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Bridge Builder's First Newsletter- September 1998 . Please keep that in mind as you read. If you want to see our current newsletter online. go to www.bridgebuilders.4mg.com ,click on Bridge Builders Newsletter.
BRIDGE BUILDERS MISSION STATEMENT :Sample of our first newsletter.
Bridge Builders Team: Desire to prepare the church’s "Welcome Mat" architecturally, socially, educationally, and spiritually by identifying &removing barriers which hinder persons with disabilities from meeting Jesus. TenderCare Purpose:
TenderCare Current needs:
More info? Contact Debra 555-5555 What Do We Do In TenderCare ? That’s a great question! The Lord brings children to our class for many reasons. Some are medically fragile and susceptible to viruses and colds commonly found in healthy children. Others can’t handle a large group setting & the noise level found in the typical children’s chapel. Some visiting parents feel more comfortable placing their child in TenderCare. Our hope is to eventually have all children with disabilities linked with a buddy within the typical VineyardKids classes. This will be done on an individual level.Our goal at each class is to pray for each child individually and for their families. The rest of the time we play. Yes, I did said play. I would like to share some ideas from a book called Dancing With Disabilities by Brett Webb-Mitchell in chapter called, "To Play Is To Care". Considering play in the understanding of care. The action of play encourages & builds relationships and helps us show "we care". A dictionary definition of the word "care" means seeing and responding to the needs of others or stepping out of one’s personal frame reference into another’s life. It is hard to define care if it is not connected to a point of reference. In TenderCare we put care in the context of playing games. 1.) Play and care involves self and others. World view: many institutions offer a one-wayness of care among patients and staff. The staff assumes it’s their job is to give care and the patient and/or resident’s job is to receive care, not the other way around. 2.) Play and Care happen in the space between "me" and "not me". Play happens in the interaction between two. Care happens in the very act of giving oneself to another who receives the gift. Caring is action. Care is experienced emotion-ally, spiritually and naturally between two people….you can’t touch it, yet, it has gravity to it." It naturally happens as part of being nurtured. When it happens, there is an over abundant sensation. 3) Play and care are spontaneous. Games have an air of predictability. We are unpredictable. So, yes we do a lot of playing in TenderCare. With Jesus working through us, we have loved and nurtured these children to share in His way of caring. D. Petermann RESTORE Purpose (update-no longer meeting-now a women's group)
This group meets at VCF the second Tuesday evening of each month.7-9:00pm Free childcare is offered by experienced adults. Last month, we hosted a panel of persons impacted by sign language. We learned that sign language is just one tool of many in helping those persons that may be unable to talk. This may include those affected by stroke, mental retardation accidents and Multiple Sclerosis etc.
Vineyard Deaf Ministry joined Bridge Builders as a communication link in the early part of this year. We are blessed to have many skilled signers & Interpreters who are working within our Deaf Ministry under the direction of Linda. Many wonderful things are happening with this ministry. We now interpret one service Sun. 9:15am. A monthly Bible study is held at the Columbus Colony Nursing Home. 7:30- 8:30 pm . If you have some signing skills, please join us. We meet in the cafeteria at 7:15pm. A new teen deaf Bible study began in Sept. at The Ohio School for the Deaf (OSD) under the direction of Linda Mancini. She received 50 signed per-mission slips for teens to attend this study. So far, only two of them have come. Great news! One accepted Christ and the other recommitted himself to the Lord!! Please pray for these "at-home missionaries" as they desire to reach this unreached people group. Please pray that each child given permission will come to this Bible study and come to know the Lord. September 26, we had our first Deaf Outreach, a Silent Brunch, in the café at VCF. It was sponsored by a man who said the Lord told him to pick up the tab! We had 44 people there. It was wonderful to see both hearing and deaf people come together to fellowship and have some fun. Some guests were interpreters and some came to practice their signing. Two came with a pad and pen and a very teachable spirit! The only rule to attend was "no talking" or in ASL language "voice not"! Look for more outreach events. Want to get involved? Contact the Deaf Ministry 555-5555 F Y I Some people have never had the opportunity to meet or become friends with a person who happens to be disabled. Here are some pointers: 1) Relax and ask God to help you see them the way God does. "Man looks at the outward appearance but, the Lord looks at the heart." 1 Sam.16 : 7 2) Remember, respect the dignity of persons with disabilities who want to be thought of first as people, and when appropriate, as people with disabilities. 3) Speak directly to a deaf person rather than through a companion or sign language interpreter who may be present. 4) Place yourself at eye level when speaking with a person in a wheelchair or crutches. Stand, kneel or pull up a chair in front of the person if possible. Saves a lot of wear and tear on their necks and your back! 5) Listen attentively when talking with people who have labored speech, somebody who has cerebral palsy or has suffered a stroke. If you cannot understand, say so and tell them you’re going to figure out what they’re saying. By taking the time to be honest with a person they will be blessed that you have taken the time to be real with them, to be quiet, and to listen. *Don’t assume that people who have labored speech are mentally retarded or incapable of understanding what you are saying. I have read several books by persons’ fitting the above description. It’s amazing how well these people can write about those who have hurt them in the past by assuming the person with a disability didn’t understand or hear the hurtful comments made towards them. You don’t want to be remembered in this light…trust me. 6) Open your heart. God will take care of the communication. Folks with disabilities have wonderful and powerful gifts to share with you, too. Want more ideas? I recommend a book by Joni Eareckson Tada and Steve Jensen called Barrier-Free Friendships. Zondervan.Inclusion by Webster’s definition: the act of including: the state of being included. It implies you are welcomed and accepted as you are.I believe real "inclusion" in the church is more than making our building architecturally accessible , or using the politically correct terminology, or providing a service to an individual at a time of need. All these things are good, but, there is more! The Lord calls us to fellowship with one another, not to treat our neighbors as a charitable "cause" but to include them in every aspect of the church community. The Bridge Builders Team encourages a "what-ever it takes" approach to invite all people into fellowship, just like any typical visitor. Next, we desire to disciple these individuals—help them identify their talents and/or abilities so that they may also participate in advancing God’s kingdom. This is not the typical attitude of most Christian churches today. Need a ride to church? Contact Sue 555-5555 Interested in more "How To Do" information? Consider joining us at the next… Training Center at Vineyard-Columbus "Barrier-Free Friendships" Information taken from the book written by Joni Eareckson Tada and Steve Estes. Bridging The Distance Between You And Friends With Disabilities. October 27- November 24 1998 *Watch out for it in your church bulletin or contact Debra Petermann 890-0000
(Ways To Get Involved) TenderCare
RESTORE
Deaf Ministry
BRIDGE BUILDER NEWSLETTER Cherie volunteered to be the future Editor of this newsletter, but we need someone to design it. Please contact Cherie at e-mail Bridge4u2c@aol.com Also give stories, ideas, quotes, etc. to Cherie. Looking for advisors in the field of MRDD or related special needs education: Would you be willing to be a contact person in assisting this ministry as it continues to grow? This would be primarily done on a need to know basis. |
