[Faith-Talk] Serving in Church and Related Issues

Sun Nov 16 01:52:35 UTC 2025

This might be a good time, then, to reach out to those who have offered help.

sent from Judy's Android braille tablet

----- Original Message -----
From: Pj Navarro via Faith-Talk <faith-talk at nfbnet.org>
Date: Saturday, November 15, 2025 05:31 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

I'm so sad.
On Sat, Nov 15, 2025 at 7:28 PM Ericka via Faith-Talk <faith-talk at nfbnet.org>
wrote:
> I can't speak to anything else PJ, but I do know what you're talking about
> when you say that you feel like you've been left out of the Nfb. There's
> been a lot of times where I suggested something and got talked over before
> I could share my idea. Blind people aren't very good at keeping their mouth
> shut and taking turns. Coming to things with a proposal works a little bit
> better but I know the Nfb plays favorites. That's why I'm not too active in
> a chapter, but I do support advocacy wherever I see it and try to be a good
> advocate and supporter of individuals.
> Ericka Nelson
> K E9DYN
> Proud general class him license owner
>
> > On Nov 7, 2025, at 3:28 PM, Pj Navarro via Faith-Talk <
> faith-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> >
> > PJ here, & the only reason I'm here is because Norma Crosby introduced
> me
> > to y'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 y'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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> >>>
> >>
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> >>>
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> >>
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