The Bible teaches that God created all people in His own image, irrespective of their physical or mental condition. Therefore, each individual life is a gift from God and must be valued. The Testimony of the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America (RPCNA) reads, “All people, regardless of their mental or physical condition, are made in the image of God. Each person’s life is a gift from God. We are not to evaluate individuals in terms of their mental and physical ability or appearance. The church should be careful to accept and cherish its handicapped, incorporating them into the life of the church. In evangelistic outreach the church should not overlook handicapped persons but seek them out, minister to them and pray for their conversion” (26:4, added in 1994).

The 1993 Synod of the RPCNA appointed the Reformed Presbyterian Woman’s Association (RPWA) to the enormous, but vital, task of developing a ministry to the disabled in our midst. Their charge included assisting congregations, elders, deacons, and families of the RPCNA around the country who were ministering to the disabled in their local context.

In 2017, recognizing that the original structure set up 24 years earlier had lost momentum, the RPWA sought to re-energize the ministry by the appointment of a Disabilities Ministry Steering Team. Reaching from the West Coast to the East, the RPWA asked six individuals, each with direct experience working with the disabled, to serve. Karen Olson (Seattle, Wash., RPC), Debby O’Neill (Topeka, Kan., RPC), Rich Johnston (Second [Indianapolis, Ind.] RPC), Nola Youngman (Rose Point [New Castle, Pa.] RPC), and Martin Blocki and Bill Weir (North Hills [Pittsburgh, Pa.] RPC) currently serve on this Disabilities Ministry team.

Recognizing that the world of disabilities is complex, and the needs experienced by the disabled and their caregivers vary greatly, the ministry team has chosen to focus its efforts on:

1. Financial support of the disabled (and their caregivers) to attend presbytery camps, the Reformed Presbyterian International Conference (RPIC), and Camp Joy;
2. Financial assistance to local congregations doing building renovations to make their facilities accessible to the disabled;
3. Education; and
4. Counsel to individuals, families, or congregations (elders, deacons, general membership) impacted by disability.

In addition, the steering team seeks to connect with congregations through locally appointed “congregational representatives” throughout the denomination to help the team know specific issues faced by congregations and to function as a communication conduit with the team.

This year, the Disabilities Ministry is pleased to financially assist disabled individuals with a significant portion of the cost to attend RPIC in June. The Disabilities Ministry is also helping to fund individual scooters for those who need them in navigating around the campus of Indiana Wesleyan University.

The Disabilities Ministry Team will also be presenting several workshops at RPIC. Families with special needs members, caregivers, and elders and deacons in congregations impacted by disability should plan to attend. The topics include:

1. Testimonies of God’s grace (What is God doing?)
2. Who cares for the caregivers? (Ministering to those forgotten in the disability equation)
3. How can we help? (How can the church minister to those impacted by disability?)
4. Camp Joy (Jeff Lesslie, executive director of Camp Joy, will be speaking about this important ministry to the disabled.)

Another exciting opportunity will be two afternoon workshops about Second (Indianapolis, Ind.) RPC’s ministry, “Friendship Bible Study.” Rich Johnston, chair of the Disabilities Ministry Committee, will be presenting these workshops. Rich states, “In 1990, God did a sad and wonderful thing to me. God gave my wife, Beckie, and me a third child, a son born with Down syndrome. Of course, I asked, ‘Why, God?’ I was shocked and devastated. Beckie handled it better than I, although I pretended to be okay. I was shaken! It took many years to discover the beauty and significance of Stephen’s life. The beauty of his faith, the vitality of his love for others, and the spiritual gifts he brought into our family are truly wonderful. Our family has learned many lessons from Stephen. His ability to love people and make friends is truly remarkable!”

In an article that appeared in the RP Witness, Rich and Beckie’s son, Pastor Brad Johnston (Topeka, Kan., RPC), wrote, “How does a local church help a devastated family to face the severe trials often associated with a special needs person (e.g., born with Down syndrome, brain damage, catastrophic accident, or dementia)? What hope can a local church give to a family traumatized by such circumstances?”

This led the Johnston family in 2014 to start what is now a thriving ministry called Friendship Bible Study, a weekly gathering of adults with disabilities. The Disabilities Ministry Committee hopes to encourage this type of ministry in churches in the RPCNA by providing:

1. A demonstration class that allows people to see how this ministry “works,” and
2. An opportunity to give instruction about starting such a ministry at the local level and opportunity for discussion and asking questions.

If you are interested in such a ministry and are attending RPIC this summer, you are encouraged to attend these sessions. The Disabilities Ministry is pleased to announce its launch of a website where individuals can learn more about this vital organization of the RPCNA: www.rpc-cares.org. Please go to this website and learn more about what we do and how you can support this ministry.

The Disabilities Ministry Committee currently has congregational representatives in many of our RP congregations. The intent is for individuals impacted by disability to reach out to their representative regarding any of their church’s needs. Through the delegation of ministry to the representative, the committee hopes that congregations will be able to effectively and efficiently communicate local needs related to the disabled in their midst. The Disabilities Ministry Committee seeks to provide financial assistance with building modifications, connect people to available resources, educate, and provide counsel. If you would like to serve as a congregational representative, please contact one of our committee members.

We encourage the disabled and their friends and family to attend the RP International Conference at Indiana Wesleyan University June 25–July 1.