by Jenn Svetlik
Mosaic Conference declares, “We believe God’s design is for all people in all places to flourish and to be transformed by loving, mutual relationships with God and one another.” Persons with disabilities and those who are neurodivergent (having developmental or neurological function that differs from what is considered “typical”) are a part of this beautiful mosaic.
“Some of the children in our early elementary Sunday School class have trouble sitting and staying in their chairs. These children have specific sensory needs for movement,” shares Rachel Mateti, Children and Youth Minister at Plains (Hatfield, PA) Mennonite Church. “The barrier to their learning was the expectation to be still and quiet. To help with their sensory needs, we purchased wobble seats for our classroom. When using them, the children are more focused and able to follow the lesson.”
This is a small example of what a congregation can do to remove the barriers that disable certain people, so that all divine image-bearers can participate fully and share their gifts.
God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us. A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other.
1 Cor 12:6-7, NLT
Plains has been working at this effort for over a decade, seeking to understand the barriers that people with disabilities face, and making both community life and facilities welcoming to persons of all kinds of abilities. Heather Gingrich, who leads the congregation’s Autism Support Group, recently co-wrote an article for Anabaptist Disabilities Network about their support group, congregational learning, and their new inclusive playground and accessible park.
Spring Mount (Schwenksville, PA) is another Mosaic congregation who has been working for years to make their space welcoming for those with autism and sensory processing needs. The emerging work at Salford (Harleysville, PA) on building community with neurodivergent children was recently featured on the Shine Curriculum blog.
About 20% of people are neurodivergent or have a physical, sensory, or intellectual disability. That means there are families in our congregations who are impacted. “In being proactive about planning to welcome families impacted by disability, I think back to the old movie Field of Dreams,” shares Mateti. “If you build it, they will come.”
These are some examples within Mosaic Conference, but some of us have been curious about other congregations across the Conference:
- How have you been working at creating accessible environments for people of all abilities?
- How does your congregation understand disability?
- How do you talk about inclusion of those with disabilities and neurodivergence?
- What are you doing or would like to be doing?
- What questions do you have about this work and what support would benefit your congregation?
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We are gathering congregational leaders (pastors, children’s faith formation leaders, and volunteers) for a workshop with the Anabaptist Disabilities Network (ADN) on Saturday, January 27, at 9 AM-12 PM/ET. We hope you might join us either in person at the Mosaic Conference Office in Lansdale, PA or via Zoom.
The workshop, Nurturing Accessible Children’s Ministry for families of children with disabilities or neurodivergence, will be led by Bonnie and Lyle Miller of ADN. Some of the topics will include:
- Congregational Vision: what is the goal of a congregation in increasing accessibility? How can we proactively plan to welcome families with different needs? How can we create a sense of belonging that values each person who comes through our doors, and their unique gifts?
- Relating to families: Identifying needs, communication, and creating care plans
- Community: Nurturing care for the whole family, congregational awareness and education
Click here to learn more and register for the workshop with Anabaptist Disabilities Network on Saturday, January 27. Suggested registration is $25/person. The registration deadline is Friday, January 12.
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Jennifer Svetlik
Jennifer is a member of the communication team, helping with editing, writing, and content creation. She was born near Houston, TX and spent a decade living in an intentional community in Washington DC, before moving to Lansdale, PA with her spouse, Sheldon Good. She is a graduate of the University of Texas and Washington Theological Seminary. She serves as Children’s Faith Formation Director at Salford Mennonite (Harleysville, PA). Jenn has two elementary-school-aged children and loves biking, camping, gardening, and vermicomposting with her family.