…of Colonial Church of Bayside, New York, both Janet and Grace have come to know the love of Christ. And Janet, in turn, has used her special-needs experience to help Colonial Church start its Friendship Club, a ministry for Bayside residents with intellectual challenges. “We really love it,” says Paduano Cardillo, a Colonial Church deacon and RCA disability advocate, of…
…from RCA and CRC members. Responses from participants were very positive; read what some of them said. The denominations work closely on church planting, partnering on church planter assessments and training and cosponsoring Kingdom Enterprise Zones, places where CRC and RCA leaders plant churches together. The RCA and CRC also join forces on disability ministries, leadership development, congregational renewal, radio and media…
…a new learning community is drawing together congregations actively involved in disability ministry. They will explore together how to take the next step and add advocacy for people with disabilities to their current ministry involvement. Other potential advocacy learning communities are in the works. They’ll focus on children and education (offered in partnership with African American/Black Ministries), immigration and mass…
…so appropriate that the Church make a way to recognize each individual as a valuable child of God. Perhaps there is someone in your congregation who has a disability and who needs to know that he or she, too, has a purpose, and God has a plan for them. Brian Dykema is pastor of Johnstown Reformed Church in New York. …
…children with disabilities. She had personal experience, having raised a child with Prader-Willi Syndrome.” Juncosa also teaches special needs children in the Kinnelon school district, and volunteers as the church’s advocate for the RCA’s Disability Concerns ministry. But the idea needed to germinate. “It took a while for consistory and congregation to understand the meaning of such an idea—and I believed…
…their two well-adjusted sons, the disability insurance that became available after a 10-year battle, the health insurance that has been made possible, and, most recently, a voucher for Section 8 housing. “I’m not much of a religious man,” says Aaron, “but Mayer and the church have been a godsend. Things are falling in place for a better day and I…
…but I would send him home with some food. Thus began our friendship. At the time, Clayton was working for a mechanic who was “advocating” for Clayton and his mom. The “advocate” would cash their disability checks and pay some of their bills. I spent years trying to convince Clayton that he was being used for his money. It wasn’t…
…the director of mission engagement. In this role he coordinated the work of the mission initiatives within Transformed & Transforming: Global Missional Engagement, Local Missional Engagement, Volunteer Engagement, Missional Mosaic, Church Multiplication, and Disability Concerns. He also served as coordinator for the RCA’s African American Black Council (AABC). “Tony established a grander vision of mission for the RCA that did…
…planting process. You also have access to the rest of the ministry staff at the denominational level, covering everything from Next Generation Engagement to Disability Concerns to Local Missional Engagement to Leadership Development to Discipleship to Women’s Transformation and Leadership. What about the denomination as a whole? You have a sending church partner to support and advocate for you at…
…infused with the gospel. Last August, Faith hosted Joni Eareckson Tada, founder and CEO of Joni and Friends, an organization focused on advancing disability ministry. Eareckson Tada preached during the worship service and facilitated several small groups, both with Reflectors and with Overcomers. On Faith’s Dyer campus, Reflectors also meets every other Wednesday for food, activities, and a time for…
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