Ministering to the Chronically Ill: 20 Ways That Take 20 Minutes
Rest Ministries, the largest Christian organization that serves the chronically ill, recently did a poll, asking "List some of the programs or resources a church could offer to make it more inviting comfortable" Below is a sampling of the 800+ responses.
1. Send out emails that are encouraging.
2. Make sure the handicapped stalls in the restroom are functioning and clean.
3. Padded chairs or cushions would make church much easier, or also room for a wheelchair. And an extra place for my family to be able to sit with me.
4. An open attitude for a support group like HopeKeepers. It would make me feel very special that there was an understanding of needs that are not always visible.
5. Add more disabled parking, even if they are temporary spots.
6. Inform the ushers that people arriving late may have difficulty walking or getting out of cars and may need some assistance.
7. Ask volunteers to call people with chronic illness just to check on them when they don't make it to services.
8. When suppers are given, recognize that I may need help getting my meal--or at least understand that I won't be able to wait in a long line.
9. Be cautious when hugging. It may topple over or hurt a person.
10. Video tape of the service for DVD, don't just do a live web cast. My computer doesn't work that well.
11. Check out the church doors. Can someone with an illness open them with ease? If not, install a mechanical button to push them open.
12. Please don't tell me that if I really believed and had faith I would be healed by now. And don't insist how wonderful I look, because I know for a fact that I look terrible and miserable that day.
13. Offer me ways to serve within the church that can be performed regularly, but not on a set schedule. I still want to contribute, but I need some flexibility so that I can do a job when I feel well enough to do so.
14. Provide sermon notes in case I can't make it to the worship service and want to listen/take notes later.
15. Acknowledge National Invisible Chronic Illness Awareness Week. Rest Ministries has a nice book list of top 100 Christian books for the chronically ill. It would make a nice display in our bookstore that week.
16. Just mention about chronic illness! Talk about it in sermons as one of the challenges many people face just like unemployment.
17. Let me know about any Christian volunteers from church who would be willing to clean my house for a small fee. Some have offered to clean my house, but I am just not yet able to accept charity. But neither can I afford to pay a regular house cleaning service.
18. Have the church help with some of the small costs of providing encouraging books and resources for the church library. The chronically ill often cannot afford all that they'd like to read and will check them out.
19. Remember how many caregivers are in the church, not just caregiving for their parents, but also for their spouses or ill children.
20. Have copies of sermon for free on CD or computer.
Article Source: http://www.search-raven.com
About the Author
Get a free download of 200 Ways to Encourage a Chronically Ill Friend from "Beyond Casseroles" by Lisa Copen when you signup for to HopeNotes invisible illness ezine at Rest Ministries. Lisa founded Invisible Illness Week
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by: LisaCopen
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