What are best practices in the Muslim community, for example, and where might those best practices be observed?
Where is the “state of the art” best evidenced among Mormons?
Where can I go to view model programs within the Jewish community?
Are particular denominations leading the way for the Christian world, and/or what churches are doing a particularly good job?
Additionally, across faith traditions, what “parachurch” organizations (religious organizations that are not necessarily operated within a particular faith tradition), practice models that support the goals of what might be called best secular practices like integration, age appropriateness and functional skill faith development?
If you know of a good program, would you perhaps send me just a name of the particular faith group or program, their location and their website. These names could be sent to me at mail@jeffmcnair.com .
Personally, this information would assist me significantly with work I am currently engaged in.
Thank you so much for your assistance!
Blessings,
Jeff McNair
I thought you might also be interested in this blog post: http://www.patheos.com/community/thinplaces/2011/06/01/perfectly-human-what-really-matters-by-sarah-messner/
ReplyDeleteAs I was researching more about what “the church” was doing for our special needs community. I was very glad to see that my church has a heart for our special needs community. I attend the Rock Church and World Outreach Center in San Bernardino and I was able to interview the person that is in charge of this ministry. Her name is Anne Marie and she has a heart for our special needs community and their families. They also have an outstanding Deaf Ministry that is reaching out and encouraging members to learn sign language to be able to communicate with our deaf community. These are two ministries at our church that are growing rapidly. What I really liked is the fact that the Rock is willing to do more with our special needs community, the heart and passion is there, she just needs more volunteers to be able to meet those needs. More help is needed to serve our special needs community. I was reminded of the verse Matthew 9:37-38 (NIV) 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”
ReplyDeleteIt would be great to see many churches working together to serve, love, help and meet the needs of our disabled community. I believe this is just the beginning to a change in our society. We can all work together to wake up the “church” and see to it that our special needs members are a part of the ministry. You may be interested in contacting them to expand this ministry. www.rockchurchfamily.com
It may not be exactly what you are looking for, but there is an overview of some of the activities that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are doing in this area at:
ReplyDeletehttp://ldsability.org/lds
Looking forward to what information you are able to gather from other faith communities!