Welcome to a "No Shush"-- "No Box" Zone
Problem
“People with special needs kids don’t go to church because they don’t want to be disruptive to others, and a nursery doesn’t work for a five-year-old. Don’t let anybody tell you that families like us aren’t out there. We are; you just don’t see us in church.”
–Parent of a child with autism
Confession
There’s no denying the truth. People with disabilities have traditionally been treated poorly and unfairly by the church. They have been left out because of a lack of understanding, fear, negative associations and poor theology. The ARC's Spirituality Position Statement rightly emphasizes the underused potential of spiritual resources and faith communities in empowering individuals with disabilities to exercise choice, build relationships, and engage in social networks, but it is not hard to understand why people with disabilities have a lack of trust in the church. Living Faith, as a Rejoicing Spirits Community, pledges to advocate for and provide fairness and equality. The challenge for the church is to make sure everyone, including those with disabilities, feels welcome and included.
Solution
Challenge Accepted
about our commitment to ACCESSIBILITY and removing SENSORY BARRIERS
A Mistaken Belief
Faith in God or a higher power does not depend on cognitive abilities. People with developmental disabilities can provide deep thoughts and insights to enrich faith communities. When people are given the opportunity for faith and beliefs to be expressed, it can be genuine, free and unencumbered.
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History (About)
Rejoicing Spirits began in 2003 at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Exton, Penn., when a group of volunteers and staffers gathered together around a shared vision of an adaptive worship service to provide people with intellectual disabilities an opportunity to worship in a 'shush-free' environment.
Led by founders Susan Crawford and Cynthia McCurdy, the group partnered with local agencies to explore whether such a ministry was feasible and necessary. The group also leaned heavily on the creativity of Interim Pastor Arlene Greenwald to craft a free-flowing and meaningful worship for people of all abilities.
The first service was held Oct. 5, 2003. There were 84 attendees, including caregivers and volunteers. Following a few successful Rejoicing Spirits services at St. Paul’s, several other local churches contacted St. Paul’s to see what it would take for them to begin a similar service The volunteer team put together a how-to book and the ministry grew to 10 host sites in five years.
Expansion and Growth
From 2008-2012 the number of host sites more than doubled, thanks to partnerships with the Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod, Wheatridge Ministries and other ecumenical partners. Anticipating more growth, The Rejoicing Spirits Board of Directors diligently sought out a large spirituality/disability organization with a similar vision and values, looking for an organization with the understanding, resources and passion to take Rejoicing Spirits to the “next level.”
After a thorough feasibility study, Rejoicing Spirits became a part of Mosaic a national faith-based service provider, dedicated to "providing a life of possibilities for people with intellectual disabilities"
Rejoicing Spirits Today
Today there are 38 Rejoicing Spirits host sites supported by more than 35 congregations in 17 states. Rejoicing Spirits continues to seek out ministry partners and congregations who will help ensure that people with disabilities have the opportunity to explore and express their faith in an inclusive worship community.
Living Faith is Florida's First Rejoicing Spirits Community!
The Church, as a whole, has to do better at loving, accepting and welcoming all of God's children
“Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us.” Romans 12:3b-6a.
