Greetings from Nazarene Disability Ministry!
By Rev. Ryan Nelson, Disability Ministry Coordinator | 15 Nov 2024
Did you know that Nazarene Disability Ministry will be offering online small groups for families with disabilities? We are excited to say we launched our pilot group in October 2024 (Thank you, Northwest District, for hosting this group!). More groups will be coming across more districts as we enter into 2025!
You may ask, “why do small groups matter?” To answer that, research shows that participating in a church small group increases church participation, a sense of belonging, and a deeper level of personal faith (Dougherty & Whitehead, 2011). Research also shows, when it comes to discipling children, it is this deep level of personal faith that is most influential for parents to share with their kids (Smith & Adamczyk, 2021). However, one response that we have heard from families who have children with disabilities is that they are not able or are not willing to participate in small groups at their church due to the lack of appropriate childcare.
We desire to bridge this gap by providing an online small group option for parents and caregivers of children with disabilities. These online small groups will have the benefit of mutual support from others who understand and can relate. We hope that ideas, successes, set-backs, and milestones can be shared in a supportive and encouraging community. Through these online small groups, parents and caregivers will have more access to the church, including Church of the Nazarene resources.
We desire to make church and church community as accessible as possible. Our hope is to cultivate a sense of belonging and a deeper level of personal faith. We also hope to build authentic relationships in which all people can learn, grow, and engage in order to honor God and edify the Body of Christ. We are committed to the spiritual growth and well-being of all families within our denomination.
If you would like to learn more about these online small groups, or if you would like to express interest in participating in or leading a small group on your district, you can click HERE. You can also scan this code to express interest in Nazarene Disability Ministry.
ONLINE SMALL GROUPS:
