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That All May Worship and Serve All News from the United Church of Christ Disabilities Ministries (UCCDM) and Mental Illness Network (MIN)"We celebrate together the unique needs and gifts each persons brings to make up the whole body of Christ." "All your children shall be taught by the Lord, and great shall be the prosperity of your children." -- Isaiah 54:13 (NRSV)
Where Do Children Belong?
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Growing in Faith
by Alfonso Roman
Alfonso Roman is a UCC retired Minister now living in his home country. A Local Church Ministry
Board of Directors member, he serves in the United Evangelical Church of Puerto Rico, UCC Conference.
Sunday morning finds members of the United Evangelical Church of Puerto Rico Arzuaga
Street in Río Piedras ready to participate in the intercession prayer. Suddenly Edgardo brings forward Sorimer.
His smiling, healthy looking eight-year-old daughter goes into the praying circle. From her walking chair, in a
firm but slightly unclear voice she tells the pastor, "Quiero que oremos por la paz" (I want we pray
for peace). The congregation bursts into a joyful ovation.
Sorimer states love for her Tata's (maternal grandmother's) church where the congregation's poet has celebrated
her in a poem. She participates in special celebrations. She is seen not as an invalid or disabled child but an
angel sent to transform the member's perception of the value of a human life. She is respected with dignity as
a human being growing with them as a member of the family of
God in Arzuaga Street.
They consider this fourth generation member God's gift to them. Mirla, Sorimer's mother, said, "Since she
was in my womb they have been praying for her, sharing her development with apprehension and joy." After her
premature birth Sorimer developed severe cerebral palsy. She has to be always in her chair. Even with movement
and communications difficulties, her normal, impressive intellect flourishes. To her parents, relatives and congregation,
Sorimer is "God's power manifested."
While in the hospital during her first two months, her parents, both music teachers, played the flute and sang
hymns to stimulate her still developing sensations and body functions. The local pastor and church members remained
with them praying and singing in hope, as they did two years later during another lengthy hospitalization. Once
again the faith of the parents and congregation grew. Sorimer left the hospital to participate as the Virgin Mary
in the Christmas Pageant.
In Puerto Rico, where persons with disabilities comprise one-third of the population, Sorimer's special education
programs are limited and costly. Sometimes their perceptive child becomes impatient as she waits while the active
intellectual section of her brain tries to use her speech muscles.
Sorimer prayed for a little sister, asking God that she could walk. She then challenged
Yarimer, asking her to walk and to do things that she from her walking chair cannot do. Seeing her sister as God's
response to her prayers, Sorimer states, "Yo voy a caminar" (I am going to walk)! She tells her parents,
" Pídanle a Dios que pueda andar" (Ask God that I can walk)!
Knowing that her development will be slow, her parents trust that God's spirit will be manifested and that with
her determination, their loving care, and the congregation's prayers she will succeed. Her development in God's
hand, they select her training with care to guarantee that it is according to her potential and abilities. Their
goal is to have a happy, loving and creative daughter who loves God and her church, and who functions at the peak
of her potential by sharing what God has given her.
With her father at the piano, she shares the "corito" learned in Sunday School:
"Hay una unción aquí cayendo sobre mi" (There is a blessing around me)
"Sanando todo mi ser" (Giving health to my whole life).
Living With The Alphabet Family
Rev. Virginia (Ginny) Anderson, Pastor Friedens U.C.C., Syracuse, NY
I have Myasthenia Gravis (MG), my roommate has Attention Deficit Disorder
(ADD), and Josh, the kid in our household, has Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD). Also in our little cape
cod house is a collie with anger management problems (MADD), a Bichon Frise (little fuzzy dog) with three legs
due to cancer (CA), and a fourteen year old cat with no diagnostic letters except (BOSS). Welcome to the Alphabet
Family!
None related, two are longtime friends, one is a kid. Two are over 65, one is 11. One has two masters' degrees,
one a high school degree, one struggles to get through sixth grade. How we came to be a family is we just did.
