[Faith-Talk] Serving in Church and Related Issues

Fri Nov 7 23:19:39 UTC 2025

Honestly
The people in church or other churches have always known me for years now I
even tried then to serve so people have known me for ever basically i may
have jumped around a little but some of same people are still in these
churches.
only thing that might be different is maybe a pastor change or maybe few
leadership changes.

So it is not like people don't know me  at all.    though.

On Fri, Nov 7, 2025 at 5:04 PM Judy Jones via Faith-Talk <
faith-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:

> Ah, PJ, I really like your idea of a Facebook group, for blind Christians,
> but why would it have to be under the NFB umbrella, if the goal is bringing
> blind Christians together?
>
> Last year, I started a Faith-Walk Influencers e-mail group on groups.io.
> Not very active, but is a place where blind folks can talk about church and
> world issues as they relate to the church and Bible.
>
> A few years ago, God was also leading me to reach out to other women in
> some kind of ministry, and I ended up starting the Skagit Women's Bible
> Study And Fellowship page and group  on Facebook. I wanted a place for
> women to go to learn about Christ if they had no church home, or were
> interested in making new Christian friends, not to get them into a church,
> but to be a space outside the church where they could still get Bible and
> fellowship.
>
> The group itself now is 198 women, and I've gotten to know some wonderful
> ladies. The actual studies themselves have been quite small. We've had them
> at my house or I've scheduled a conference room at the town library. Not
> very many people post, yet it does get likes, views, etc. I have led Bible
> studies, others have posted some, and I heard from a new lady a few weeks
> ago who is housebound in another town in our county, yet wanting to start
> one. Two other ladies have had studies as well. All of them small, but I
> told God this belonged to him, so doesn't matter how large or how small, as
> long as people are being reached.
>
>
>
>
>
> sent from Judy's Android braille tablet
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Pj Navarro via Faith-Talk <faith-talk at nfbnet.org>
> Date: Friday, November 07, 2025 01:29 PM
> To: "Faith-talk, for the discussion of Blindness in faith and religion" <
> faith-talk at nfbnet.org>
> CC: Pj Navarro <psnj16 at gmail.com>
> Subject: Re: [Faith-Talk] Serving in Church and Related Issues
>
> PJ here, & the only reason I'm here is because Norma Crosby introduced me
> to you'all a couple years ago after getting mad at me. Apparently the main
> reason we're all stuck in this private conversation of back & forth emails
> is because we're not allowed to create a public Facebook group for
> Christians in the NFB, which is what i tried to do. It was going to be
> a group where hundreds & even thousands can benefit & be inspired by
> faith-talk. Don't you'all understand how misleading it is given that my
> own local NFB Chapter meetings are held in a church called Love & Grace? In
> the beginning of last year, after being elected a board member for the
> Coastal Bend Chapter over here in Corpus Christi, Texas, I ended up just
> leaving the group soon after due to poor leadership & the small group's
> lack of enthusiasm. Not to mention I was continuously excluded from the
> messages but that's besides the point. The main point is I tried my best to
> fix what's broken in the NFB Andrew, but maybe you have something I lack,
> use your perseverance & succeed where I failed.
> PS- I tried attending the local White Cane Day March for Independence last
> month, yet upon my arrival, why was I not surprised to learn that it was
> cancelled on the spot?
>  PPS- The main thing our chapter has done was fundraise for everyone's
> attendance at national convention, but even with all that money, even my
> donations of over $350, not a single member has been able to attend for
> years! All of you say we're not forgotten, BUT SOME OF US MOST CERTAINLY
> HAVE BEEN!
> For Shame,
>
> On Fri, Nov 7, 2025 at 2:41 PM andrew edgcumbe via Faith-Talk <
> faith-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> > Hi all
> > The other thing is what if those particular churches don't support maybe
> > support is the wrong word though but what if  i could say it generally
> but
> > i am keeping it faith based for this groups sake but  most sighted people
> > or pastors or people in leadership may side line blind people and how can
> > we show pastors we can do stuff because lets say somebody isn't given
> those
> > chances to even try and try over and over again.
> > Why and i am being kind of whatever don't we have articles describing
> what
> > blind people can do for or relate to faith community.
> > Also there should be you tubes we could send to pastors yes we can
> advocate
> > all day all we want and not get anywhere.
