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Our Mission
The Conference Disability Ministry team sees its mission as making a difference in the world as disciples of Jesus Christ reaching out and ministering to people with disabilities. We believe that our Mission holds with the Annual Conferences priorities of Leadership for 21st Century and of Empowering a New Generation of believers.

Our Vision
Disability Ministries will be an active part of each local churchs ministry. Local churches will recognize that Jesus, Himself, set the example of Disability Ministry in His earthly ministry. Realizing that more than 20% of the population is people with disabilities, will be a motivating factor for these churches.

Disability Ministries Newsletter
March/April 2013

IN THIS ISSUE:

  • ASL Interpreter Needed for Annual Conference
  • Huntsville First UMC Announces Autism Workshop
  • Annual Conference 2013
  • The Disability Beatitudes
  • Hypoglycemia: Tips for Churches
  • Bridge Builder Award
  • Fragrance Reduction Policy for Churches
  • In the Spotlight


American Sign Language Interpreter


This year at Annual Conference, we will have an ASL Interpreter for three of our services: the Opening Worship service, Memorial Service and, the Closing Worship service. If you would like to apply for the job (or if you know of someone who might be interested), please send your (or the individuals) information a.s.a.p. to Deb Wade at ddvwade@gmail.com. THANK YOU!



Autism: Trying To Put The Pieces Of The Puzzle Together

Saturday, May 18, 2013
Start Time 9 a.m.
End Time 11:30 p.m.
Huntsville First UMC
120 Greene Street SE
Huntsville, AL 35801
Church phone: (256) 539-5738
Church website: www.huntsvillefirst.org


You are invited to attend an informative workshop on autism at Huntsville First United Methodist Church on Saturday, May 18th. This workshop, sponsored by Huntsville First UMC is open to anyone but especially for church leaders and Sunday school teachers.

Special guest speaker will be Deb Wade, North Alabama Conference Convener of Disability Ministries and Chair of the denominations U.M. Committee on Disability Ministries.

  • Registration is from 9 -9:30 a.m
  • Workshop is from 9:30 11:30 a.m. in The Chapel.



Annual Conference 2013

This year at Annual Conference, we will have our Disability Ministries table on the floor of the coliseum. If you have any needs while at conference pertaining to accessibility, please be sure to let us know. We hope that everyone, regardless of need, will stop by our table at some point and chat with us. We will have brochures and other surprises for you! Please make sure to stop by and say, Hello!

We appreciate the cooperation of Birmingham-Southern, Bishop Wallace-Padgett, Linda Holland and the Annual Conference Planning Team in making this placement a reality!



Disability Beatitudes, A Responsive Litany

[permission granted to use, with credit to author, Dr. Ken Tittle of Mariposa Ministry]

Blessed are you who take time to listen when communication is difficult, for God will grant you an understanding heart.

Blessed are you who walk unembarrassed with those who are "different," for God will grant you self-acceptance.

Blessed are you who are patient with us who struggle to do things you can do readily, and blessed are you who do not snatch our tasks from our hands to do them for us,
for God will grant you patience with yourselves.

Blessed are you who encourage and support persons with disabilities in new and uncertain ventures,
for God will renew your courage to dream and to dare.

Blessed are you who can recognize the gifts and seek the help of those who are weak and dependent,
for God will heal your fear of future losses.

Blessed are you who freely offer yourselves as eyes for the blind and as hands and legs for the paralyzed,
for you shall be helped by the blind and the paralyzed.

Blessed are you when you see past physical or mental limitations, defects, or deformities, and affirm each ones beautiful God-given personhood, for you will know that God receives even your body as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to Him.

Rejoice and be exceeding glad, for you will see Christ incarnate
in the fellowship of all believers.



Hypoglycemia Tips for Churches

(Taken from the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse NDIC- website - http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/hypoglycemia/)

Churches are recommended to have a blood glucose monitor, test strips, lancets and alcohol pads on hand in case of emergencies. If a person shows signs of Hypoglycemia (see below), taking time to test for blood sugar may not be advised at first, however. If someone has completely passed out, please do not waste precious time checking his/her blood sugar. If he/she is a known diabetic, have someone call 911 while someone else is administering a form of glucose drops or another safe quick-fix form of glucose to the individual. Follow 911s instructions and use those listed here to guide you until you can receive other medical help.1

Churches are encouraged to ask members with possible life-threatening diseases and/or disabilities such as diabetes to have on file with the church a list of their procedures to be followed in case an emergency should arise while at church or a church-related event.2

Hypoglycemia

Hypoglycemia, also called low blood glucose or low blood sugar, occurs when blood glucose drops below normal levels.