Josh came to live with us when he was in first grade because he could no longer function in a family with overwhelming
problems. He is of normal intelligence but suffers from a mild form of autism, some developmental delays, severe
depressive episodes, and emotional problems related to attachment disorder.
Add to Josh's multiple problems two over sixty-fives with alphabet attachments plus the usual joys of aging and
raising children today in general, and you have a challenge!
Josh is a professional level manipulator. He can catalogue all of our belongings and their places of residence,
a mixed blessing for two "olders" dealing with "senior moments." Mr. "Charming" alternates
with "Attilla the Hun" when his every wish is not our command or we interrupt an obsession. His obsessions
are many and frightening. Boundaries are nonexistent to Josh. Much of the time he is sad, angry at his limitations,
and sensitive to the fact that he is different. He is learning to control a temper that flares into violence occasionally.
On the up side Josh is a "sponge" learner, never forgetting anything or anyone. He is loyal to his friends,
family, and his ideals. He can be "rolling on floor funny," massively affectionate, and sing his heart
out. Unlike most children in the autistic spectrum he is very social.
Josh has rescued us from the boredom of bridge, golf, and the endless worry about arthritis and long term care
plans. Instead we read about child development, history, and anything else he is interested in. Disney movies,
children's museums, etc, are more fun than AARP planned travel anyway.
Josh is loved and accepted by the exceptional congregation I serve in Syracuse. He is accepted for who he is just
as the rest of us are. In another year, he will be confirmed there. They understand our problems and love us anyway.
The impact that Josh has had on my ministry is considerable. Raising a child has changed my perspective about many
things. I did not become a full time parent until I was over sixty. I have a greater empathy and understanding
of people raising children. I have become an advocate for persons with mental illnesses and other disabilities.
My own physical disability has taught me patience and understanding of the problems of others. Once a perfectionist,
now a parent with a disability raising a child with a disability, I have given perfectionism up permanently. This
also gives others permission to be who they are.
Josh is on an incredible faith journey of his own. He listens to my sermons (really) and we discuss them. Every
Sunday on the way home he asks to stop at his special place along the Erie Canal where he likes to spend time "talking
to God." When I am not working, we go to a Friends Meeting (I am UCC/Quaker.) There in the silence it is the
custom of parents to sit and hold their children or for older ones to put a loving arm around them. Josh loves
this special time together.
What is the glue that holds us together? It is our faith, a wonderful church fellowship, friends and neighbors,
and good mental health and school systems. We also sing a lot, drum together, and try to laugh when we are not
crying or screaming.
I love my little Alphabet Family. They enrich my life and my ministry. Chicken broth may be good for us at our
age, but Alphabet Soup is a lot more interesting.
About Jon
Mary Beth Nicholson
There was a child named "Jon" in a small country church. He spoke little as
he was autistic. However, he watched what went on during worship. Jon was not a "regular kid," but he
had regular feelings. He listened and knew how it feels to be in a loving place.
Jon was little trouble although he was restless and needed to wander around the sanctuary sometimes. His church
friends understood. They were not bothered. Some people in the church were bothered, though, when Jon whistled.
His whistle jumped into their hearing aids.
They came to understand that this was a bit of joy bursting out from a little boy who seldom felt accepted enough
to feel comfortable anywhere. His occasional whistle no longer bothered these people as much. In fact, it told
them he was in touch with something far deeper than they had noted.
On Communion Sunday, Jon moved to the front pew. Communion was one of those holy, special times. He found God in
the spirit and actions of his minister. One Sunday, he quietly stood with her as she offered the bread and juice
to the people. Some were bothered, of course, but others discerned that God had come to the small country church
in the form of an unexpected, uneasy but unique gift called Jon and found him no trouble.
Carl
Mary Avidano
My youngest son, Carl, was born with Arthrogryposis Multiplex Congenita or contractures of multiple
joints. All joints except for his spine are rigid to some degree, and some muscles such as biceps are absent or
non-functional.
