DISABILITIES MINISTRIES HANDBOOK i

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Created by the Commission for People with Disabilities of

the North American Division of the Seventh-day Adventist Church
Managing Editor: Cassie Martsching
Cover design & Interior Design: Ornan Anthony
Page Layout: Nick Sharon

© 2013 by North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists. All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or trans-
mitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, record-
ing, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the copyright holder.

Printed in the United States of America

ISBN : 978-1-57756-989-3
 Table of Contents
Introduction.................................................................................................................................. v

Chapter 1 Mission and Goals................................................................................................. 1

Chapter 2 Definitions, Terms and Practice........................................................................ 3

Chapter 3 Assessing Needs and Awareness..................................................................... 11

Chapter 4 Supporting and Training the Local Congregation . .................................. 15

Chapter 5 Providing Access to Ministries and Resources............................................ 23

Chapter 6 Ministering to the Community......................................................................... 27

Chapter 7 Funding Community Service............................................................................. 29

Chapter 8 Sample Form, Survey and Letters.................................................................... 33

Chapter 9 Resources.................................................................................................................. 47
iv DISABILITIES MINISTRIES HANDBOOK
 Introduction
But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which
lacks it, that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members
should have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers, all the
members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice
with it.
~ 1 Corinthians 12:24-26, NKJV

Based on the biblical principle that all are one in Christ, the mission of the North
American Division (NAD) of Seventh-day Adventists is to reach all people with
the gospel of Jesus Christ. Additionally, the NAD invites each member to fully
participate in this mission. To support this aim, the Seventh-day Adventist Church
took several actions. In 1989, the NAD’s Office of Human Relations established the
Commission for People with Disabilities. At the 1995 General Conference Session,
a ministry for people with disabilities was approved. And in 2005, the NAD voted
and created a new position, coordinator for Disabilities Ministries, to report to the
NAD Vice President of Ministries.

All members, those with disabilities and those without disabilities, bring unique
talents and gifts to the church. Ellen White explains, “God takes men [and
women] as they are, with the human elements in their character, and trains them
for His service, if they will be disciplined and learn of Him. They are not chosen
because they are perfect, but notwithstanding their imperfections, that through
the knowledge and practice of the truth, through the grace of Christ, they may
become transformed into His image” (The Desire of Ages, p. 294, [Link]).
As Disabilities Ministries leader, your mission is to promote the full inclusion of
adults and children with disabilities in your church as they develop their spiritual
gifts and grow in their relationship with God. This is a task you cannot do alone.
As the Disabilities Ministries leader, you are responsible for educating your local

DISABILITIES MINISTRIES HANDBOOK v

church leaders and members about welcoming and including members with
disabilities, as well as, ministering to people with disabilities in the community.

Over 1 billion people worldwide have a disability. Throughout the NAD, individuals
with disabilities are making great strides towards acceptance by the community
and full participation in all areas of life: family, employment, education, recreation.
Legal mandates, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act , Section 25 of the
Canadian Human Rights Act, and the Human Rights Act of Bermuda, provide
civil rights protection for people with disabilities and grant access to people
with disabilities to many activities previously denied them. However, religious
organizations are generally exempt from these mandates, and, unfortunately,
individuals with disabilities have not made the same strides at church as they
have in the public sector.

As a Seventh-day Adventist, you have a higher mandate than civil laws to welcome,
accommodate and include individuals with disabilities into your congregation.
This mandate is to love one another. Jesus explained, “A new commandment I
give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love
one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for
one another” (John 13:34-35, NKJV). Of the 35 miracles that Jesus performed, 27
were for people with disabilities, and an estimated 77% of his time was spent in
ministering to those with disabilities. Jesus’ life demonstrated the importance of
reaching all with the Gospel message.

As Disabilities Ministries leader, you can put this mandate into practice in your
own life and the life of your church. May God bless you as you collaborate with
individuals with and without disabilities to ensure that your church is welcoming
and inclusive of all of God’s family.

vi DISABILITIES MINISTRIES HANDBOOK

 1

Mission and Goals

North American Division Mission Statement
The mission of the North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists is to reach
all people within its assigned territory with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Mission
The mission of Disabilities Ministries is for all members to live Christ’s model of
reaching and nurturing all people and to promote full inclusion of adults and
children with disabilities into God’s family.

Goals
• To support all people in their relationship with Christ.
• To nurture all people as they develop and use their talents given by God.
• To educate local church leaders about the needs of adults and children with
disabilities.
• To promote full inclusion of church members with disabilities in church
activities, including worship, education, fellowship, service, and leadership.

“Love, mercy, and compassion were revealed in every act of

His [Christ’s] life; His heart went out in tender sympathy to
the children of men” (Ellen White, Steps to Christ, p. 3).

