A Saturday workshop aims to help individuals and churches "share the need and blessing” of people with disabilities. "Disability Ministries Information for Dummies” will be presented from 10a.m. – 2:30 p.m. at Grapevine Baptist Church in Madisonville by David Glover of Zachariah's Way. The Georgia-based ministry started in 2003 because of the inspiration of Glover’s grandson, Zachariah Emerson, who was born with multiple disabilities and died at age 4.
“I tell people it's something that we were called to do through the birth of our grandson." Glover said in a telephone interview. "We were confirmed to do it through his death.... It just opened our eyes to this world”.
Individuals with disabilities male up 10-20 percent of the U.S. population, he said.
“Unfortunately, the church, the real body of Christ, has not done a lot to reach special people,” Glover said. “We’re just out among churches and regular everyday people just to help them become more aware of special needs people and to allay their fears.”
The workshop will present information on disabilities, basic facts about families experiencing disabilities, how to reach out to these families, a biblical rationale for an inclusive ministry, and an approach to including students with disabilities.
The book, “Disability Ministry Information for Dummies,” will be available for $5.00.
To register, call the church at 821-5117 or visit www.grapevinebaptistchurch.org. An offering will be taken during the program, and a sack lunch will be provided.
Pastor Gifford said the seminar is a first for him – and the church. Vicki Renn, the mother of two children with disabilities, brought the need to the church’s attention.
“Our goal is to help families in this community minister better to their children and help churches minister to families that have those kinds of needs," Gifford said. "There are many, many people in this community, in our public school system, also in our churches, that are looking for help. Our goal is just to help them find a way to minister and not be afraid of special needs people."
Even small efforts can make a big difference, said Glover, who helped start the ministry after participating in the development of several technology companies. "A special needs mom, just by going up and speaking to their child first and directly, and not pretending they don't exist — you can give them enough encouragement by doing that to last them a week," he said. 'They don't get that"
In the workshop, he'll spend some time on the basic components of a special needs ministry.
"It's not a cookbook or anything like that that would allow a church to say, 'OK, we can follow A, B and C, then we'll have a special needs program,” Glover said.
'It's not that way. It's more getting people to be aware, get their hearts in tune with what Jesus would have them do." | 
