Creative Ideas for Worship with All Abilities

by Hazel Bradley, Jim Cargin

Overview

This vital resource explores the essential considerations of pastoral work with those with intellectual disabilities.

Drawing on the vast experience of the L’Arche community that fully includes and centers those with intellectual disabilities, this practical guide offers ideas for imaginative worship to engage people with all abilities. It gives suggestions for enabling participation and building familiarity while keeping worship fresh and varied, with ready-to-use themed service outlines that are appropriate throughout the Christian year. It includes a compendium of resources for creating your own acts of worship, including prayers, blessings, stories, quotes, a directory of online resources, ideas for what to keep in a “liturgy box,” ideas or seasonal decoration of the worship space, and many more resources from L’Arche.

This book is rooted in the belief that each human being is on a spiritual quest to find meaning in their life, and while each person’s path is uniquely their own, we share the journey together. The important thing is to encourage each other’s personal development, and celebrate the gifts and talents that emerge within and for the whole community.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781640654006
Publisher:	Morehouse Publishing
Publication date:	04/16/2021
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	248
File size:	988 KB

About the Author

HAZEL BRADLEY has forty years of international experience of L’Arche. She has created many worship services for L’Arche International, L’Arche UK and various communities. These include funeral services, jubilee celebrations and large assemblies. She has also co-authored a workbook available on the World Community for Christian Meditation website on meditating with groups of people with and without learning disabilities.
JIM CARGIN is a copywriter on the L’Arche International Communications Team, past editor of Letters of L’Arche, and the former communications director in L’Arche Internationale.

Table of Contents

List of Illustrations ix

Acknowledgements xiii

Foreword the Rt Revd Stephen Conway xvii

Preface: The purpose of this book xix

Introduction xxi

Delighting in the gifts of all our members xxiii

Welcome to our church: bridges and obstacles xxvii

Part 1 Towards an inclusive church: how to include people with a learning disability in the life of the church 1

A questionnaire on disability and inclusion for a church leadership team 3

Examples of specific ministries including people with learning disabilities 5

Guidelines on accompanying a person with learning disabilities to church 8

A church belonging form 12

Part 2 Towards creative inclusive church services 15

Ideas and suggestions for inclusive church services 17

Fight basic guidelines 23

Opening up Scripture with people with learning disabilities 24

How to prepare inclusive mimes on Scripture stories 28

An adapted Holy Communion Prayer 33

Part 3 Twelve examples of church services 35

1 The call of Abraham 37

2 The call of Moses 42

3 The call of Mary 47

4 The Visitation 51

5 The Presentation of Jesus in the Temple 55

6 The wedding at Cana 61

7 The Samaritan woman 66

8 The parable of the sower 71

9 The feeding of the 5,000 76

10 The raising of Lazarus 81

11 The call of Mary Magdalene 86

12 The risen Jesus appearing by the lakeside 92

Part 4 How to plan creative inclusive small group celebrations 99

Introduction 101

Guidelines for planning small group celebrations 102

Twelve small group celebrations

1 Building up the body 106

2 Light in the darkness 112

3 Encouragement - the Visitation 117

4 Welcome - Abraham and Sarah at Mamre 124

5 Searching and finding - Parable of the Lost Coin 130

6 Forgiveness and reconciliation 135

7 Discovering the most important thing - Parable of the Pearl 140

8 Looking after each other - the Washing of the Feet 147

9 The Cross 153

10 Transformation 161

11 Celebration - Parable of the Banquet 166

12 Gifts - Pentecost 172

Appendixes

1 A glossary of 'Church-speak' for all 185

2 Songs 194

3 Booklist 204

4 Online resources 206

5 Templates 208

Notes 215