Seux, two men with developmental disabilities, to come and live with him in a life sharing situation based on the Beatitudes of the Bible. With time L'Arche grew into what is now an international federation of intentional faith communities. More recently Faith and Light communities were formed for those not wishing to live in a life sharing situation, but who wished for places of worship to welcome where people with disabilities of all ages and their families and friends would be welcomed. Faith and Light communities generally meet once a month to share a meal and prayer time. Although L'Arche was founded in the Roman Catholic tradition, today other communities have developed in various cultural and religious traditions including Orthodox Christian, Roman Catholic, Episcopalian, United Church, Jewish, and Hindu, while remaining united in a common vision and spirit of welcoming, sharing, and simplicity. A video on Faith and Light can be ordered from the Institute for Pastoral Initiatives.
The Mental Retardation Sabbath/Sunday Project has been an annual project of The Arc since 1979 to help "acquaint the general public with the needs of people with mental retardation and their families living in the community." This is done by having congregations focus some part of their Sabbath/Sunday religious service on ministry to people with disabilities and their families, to name two examples, by inviting a person with a disability or a family member to give a sermon and encouraging people to come forth as support people for those who need support during services.
First established in 1968, NAPMR is now a national organization under the Catholic church with people with disabilities. It publishes a quarterly journal and a newsletter six times a year. Based on a philosophy of inclusion for all, NAPMR works to ensure that people with disabilities become equal partners in the Christian community and to educate religious leaders to fully appreciate the contribution that can be made to the Church by people with disabilities. It offers various membership levels, which are open to people of all denominations. Also available for free is a booklet they put out entitled, Welcome to God's Word, a guide for parents of children newly diagnosed with developmental disabilities.
Starting as a ministry in 1978 to coincide with the release of the Pastoral Statement of US Catholic Bishops on People with Disabilities, the NCPD reaches out to support parishes and families with a member with a disability in the inclusion of people with disabilities in the Catholic church. NCPD has a mission statement and a quarterly newsletter entitled NCPD National Update (both cited in this package), responds to inquiries for information on inclusion, participates in national disability activism, and overall works for the inclusion of people with disabilities.
This center provides free materials and information on residential services, advocacy, respite care, and religious programming through its computerized database. It also provides videos on religious education for people with disabilities and publishes a quarterly newsletter called Breakthrough, on these same issues.
Sponsored by the Orthodox Union, this national council provides social, educational, and recreational programs for Jewish youths and young adults with disabilities within mainstream programs through friendship, "yachad." They also sponsor tours, open to people with and without disabilities, to Florida and to Israel. Tours to Israel include visiting a Kibbitz, Jerusalem, the Western Wall, and other noted Jewish sites of interest.
This National Organization on Disability (NOD) promotes the full and equal participation of men, women, and children with disabilities in all aspects of life, including religious life. Founded in 1982 at the conclusion of the United Nations International Year of Disabled Persons, NOD is a key national disability network of organizations concerned with all disabilities, all age groups, and all disability issues. Through the support of the Scaife Family Foundation, the NOD Religion and Disability Program urges local congregations, national denominational groups and seminaries to remove architectural, communicational, and attitudinal barriers. The Religion and Disability Program can be reached at the above address or by email at religion@nod.org
This Task Force was started in 1992 to provide leadership and resources for lay persons and clergy in ministry with people with developmental disabilities. Areas of focus include models of ministry, self advocacy, educating congregations, local church inclusion, and theology of inclusion.
The New Jersey Coalition for Inclusive Ministries is an interfaith network, including Christian, Islamic, and Jewish religious groups, service and advocacy organizations, congregations, individuals, lay people, clergy, families, and people with and without disabilities who are all committed to: supporting faith communities in working to fully include all people with disabilities or special needs as valuable members. Some of the ways in which this goal is accomplished by the Coalition is by fostering dialogues, meeting for information exchange, offering workshops and conferences, celebrating people with disabilities who are already active in faith communities, and referring clergy and lay persons to appropriate resources. Membership fees per year-which provide various benefits including newsletters subscription-are $100 for organizations, $25 for congregations and $10 for individuals.
Established in 1988, as a not-for-profit organization, the Pathways Awareness Foundation is dedicated to education for and about children with disabilities. Although the Foundation's mission is to raise public and professional awareness about early detection and early intervention, they also now focus on inclusion of children and youth with disabilities in houses of worship. At present, Pathways is working in partnership with the Chicago Roman Catholic Archdiocese to help promote the inclusion of people with disabilities in mainstream worship.
The Religion Division of the AAMR is an interfaith, interdisciplinary association of professionals and ordained and lay people who are concerned with people with developmental disabilities and their families. The mission of the division is to share resources which provide for opportunities for spiritual growth for people with disabilities, while respecting their religious identity. The division has a newsletter available for clergy, congregations, and others who are interested in keeping up-to-date with resources and ideas for ministry and supports for people with disabilities.
Yad B'Yah, the Hebrew expression for "hand-in-hand," is a non-profit outreach and advocacy project that assists Jewish agencies and synagogues in helping Jewish people with physical, mental, or emotional disabilities achieve full participation, membership, and inclusion in Jewish activities and organizations. The purpose of these efforts is to enrich the spiritual and communal lives of Jewish people with and without disabilities by expanding friendships, sharing mutual talents and gifts, and fostering an appreciation of individual differences. The ultimate aim is to further K'lal Yisrael, which promotes a sense of belonging and community for all Jewish people.