This is NOT a description of Carl. He is a web designer for an advertising agency and loves his work. His talent
for drawing is one of his gifts. Relating to people in an easy and forthright way is another; being self-motivated
and determined are others.
To Carl
Were I ever to be an artist
(Like you) I would step across
Landscapes for the far countries
Seen through others' eyes,
Known in their smile or somber
Gazes or tautness of skin on bone
All of my studies would be portraits,
All of my journeys would be of the spirit,
If I were an artist like you.
- Mary Avidano, aka Mom
Qualities Children Teach Us
Janet Rieck, A Vision Consultant from Albion, Nebraska
- Youngsters with vision impairment are simply youngsters whose perspective is a little different. To a child blind from birth, color has no meaning. Knowing that salt is heavier than pepper may be far more critical.
- In a world friendlier to persons with good vision, my students work harder and longer than any other child on a school project to get results comparable with their classmates'. Even ordinary tasks of daily living take longer when performed without vision. My students develop persistence.
- It takes courage to compete with others who have advantages unavailable to oneself; to attempt what no one seems to believe one can do. In a group that strives for conformity, to be the only one that cannot see well is lonely and calls for daily, sometimes hourly, demonstrations of courage.
Perspective, persistence, courage . . . . Are these not qualities we can all benefit from practicing? Among my
students are the strongest and best people I know, perhaps because they began honing their character earlier than
most, out of necessity.
Letter Power
Lobbying for our denomination and carrying our concerns to and from Washington, the Public Life
and Social Policy Ministries in the Justice and Witness is compiling a list of constituents willing to participate
in letter writing whenever an issue related to disabilities comes to their attention. If interested, contact the
Justice and Peace Network at JPAnet@ucc.org, phone 202-543-1517, FAX 252.437.1278, or write Public Life and Social
Policy Ministry, UCC Justice and Peace Ministries, 110 Maryland Avenue NE, Suite 207, Washington DC 20002.
Letter from David
David Denham
Since becoming a part of the UCC Disabilities Ministries in the early 1990's, as
board member then consultant, I have witnessed a ministry that led the church:
1. To claim the spirit of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 as
a moral mandate; 2. To add to the UCC vision statement "Accessible to All (A2A);" 3. To widen our impact
on persons with brain disorders/mental illnesses
and on clergy with disabilities; 4. To grow a ministry where more individuals are involved than at any other point
in our history.
As General Synod, July 2005, approaches, our ministry desires to involve you and your local church in building
community throughout this land. Please visit our Synod exhibit to learn about a pivotal resource. "Any Body,
Everybody, Christ's Body" is a study guide designed to assist your church generally with hospitality, particularly
as it relates to disability. To learn more about us and become involved with this community, visit our interactive
web site, www.uccdisabilitiesministries.org.
"How can we grow the church?" Evangelism also takes the forms of sacraments offered in accessible ways,
choir anthems sung at floor level, bulletins magnified by a copy machine, prayers encouraged from those with difficulty
articulating them, sound systems that amplify our voices, and user friendly entrances and bathrooms.
Evangelism is rooted in our application of the UCC vision statement "Multiracial, Multicultural, Open and
Affirming, and Accessible to All (A2A)." On behalf of all involved with the UCCDM, I invite you to explore
Evangelism (E) through an A2A lens. This A2A lens will sharpen the "E" vision for multiracial, multicultural,
and open and affirming. Come to General Synod. Come to www.uccdisabilitiesministries.org.
UCCDM and Dell Award Nominations
Due February 28, 2005
You are invited to submit UCCDM Award nominations for 2005 General Synod. Please recommend:
(1) A person with a disability who has made outstanding contributions to church and/or society; (2) A person without
a disability who has made notable contributions to the lives of persons who have disabilities; and (3) A church
that has made outstanding achievement in providing opportunity for all. Send UCCDM nominations to Peg Slater (See
Contact People below for address.)
