By Rev. Harriet Wilkin
Even though we are mostly meeting online for Worship, Sunday school and for other small group gatherings; there are many ways we can include people with disabilities. People with disabilities are still being marginalized. They still feel like outsiders.
In these four certification courses: we will explore scripture, we will discuss theology from the perspective of people with disabilities, we will examine your church buildings, website, worship, and even your budget to see how you can expand open hospitality to people with disabilities. Providing open hospitality goes beyond having everything wheelchair accessible and it goes beyond just one or two Sundays dedicated to disability awareness. Providing open hospitality means that in each of our ministry locations, we are striving to make changes, that we are taking the time to be present to hear the needs being presented to us, and that we are living out the Gospel message of sharing love to our neighbor.
The certification courses are broken down into 4 courses. Each course meets for 6 weeks. The cost per course is $125.00.
Most of the courses require books. For each course additional resources are shared with the students so to build your toolbox for being in ministry with people with disabilities. The first course: Disability, the Bible, and the Church. This course starts January 18, 2021!
The certification in Ministry with People with Disabilities is through BeADisicple.com. You can find descriptions of the four courses by clicking here.
These courses are open to all denominations. All are welcome to attend and participate in the discussions. Three Continuing Education credits are offered per course.
If you have any questions regarding the courses being offered you are welcome to email me at: h.wilkin.cfm@gmail.com.
Harriet Wilkin serves as pastor of the Castle Rock and Grays River United Methodist churches in the Crest to Coast Missional District of the Pacific Northwest Conference and is a member of the PNW Disability Ministry Committee. Wilkin is one of the instructors of this offering from the Richard and Julia Wilke Institute for Discipleship at Southwestern College, a United Methodist institution in Winfield, Kansas.