Hypoglycemia causes symptoms such as

  • hunger
  • shakiness
  • nervousness
  • sweating
  • dizziness or light-headedness
  • sleepiness
  • confusion
  • difficulty speaking
  • anxiety
  • weakness

Prompt Treatment for Hypoglycemia

When people think their blood glucose is too low, they should check the blood glucose level of a blood sample using a meter. If the level is below 70 mg/dL, one of these quick-fix foods should be consumed right away to raise blood glucose:

  • 3 or 4 glucose tablets
  • 1 serving of glucose gel-the amount equal to 15 grams of carbohydrate
  • 1/2 cup, or 4 ounces, of any fruit juice
  • 1/2 cup, or 4 ounces, of a regular-not diet-soft drink
  • 1 cup, or 8 ounces, of milk
  • 5 or 6 pieces of hard candy
  • 1 tablespoon of sugar or honey
Recommended amounts may be less for small children. The child's doctor can advise about the right amount to give a child.

The next step is to recheck blood glucose in 15 minutes to make sure it is 70 mg/dL or above. If it's still too low, another serving of a quick-fix food should be eaten. These steps should be repeated until the blood glucose level is 70 mg/dL or above. If the next meal is an hour or more away, a snack should be eaten once the quick-fix foods have raised the blood glucose level to 70 mg/dL or above.

[1]Comment suggested and added by Deb Wade, Chair of the United Methodist Committee on Disability Ministries and Convener of the North Alabama Conference of the UMCs Disability Ministries.

[2] Ibid.



North Alabama Conference of The United Methodist Church Bridge Builder Award

Local Churches are encouraged to be active in Disability Ministries, realizing that ministering to and being ministered by those with disabilities is a two-way bridge.

Steps for a Local Church to become a Bridge Builder:

  1. Have a lay member designated as the churchs Chair of Disability Ministries
  2. Show that the church had its annual Disability Awareness Sunday
  3. Show that the church completed its annual Accessibility Audit
  4. Have at least one Accessible Parking Space designated by the appropriate sign
  5. Have a local church Disability Ministries Fund (no set amount)
  6. Give a gift annually to the District Disability Ministry Fund (no set amount)
  7. Give a gift annually to the Conferences Special Disability Ministries Fund (896) again, no set amount
  8. Show at least THREE (3) specific things the local church has done in the previous 12 months in the area of Disability Ministries
  9. Pastor and local Chair of Disability Ministries both are signed up to receive the conferences Disability Ministries Newsletter

Churches must apply to be granted Bridge Builder status for the current Conference year. This status is for granted for the current year only. Churches are to apply each year, as we want our churches to me involved in Disability ministries on an ongoing basis, year after year. The 2012-2013 Conference years deadline to apply for Bridge Builder status is MAY 15. Applications for the 2013-2014 Conference year will be accepted AFTER JUNE 15.

If you have any questions, contact your District Director of Disability Ministries.



Fragrance Free


Six percent of the U.S. population experiences medically diagnosed chemical sensitivity. Another fifteen percent, self-reports this sensitivity. Did you know that 95& of the fragrances in colognes, perfumes, after-shave and hair care products, lotions, powders, some detergents and fabric softeners and other personal and clothing-care products are synthetic petrochemicals? The National Academy of Sciences has established that many of these chemicals are toxic.

We do not know how many people may have left our congregations in the past because of fragrance sensitivity. UMC clergy person, Rev. Nancy Firestone, a leader in this area, says, Many people slip away unnoticed because they can no longer tolerate fragrances.

Many churches due to their size or due to their layout cannot create a fragrance-free area, but EVERY church can adopt a Fragrance Reduction Policy. Below, is a short sample policy that I encourage every church in the North Alabama Conference to adopt. Feel free to edit it and make it your own. I would be very interested to receive copies of your policies after you have voted to adopt them.

Sample Fragrance Reduction Policy For Anywhere UMC

Whereas, we the people of Anywhere UMC take seriously the words of I Corinthians 12 that remind us that we are all one body in Christ Jesus and that

in order to be whole we need all parts of the body to be present;

Whereas, we the people of Anywhere UMC take seriously the command given by Christ in Mark 16:15 and feel it applies to all disciples of all time, that we are to go into the world and preach the gospel to ALL;

Whereas, we the people of Anywhere UMC understand that a growing number of our brothers and sisters have diagnosed chemical sensitivities to fragrances we hereby covenant together to implement this policy for our church family:

We will use unscented soaps and candles

We will use unscented cleaning supplies to the extent possible. Should scented cleaning supplies have to be used, we will strive to schedule their use when the building is not in use. We will also place a sign that scented cleaning supplies are in use

We will covenant together as a congregation to only wear deodorant that is unscented

We will covenant together as a congregation to either wear no cologne or perfume or to only wear cologne and perfume that is ORRIS ROOT free. We will further covenant together that if we do wear cologne and perfume that is orris root free; we will do so in limited amounts.



We Want To Hear From You!

Please tell us what your church is doing in the area of Disability ministries! Wed love to share your stories to inspire others!

Any church with an active Disability Ministries can send their information to their District Director of Disability Ministries. We will then contact you for more information for an article and for pictures. Our next newsletter will be the May/June edition. Information for this edition should be sent to ddvwade@gmail.com no later than June 1, 2013.


 

North Alabama Conference of The United Methodist Church
898 Arkadelphia Road
Birmingham, AL 35204
www.northalabamaumc.org