> > Sooner or later NFB if they are aware of these issues and yes churches or
> > whatever it is or community  NFB needs to come up with documents
> explaining
> > or even you tube footage to show churches that we can do things.
> > Why isn't more of that stuff being done  in faith based settings or for
> > faith based settings.
> >
> > What if an blind individual doesn't have the tools to work through those
> > things by themselves when it comes to churches.
> > It is a running theme and we need to think of a way as a collective body
> to
> > deal with this or things won't get better If we want the better world for
> > christians or blind people there needs to be more consistancy and some
> > faith based programs that can teach blind people how to minister and how
> to
> > whatever I am not talking about jobs here i am just talking about
> > vollunteer opportunities.
> > What good are we doing as an orginization if we don't offer support to
> the
> > blind population more needs to be done then just say to them go advocate
> > some may not have experience some may not be the most experienced blind
> > person from a christian point of view.
> > After all churches have caused allot of hurt when it comes to disabled
> > people.  there is plenty of articles online about even just disability
> > people in churches.
> > Mom has looked up stuff along those lines because even my Mom has been
> > trying to help in find out things to.
> >
> > Because pastors and ministry leaders in my opinion should get trained on
> > disability and blindness that is how I feel.
> >
> > We need to come up with resources specifficaly for churches to help them
> be
> > able to serve disabled or blind people that is the opinion I have about
> > that.
> >
> >
> > On Fri, Nov 7, 2025 at 3:03 PM Chris Nusbaum via Faith-Talk <
> > faith-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> >
> > > Dear Friends:
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > I have been following with equal parts interest and concern the thread
> > > started yesterday by Andrew and PJ, which now contains contributions
> from
> > > several people who share widely varying perspectives on ministry, the
> > > Church
> > > (big C and little c), and even faith as a whole. In some ways there is
> > too
> > > much here to respond to in one message, but I'll try to distill my
> > thoughts
> > > into something that makes sense.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Let me first address Andrew and PJ directly. Andrew, I think you have
> > > brought up a problem that far too many of us can relate to. In fact, it
> > may
> > > be true that there are more blind people who have struggled to be
> > accepted
> > > in a church than those who have easily been accepted in one. Perhaps
> > there
> > > are even more blind Christians without a church home than with one. I
> > don't
> > > know if this is also true of other faiths, but I wouldn't be surprised.
> > To
> > > my knowledge, no one has done a study on this to come up with any
> factual
> > > statistics, so anything I say on the subject would be my own
> speculation.
> > > Either way, it's a theme that comes up frequently on this list, and we
> > have
> > > had at least 2 panel discussions about it at recent meetings of the NFB
> > > Blind Christians Group at our national convention. Furthermore, the
> > > underlying purpose of the call we hosted last year with the Prayer and
> > > Crisis Referral Network was to introduce our members and friends to a
> > > ministry that is already interested in including blind people and is a
> > > perfect fit for those who are having trouble finding their place in a
> > > church. The same is true of the Phone Faith ministry previously
> mentioned
> > > in
> > > this thread, which I haven't participated in yet but which I probably
> > will
> > > call into soon now that I've heard more about it. I say all this to
> make
> > > the
> > > point, Andrew and PJ, that you are not alone-not by a long shot. In
> > fact, I
> > > believe the great challenge for blind people in communities of faith is
> > how
> > > to balance our desire to be included as equals with our need to
> advocate
> > > for
> > > the accommodations we require. This list, as well as the faith-based
> > groups
> > > of the Federation, exist as a space where those challenges can be
> brought
> > > into the open and solutions can be developed.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Now that I've addressed the problem, let's see if I can suggest a
> > solution
> > > or two. Back in 2015, I wrote an article for Future Reflections (NFB's
> > > magazine for parents and teachers of blind children) titled "Finding My
> > > Niche." Since its main focus was after-school extracurricular
> > activities, I
> > > won't quote it or link to it here; you can look it up if you want to
> read
> > > it. But the main point of the article applies as much to church life as
> > it
> > > does to after-school life: If our goal is to be included in the wider
