[Faith-Talk] getting involved in church

[Ericka]

Hi Ana!

I know there are a few communities of faith in the NFB state divisions. Wisconsin is blast and we are trying to get things going. This is the exact thing we want to help with! I agree with Wesley that you can go to a different church. But in your case it’s so hard to get to yours you might want to consider that. However if you believe in the preaching and teaching of the congregation this might not be such an option for you. If you can find a couple other people with the NFB to help you develop a question and answer time to teach the congregation about your disability rather than fight with them, it might be a better option. Send me a personal email and I will give you some help and so will the rest of us here in Wisconsin.
Include your personal contact information so we can find you!

My fiancé and I have a marvelous church which is very supportive. We are at a Lutheran (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Synod) congregation. My fiancé helps with the website and doing some office stuff. I help teach Sunday school. In other loser and congregations I have done pretty much everything including being on committees. I’m just saying that it’s possible! If you offered to educate, it goes along way. Some people aren’t going to show up, and some will show up and not ask questions. But if we give them a safe environment to ask those “scary Blind questions“ it’s the hope somebody understands and the fear dissipates. As our philosophy says, education will change things within time. Usually it’s not the time we want but then again we’ve got the faith and we walk by faith not by sight, right? I’m glad that you do get rides to church because it could be worse!

Will get you on our next communities of faith NFB Tele call in October so you can talk to others here. One of them is a blind Pastor. 

If you don’t hear from me immediately, be patient because we’ve got a wedding in November coming up and I have some surgeries. Plus my fiancé just got a new job. We’re going to do just this kind of discussion for our congregation in January. Your input will help greatly!

Ericka Short
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