Don’t DIS my ABILITY….Dec 3 International Day of People with Disabilityhttp://www.dontdismyability.com.au/

“Together for a better world for all:Including persons with disabilities in development”  http://www.un.org/disabilities/default.asp?id=1561

“my biggest fear is that you’ll not see me here

I am not lost

am not to be found

I am here

you may see the stare

you may see the emptiness of expression

you may see the stillness

I am here

waiting for you to come…….

Michael Leo Koontz (http://victas.uca.org.au/outreach-justice/outreach-ministries/disability-resources   Check Disability Resource Pack)

* “Almost 1 in 2 people with a disability in Australia lives in or near a state of poverty….Australia is at the bottom of the heap,ranked last out of 27 OECD countries…”

http://www.theage.com.au/national/disabled-life-quality-worst-in-developed-world-20111129-1o581.html

* “There are 2 million disabled women in Australia……  http://www.wwda.org.au/   Check newsletter(No.3 2011)

* “Nearly half a million people with ‘significant disabilities’ would receive tailored care & support if

Australia had a National Disability Insurance Scheme    http://everyaustraliancounts.com.au/   Lots of churches backing this…..

Friday December 3 is International Day Of People with Disability    http://www.idpwd.com.au/

Hope you’ll remember those who are some of the most marginalised in our community in your Sunday Service.

1. Prayers,stories ideas..check one of the richest sites about:

  “Blessed are you

       who take time

       to listen to difficult speech………..  

http://presbyterysynod.sa.uca.org.au/disability-ministry/prayers.html

2.  “How do we see the whole person and not just the disability?”

“Blessed are you when you smile at me

         -for then I know I’m welcome……”    

http://everybodyswelcome.org.uk/disability.html

3.  “Disabled Christianity” blogspot

http://disabledchristianity.blogspot.com/

Check out “7 Things a Pastor Needs to Know”

http://disabledchristianity.blogspot.com/2010/11/7-things-every-pastor-needs-to-know.html

4. “My son Sam…..”

Language: A powerful tool for parish hospitality” (Scroll down the ‘Inclusion Tips archive’)

http://www.toledodiocese.org/index.php/inclusion-tips-archive

Inclusive & empowered…..

…..It goes on one at a time

it starts when you care

to act, it starts when you do

it again, after they say no,

it starts when you say We

and know who you mean, and each

day you mean one more.

Let the whole church say,’Amen’. Rev Jo Clare Hartsig 2005

Alan Matheson

* “Encountering the Disabled God” Nancy Eieslandhttp://www.uccdm.org/2007/05/21/encountering-the-disabled-god/

*    http://www.abdn.ac.uk/cshad/documents/WhoistheGodWeWorship.pdf