I have several friends who are disabled, several friends who have children with disabilities. Because I am involved in disability ministry, I often hear stories about the experiences my friends have had at Church. Sadly, the statements I hear from people and families impacted by disability is not always positive.

I hear statements such as these:

– The church does not care about me

– I’m an inconvenience to the church

– The church is ignorant about disability

– The church only cares about me if I have a miraculous healing

– I don’t think the church is aware of disability

– The church does not know what to do with my children

– Even at church I am an outsider

– My family is ignored

I have heard many stories that have broken my heart.

This is significant, because it reflects a lack of awareness and understanding. They don’t get that reaching out to the disability community or families impacted by disability matters. As a church, we still have a long way to go when it comes to embracing disability.

People with disabilities matter. Families impacted by disability matter. Disability Matters.

And this is where you come in, I’m asking you to join me with a little project and I really need your help.

I want to put together a video with statements from you about how you feel the church receives you, or the experience you have had at church. Short videos, just a few seconds long, think one or two sentences. Once you have them, send them to ellen@whydisabilitymatters.org

I want us to join our voices together. Your voice matters, your experience matters.

If you are an adult with a disability, or if you are a family impacted by disability, what do you have to say to the church?

One thing, and really important, this is not a, “Beat down the church and point out everything they are doing wrong,” project, but rather a, “Let’s help the church see and understand.” This is not about being angry, but rather about sharing heartfelt statements about what your experience has been, how you feel.

I want to combine all your words, your heartfelt messages and share them with as many churches as I can to help them understand. I really believe that together we can make a difference, together we can help bring some change.

I want churches to see the faces of the people who have been hurt, to hear the voices of the people who have felt overlooked. This might be a long shot, but I think we can bring about change.

So help me share this far and wide, I want to include as many voices in this project as I can!

Send your videos to ellen@whydisabilitymatters.org

With our stories, we can create change. Will you join me?

Friends, we can do this!

Editor’s note regarding the videos: You can use your phone, your computer, whatever you have in hand. Think one or two sentences so it will only take a few seconds. If you use your phone, landscape orientation works best.

And here is the video that explains the project:

This post was written for Disability Matters and was first published on the Disability Matters Blog