Dell Award - Please recommend: A local UCC church or person who has done much to eliminate stigma, build a ministry,
or advocate for insurance parity or legal protection for persons with serious mental illnesses. Send Dell Award
nominations to Bryan Crousore (See Contact People below for address.)
Web Resources
www.about ourkids.org
www.bpkids.org
www.save.org
www.min-ucc.org
www.nami.org
www.abledata.com
www.nod.org
www.uccdisabilitiesministries.org
www.disabledwomen.net
www.densmorereid.com carries
Daryl Green's monthly column on health, healing, and coping with disabilities. The site also has the text of his
book, Benjamin's Dog Joseph: A Three Legged Hero (Densmore Reid
Publications, 67 South 24th Street, Richmond, IN 47374, 2003). Contact the UCC pastor at ddgreenes@hotmail.com or 765-939-2984. This engaging story opens up the difficult
theme of being different in ways that are easily related to by both children and adults - a great vehicle to open
up sharing about a topic that is often avoided, and needs to be discussed with sensitivity. Loretta Gula, Reviewer
3. Twelve easy-to-read Turtle Books provide a non-threatening,
storytelling bridge of understanding with friends and siblings of children with physical and mental disabilities.
(Jason & Nordic Publishers, PO Box 441, Hollidaysburg PA 16648, 814-696-2920.) See curriculum resources at
www.jasonandnordic.com.
4. Of, By, and For Children - Vera Losh, Reviewer
- Don't Feel Sorry for Paul by Bernard Wolf (Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott
Co., 1974). Spanish edition: No sientan lástima por Paul, trans. Ximena Lois (Philadelphia: Libros Lippincott
en Espanõl, 1977). Paul has adjusted to artificial limbs.
- I'm Deaf and It's Okay by Lorraine Aseltine et al (Morton Grove,
IL: Albert Whitman & Co., 1986) A frustrated deaf boy who feels alone, afraid, mad, and sad until Brian, 17
and wearing hearing aids, visits his classroom.
- Listen for the Bus: David's Story, Patricia McMahon, text, and John Godt, photography (Homesdale, PA: Caroline House of Boyds Mills Press, Inc., 1995), is David's story as he goes to kindergarten in a local public school.
- In Gina and Mercer Mayer's A Very Special Critter (Racine, Wisconsin: Golden Books Publishing Co., Inc., 1992), the critter moves on wheels.
- Someone Special, Just Like You, Tricia Brown, text, and Fran Ortiz, photography (New York: Henry Holt and Company, 1982). If a picture is worth a thousand words, then this book tells volumes about special children.
Contact People
Rev. Robert Dell
The UCC Mental Illness Network
414 East Pleasant Ave
Sandwich IL 60548
815/786-6341
Bob_Dell@ecunet.org
Rev. David E. Denham
Consultant, UCCDM
4347 Arlington Blvd
Arlington VA 22203
703/528-7715
revbaseball@aol.com
Rev. Jo Clare Hartsig
Vice-Chair, UCCDM
2511 Woodruff Spur
Minnetonka MN 55391
952/476-4782
Maddenuf@aol.com
Rev. Norma S. Mengel
Chair, UCCDM
2680 Oxford St N #144
Roseville MN 55113
651/765-4106
normamengel@hotmail.com
Rev. Margaret (Peg) M. Slater
Coordinator for Inclusive Ministry
Parish Life and Leadership Ministry
UCC Local Church Ministries
700 Prospect Ave E
Cleveland, Ohio 44115-1100
216/736-3838
slaterm@ucc.org
The editors encourage article submissions and suggestions for issue topics. Please send
to Rev. Dr. Dallas (Dee) Brauninger P.O. Box 534, 657 H Burwell NE 68823
Phone/Fax: 308/346-4978 deebrauninger@nctc.net
Rev. Bryan Crousore (MIN)
P.O. Box 19
Hartsburg MO 65039
bryancrousore@hotmail.com
The text is printed in 14-point bold—the minimum required for persons with visual
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