> > > community, the first step is to find our niche-the part of that
> community
> > > that fits our talents and interests. I got involved in the NFB during
> > > middle
> > > school and became more involved in student leadership as I went through
> > > high
> > > school and college, partly because I had trouble finding a place in the
> > > clubs sponsored by the school, even in the music-related activities
> that
> > > should have been where I belonged. As I progressed through college,
> > > however,
> > > I was blessed to find more acceptance in certain small groups there,
> and
> > > made friends within those groups. I was also in another state, so I
> > wasn't
> > > as involved in NFB. Now I'm working and have lived in 2 more states,
> > > finally
> > > coming back to my home state of Maryland. I have been in a variety of
> > > churches, sometimes finding a niche, sometimes not. But I'm now back in
> > NFB
> > > again at various levels. So, apparently, the blind community is my
> > > niche-or,
> > > at least, one of them.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > The same, I think, is true of a church. Most churches have many
> > ministries
> > > and multiple small groups and Bible studies. So, I urge you to try one
> > out.
> > > If it doesn't work, try another, and another, and so on. Eventually,
> you
> > > will find your niche. Like any leader, the pastor does not lead a
> church
> > > alone, nor is it the pastor's responsibility to find a place where each
> > > member belongs. The pastor can provide support and solve problems among
> > > members, but ultimately one's involvement in a ministry is between that
> > > person and the ministry's leadership. So, I urge you: Keep trying until
> > you
> > > find your niche, even when it gets discouraging (notice I said when,
> not
> > > if). If it's not at one church, it may be at another. Or it may be on
> the
> > > Prayer Line (shameless plug), in our Christians Group, or in some other
> > > virtual ministry. Whatever it is, as you pray for discernment and keep
> > > trying, I believe you will eventually find it.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Finally, I want to try to lovingly and prayerfully address the
> > expressions
> > > of depression expressed in this thread. First, as a brother in Christ
> and
> > > as
> > > a fellow member of our blind community, I'm incredibly sorry to hear
> that
> > > you are going through this, and my prayers are with you. I also note
> that
> > > this depression has been solely attributed to the struggles with
> church,
> > as
> > > if your challenges in gaining acceptance in a faith community defines
> > your
> > > life. If you really feel that you are a "failure," that God has
> > "forgotten"
> > > you, I wonder if that depression really goes deeper than that. I'll
> just
> > > leave that there for you to think and pray on. Let me also commend to
> you
> > > these lyrics from an inspiring contemporary Christian song:
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > "The truth is I am my Father's child.
> > >
> > > I make Him proud and I make Him smile.
> > >
> > > I was made in the image of a perfect King,
> > >
> > > He looks at me and wouldn't change a thing.
> > >
> > > The truth is I am truly loved by a God who's good when I'm not good
> > enough.
> > >
> > > I don't belong to the lies, I belong to You.
> > >
> > > And that's the truth." -Megan Woods
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > I have probably gone on too long already, but all of this has been
> > weighing
> > > heavily on my heart, and I'm grateful for this platform which allows me
> > to
> > > share it. Thank you all for sharing your hearts with us.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > With prayers that the "peace that passes all understanding" will remain
> > > with
> > > each of us,
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Chris
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Christopher A. Nusbaum
> > >
> > > Assistive Technology Trainer for Blind/Low-vision Students and Adults
> > >
> > > Board Member, Assistive Technology Trainers Division, National
> Federation
> > > of
> > > the Blind
> > >
> > > Cell: (443) 547-2409
> > >
> > > Work: (443) 487-6262
> > >
> > > Personal email:  <mailto:cnusbaumnfb at gmail.com> cnusbaumnfb at gmail.com
> > >
> > > Work email: canaccesssolutions at gmail.com
> > > <mailto:canaccesssolutions at gmail.com>  or cnusbaum at ais-llc.com
> > >
> > >  <https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-nusbaum-274384136> LinkedIn
> > >
> > > Schedule a meeting with me <https://fantastical.app/cnusbaum/cas>
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. Plans to help
> > you
> > > and not to harm you; plans to give you a hope and a future." -Jeremiah
> > > 29:11
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > _______________________________________________
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