DISABILITIES MINISTRIES HANDBOOK 1

• To advocate for individuals with disabilities within the church and the community.
• To provide information to people with disabilities and their families about disability
services, programs, and resources provided by national and local agencies of the Seventh-
day Adventist Church.
• To share the Gospel with adults and children with disabilities in the community through
fellowship, outreach, and community service.

2 DISABILITIES MINISTRIES HANDBOOK

 2

Definitions, Terms
and Practice
It is useful to have a common definition of disabilities and a shared language
when ministering to individuals with disabilities and when working with service
agencies. While Canada and Bermuda currently do not have a national definition
of disability, the United States does. This definition is part of the U.S. law, the
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). ADA’s definition of disability is widely
recognized, even outside of the United States, and is the definition used in this
handbook. According to the ADA, a disability is a physical or mental impairment
that substantially limits one or more of a person’s major life activities. Major life
activities include breathing, seeing, hearing, walking, communicating, learning,
taking care of one’s self, manual tasks, and working.

MAJOR DISABILITY GROUPS

The ADA identifies seven major groups of disabilities. Some people may fall into
more than one category.

Cognitive: A cognitive disability affects a person’s ability to comprehend what

is seen or heard, and then infer information from social subtleties and body
language. Cognitive disabilities may include, but are not limited to, autism,
learning disabilities, Down Syndrome, and traumatic brain injuries.

DISABILITIES MINISTRIES HANDBOOK 3

Hearing: A hearing disability affects a person’s ability to hear sounds and, in
some instances, the ability to discriminate speech. Hearing disabilities may
range from mild to profound hearing loss.

Hidden: A hidden disability is a physical condition that is not easily observed.

This term encompasses many conditions including, but not limited to, arthritis,
epilepsy, high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer, and conditions related to
obesity.

Mobility: A mobility disability limits an individual’s ability to perform the

activities of daily living. The individual may need assistance in moving from one
place to another.

Psychiatric: A psychiatric disability is a mental disorder that may affect daily

living. This may include, but is not limited to, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder,
and phobias.

For more information on the Americans with Disabilities

Act, visit [Link]. For disability information in Bermuda,
visit [Link]/[Link]. For information on
Canadian law, visit [Link].

Speech: A speech disability affects a person’s ability to communicate and can be

characterized as language and voice disorders, articulation errors, dysfluency, or
stuttering.

Visual: A visual disability affects a person’s ability to see. Visual disabilities range
from limited vision, glaucoma, and cataracts to blindness.

CONFIDENTIALITY
It is extremely important that all information pertaining to a person’s disability
be kept confidential. In fact, in the United States the Americans with Disabilities
Act requires that information regarding disabilities be kept confidential. Just as
you would not want your medical records or condition shared, people do not
want information about their disability shared with others, unless they have
given permission to do so.

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As Disabilities Ministries leader, you should educate the congregation about
confidentiality, explaining that information about a person with a disability will
be kept confidential and only shared when necessary and with permission of
the person with the disability. Church members do not need to know who has
a disability or the details of the disability in order for accommodations to be
made.

When you file reports about the number of church members with disabilities
served by your ministry, report only the type of disability and the number of
members with the disability. Do not use the church member’s name, unless you
have received permission from the individual with the disability or his or her
guardian.

ACCOMMODATION
At times, people with disabilities will need changes made to the environment,
the material, or a process in order to be able to participate at church or in other
activities. Some familiar accommodations are the use of interpreters, large print,
or accessible parking. Just as each person is unique, so are the accommodations
that he or she may need. What works for one person may not work for another.
The best way to identify what type(s) of accommodation someone needs is to
ask her or him.

For accommodation suggestions, visit Job Accommodation

Network at [Link]. This site is designed to help
employers identify accommodations in the workplace.
These ideas are helpful for churches as well.

DOCUMENTATION
Documentation of a disability is generally done by a professional with expertise
in the area of the disability: a medical doctor, an educational psychologist,
or a psychiatrist. Documentation states that an individual has a specific
disability, explains how the disability impacts the person, and suggests
possible accommodations the person might need. In the workplace or school,
individuals with disabilities must provide documentation in order to receive
accommodations or modifications.

DISABILITIES MINISTRIES HANDBOOK 5

In contrast, church members who ask for accommodations or modifications
do not need to provide documentation. Documentation can be costly and
burdensome and is rarely necessary for the specific changes needed to provide
full inclusion for church members and visitors with disabilities. However, if you
are working with outside agencies, they may require that the individual with a
disability provide current documentation of her or his disability.

DISABILITIES MINISTRIES LEADER RESPONSIBILITIES

To lead your congregation in Disabilities Ministries, you don’t need a degree in
medicine or education. You do need to welcome and include adults and children
of all abilities into your church, to listen to and act on the needs of individuals
with disabilities and their families, and to have the desire to live God’s grace
through your ministry.

