Six Disability ‘Allies’ In The Bible, Which One Are You?

Disability ‘allies’ are people who are not necessarily disabled themselves, but who advocate for, journey with, campaign for, or in other ways support disabled people of any age. Allies (noun):  A person or organisation that cooperates with or helps another in a particular activity. The Bible includes real and story-based people who could be viewed as … Continue reading Six Disability ‘Allies’ In The Bible, Which One Are You?

What The Story Of Mary And Martha Teaches Us About Disability

Sometimes we find teaching hidden in hard to reach places, sometimes important teaching is in plain sight but we overlook it…  That was the case for me with the story of Mary and Martha until I took a closer look and found some great teaching for us all there about life in general, as well … Continue reading What The Story Of Mary And Martha Teaches Us About Disability

A Candle In A Hurricane Of Hate

For many disabled people, and often for their families and other allies too, life can feel like being a candle in a hurricane of hate.  So much intolerance, vitriol and aggression to deal with every single day from a society that, generally, would rather that disabled people were not around, out of sight, disappeared.  Just … Continue reading A Candle In A Hurricane Of Hate

10 Ways To Belong – A Resource For Every Church

Working with the Methodist Church, Count Everyone In, and through Urban Saints and the Additional Needs Alliance, we've created a document to help churches support children, young people and young adults with additional needs to belong in every church. What should church be like for children, young people and young adults with additional needs and … Continue reading 10 Ways To Belong – A Resource For Every Church

Inclusive Festivals And Summer Camps

It’s festival season, a time of year when across the country people are heading to events themed around everything from music to food, cars, sports or lifestyles. There are, of course, lots of Christian festivals and summer camps held at this time of year too, but how can these festivals be inclusive for children and … Continue reading Inclusive Festivals And Summer Camps

Sex and Relationships: Young People with Special/Additional Needs

Sex and relationships is a hot topic in youth work at the moment, and rightly so when we see the mixed messages, confusing feelings and myriad questions that young people are dealing with every day.  But for young people with additional needs this topic is often one that is considered to be irrelevant for them, … Continue reading Sex and Relationships: Young People with Special/Additional Needs

A Child Asks, “Did God Make Me With Autism?”

This question was recently asked by an eight-year-old autistic boy to his parents; it's a hard question to answer and the response that follows may not fit well with everyone, but then we are a diverse people so that is to be expected; so, here we go! Made in God’s image? Maybe a good starting … Continue reading A Child Asks, “Did God Make Me With Autism?”

What The Woman Healed Of Bleeding Teaches Us About Jesus

There are 37 miracles of Jesus mentioned in the Gospels, and two-thirds of these involved him healing someone.  John’s Gospel tells us that what is written only represents a fraction of what Jesus did during his three-year ministry, so in reality there are likely to have been many, many more miraculous healings than this. Sometimes … Continue reading What The Woman Healed Of Bleeding Teaches Us About Jesus

Are You Being Silenced As A Special Needs Parent?

I don’t know about you, but I passionately believe in free speech.  I strongly feel that it is one of our most important rights, and it is one that I would willingly go to the barricades to defend, but when does discussion, debate, and even downright argument spill over into something much more sinister?  And … Continue reading Are You Being Silenced As A Special Needs Parent?

Why Church Needs A Reboot Before Everyone Can Truly Belong

For many people church as it currently exists in many, many places just doesn’t work, can’t work, won’t work.  And it’s not just people on the margins of society that this is true for, it’s true for the majority of the communities in which these churches are located.  It’s just even worse if you don’t happen to conform to the ‘typical’, ‘expected’ profile of church attendee; and that includes many, even most, families who have a child with additional/special needs or disabilities. Church needs a reboot before everyone can truly belong.