As you lead your congregation in full inclusion for all of God’s family, may these
words from Ellen White guide you in your ministry:

I saw that it is in the providence of God that widows and orphans, the
blind, the deaf... and persons disabled in a variety of ways, have been
placed in close Christian relation to His church; it is to prove His people
and develop their true character. Angels of God are watching to see how
we treat these persons who need our compassion, love, and disinterested
benevolence. This is God’s test of our character. If we have the true
religion of the Bible, we shall feel that debt of love, kindness, and interest
is due to Christ in behalf of His brethren; and we can do no less than to
show our gratitude for His immeasurable love to us while we were sinners
unworthy of His grace, by having a deep interest and unselfish love for
others.
~ Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 3, p. 511

Depending on your church’s size and location, your tasks as Disabilities

Ministries leader will vary. However, there are some basic tasks that are the
responsibilities of all Disabilities Ministries leaders.
• Advocate for full inclusion of church members with disabilities.
• Serve on your church’s Personal Ministries council.
• Establish and chair a Disabilities Ministries committee that functions as a
subcommittee of the Personal Ministries council.
• Conduct surveys to discover the needs of both church members and
community members with disabilities.
• Assess Disabilities Ministries activities to ensure the quality of each activity.

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 • Keep confidential information regarding a person and his or her disability
unless permission is given to disclose the information.
• Train and support local church leaders and members on the inclusion of
adults and children with disabilities.
• Encourage the appointment of members with disabilities to church offices
and ministries.
• Identify areas of the church that are not physically accessible and make
suggestions for improvement to the appropriate person or committee.
• Arrange transportation to church and other events for people with
disabilities.
• Identify community outreach opportunities to adults and children with
disabilities and their families in which your church can participate.
• Serve as liaison between the local church and Seventh-day Adventist
agencies that serve adults and children with disabilities.
• Connect with local agencies that assist adults and children with disabilities
and their families.
• Create and submit reports required by your local conference.
• Pursue continuing education on best practices in Disabilities Ministries for
yourself and your team members.

Disabilities Ministries does not stand alone. Rather, it

supports every other ministry since adults and children
with disabilities should be involved in all ministry areas.

CREATING A SUCCESSFUL DISABILITIES MINISTRIES TEAM

Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but
exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. ~
Hebrews 10:25, NKJV

Team Membership
Before you begin asking individuals to be a part of your Disabilities Ministries
team, consider the goals you would like for Disabilities Ministries to accomplish.
You should be intentional about your selection of team members, seeking out

DISABILITIES MINISTRIES HANDBOOK 7

those with the skills and contacts necessary for the success of your ministry. The
team should model the mission of Disabilities Ministries by being diverse and by
including members with disabilities and their families.

If any of the team members will be working directly with adults or children with
disabilities, it is important to screen volunteers. Check with your church board to
find out what volunteer screening policies are in place. For additional assistance,
visit Adventist Risk Management’s site at [Link] and click on “Forms”
to read the NAD guidelines regarding volunteers, or to download volunteer
application forms in English, Spanish and Portuguese.

Team Purpose and Responsibilities

As a team leader, you’ll need to make sure each member understands the
function of the team. Teams need to know why they exist (the mission), what
they are supposed to accomplish (goals) and who is involved. If these directives
aren’t clear, the result often leads to frustration and ineffectiveness. It’s a good
idea to give each team member a written statement of the team’s purpose
(mission and goals) and each team member’s responsibilities. Remember that
a team is fluid and flexible. The team goals may change during the year and so
may individual responsibilities. The point of defining your purpose and team
member responsibilities is to create a ministry that is well organized and gives
the team a sense of satisfaction. However, if something isn’t working, you and
your team should make the necessary changes.

The Disabilities Ministries team reports to the pastor and church board
regarding any new major projects and expenditures. Also, the team should
report regularly to the church board and the membership about the exciting,
successful activities the team has completed, needs of those with disabilities in
the church and community, and physical accessibility modifications needed to
the church facility.

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Team Training
To keep your team functioning at its best, provide a wide range of training
and informational opportunities on a variety of topics about disabilities. The
following are just a few of the ways you can accomplish this:
• As a group or individually, attend Conference, Union, or Division leadership
training.
• Invite a local expert or individual with a disability to talk to the team.
• Watch a webinar or DVD.
• Read and discuss a book.
• Sign up for a free e-newsletter.
• Keep up-to-date on areas of interest through podcasts, blogs, Facebook or
Twitter.

Additional tools, information and resources for you and your Disabilities
Ministries team are located at the end of this book.

DISABILITIES MINISTRIES HANDBOOK 9