News and notes from AMD, 26 June 2020

Here are the highlights of postings this week from the Association of Ministers with Disabilities, Disability Ministries Committee, Mental Health Ministries, Deaf and Hard-of-hearing Ministries Committee, and UM Congress of the Deaf.

Whether a congregation remains closed, open limited or fully, our inclusion resources remain important. This includes a list of resources from Disability Ministries, a list of ASL or captioned streams from Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Ministries , and guidance on inclusion: Online and Virtual Gatherings: Inclusion for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Members. In all of these situations, we ask that you show Christian love for others: stay aware of safety and be aware of signs of trauma or other health concerns, and follow conference recommendations.

We aren't sure if there will be a list next week, if not, watch for one on 10 July.
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AMD

• Crip Pastor: AMD rap video
• Random Acts of Expression: Summer Solstice
• Rev. Rebecca Writes: Fathers Day
• Random Acts of Expression: Night Time Vigil
• Rev. Rebecca Writes: Navigating the Storm
• Random Acts of Expression: Juneteenth
• Rev. Rebecca Writes: Blind with a vision
• Random Acts of Expression: Strange bedfellows
• Flying Kitty Monster: Singing a world
  

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DHM/UMCD

• July 25, 2020: Navigating Deaf Ministries, online, Information and Registration
  
• Christ Deaf UMC Juneteenth
• Deaf Missions: ASL bible filming
• Magothy UMC: Sunday service
• Assistive Technology: Vermont visor card
• Lovers Lane: Not Alone: a virtual Deaf gathering
• Deaf Link: Sri Lanka report
• Lovers Lane: Deaf Fellowship 6/21
  

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DMC

• Autistic Mama: Stop telling me you aren't ableist
• ASU Now: Living with a disability during a pandemic
• Community UMC-Community with a Cause: Friends Class
• Faith & Leadership: Disability is not a problem to be solved
  
• Tonia Says: Doughnuts and disappointment
• Alicia Crosby: Suffering is not a blessing
• Be A Disciple: IFDC1230 Disability Awareness
  

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MHM

• Book: Religion and Recovery from PTSD
• Spirituality and Practice: Spiritual practices for Coronavirus pandemic
  

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Click here for a list of events of interest to people in disability ministry.

This newsletter is generally issued weekly by the
United Methodist Association of Ministers with Disabilities,
a caucus of the United Methodist Church.

Click here to join this e-mail list.
This newsletter is also published on the UM Disability Blog
Visit us on the web or Facebook.

News and notes from AMD, 19 June 2020

Here are the highlights of postings this week from the Association of Ministers with Disabilities, Disability Ministries Committee, Mental Health Ministries, Deaf and Hard-of-hearing Ministries Committee, and UM Congress of the Deaf.

Whether a congregation remains closed, open limited or fully, our inclusion resources remain important.
This includes a list of resources from Disability Ministries, a list of ASL or captioned streams from Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Ministries , and guidance on inclusion: Online and Virtual Gatherings: Inclusion for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Members. In all of these situations, we ask that you show Christian love for others: stay aware of safety and be aware of signs of trauma or other health concerns, and follow conference recommendations.
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GCORR

• Real Talk: Impact of COVID-19 on People with Disabilities

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AMD

• Beckie Writes: Family
• Random Acts of Expression: Lectionary and liturgy for June 21
• Random Acts of Expression: Prayer at Night
• BYP: Ableism and calls to action
• Flying Kitty Monster: Traveling with an atlas
  

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DHM/UMCD

• Lovers Lane Deaf Fellowship Sunday worship
• Deaf BLM: "Am I Next" (ASL video)
• Lovers Lane Deaf Fellowship 20th Anniversary
• Living with Hearing Loss: How to combat social isolation
• Los Angeles Times: Face masks with windows
  

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DMC

• Andrew Pulrang for Forbes: Disability, outrage and action
• Abilities Expo Online this weekend
• Autistic Mama: Stop telling me you aren't ableist
• PBS: Disabilities and support in pandemic
• NCID: Ableism in Covid-19 responses
  

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MHM

• Summer 2020 Spotlight
• Life
  

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Click here for a list of events of interest to people in disability ministry.

This newsletter is generally issued weekly by the
United Methodist Association of Ministers with Disabilities,
a caucus of the United Methodist Church.

Click here to join this e-mail list.
This newsletter is also published on the UM Disability Blog
Visit us on the web or Facebook.

News and notes from AMD, 12 June 2020

Here are the highlights of postings this week from the Association of Ministers with Disabilities, Disability Ministries Committee, Mental Health Ministries, Deaf and Hard-of-hearing Ministries Committee, and UM Congress of the Deaf.

Whether a congregation remains closed, open limited or fully, our inclusion resources remain important. This includes a list of resources from Disability Ministries, a list of ASL or captioned streams from Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Ministries , and guidance on inclusion: Online and Virtual Gatherings: Inclusion for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Members. In all of these situations, we ask that you show Christian love for others: stay aware of safety and be aware of signs of trauma or other health concerns, and follow conference recommendations.

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GCORR Real Talk: The General Commission on Religion and Race is continuing its Real Talk Series. The next video conversation is this Tuesday, June 16th at 3pm Eastern: Impact of Covid-19 on People with Disabilities. This will be a conversation with two faith leaders with disabilities (one is Deaf and signs) about how they've been impacted by COVID-19 with some insights to the wider community.
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AMD

• Random Acts of Expression: Trinity
• Beckie Writes: Trinity Sunday
• Random Acts of Expression: Canticle in praise of the triune God
• Poplarville UMC (Eric Pridmore): June 7 service
• Random Acts of Expression: When my own words fail
• Flying Kitty Monster: The devil of details
• Random Acts of Expression: Prayer at morning
• Bev Hall:  How do you take your coffee?
• Random Acts of Expression: Prayer at noon
• Blog: AMD's Vows to Racial Justice
  

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DHM/UMCD

• Bishop McKee at Lovers Lane: Pentecost sermon (with ASL)
• Thomas Hudspeth: white privilege
• N. Ofili: Race and Deafness
• Lovers Lane Prayer Board
• LA Times: Signing BLM
• San Diego Times-Union: Hearing loop changes
• MIT Review: Pandemic tech for everyone
  

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DMC

• Beyond Words: Coronavirus picture stories
• AAIDD: 2020 Nouwen Award
• EcumenAbility: Reopening considerations
• NPR: Covid-19 deaths higher among DD
• Nation: #BlackDisabledLives
• Spectrum News: Autistic while Black
• Assistive Technology Blog: Blindness consultant who is blind
  

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MHM

• N. Hoffman, Remember
• Summer 2020 Spotlight
  

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Click here for a list of events of interest to people in disability ministry.

This newsletter is generally issued weekly by the
United Methodist Association of Ministers with Disabilities,
a caucus of the United Methodist Church.

Click here to join this e-mail list.
This newsletter is also published on the UM Disability Blog
Visit us on the web or Facebook.

AMD's Vows to Racial Justice

A Covenantal Letter by The United Methodist Association of Ministers with Disabilities

To our black, indigenous, and siblings of color in Christ, with whom we partner in ministry:

The following covenantal letter from The United Methodist Association of Ministers with Disabilities (AMD) comes from a place of grace that we pray inspires action across our denomination. We hope it will be received in this spirit.

The United States was built upon the backs of people of color who were slaves. Racism and racial injustices continue to be perpetuated by our denomination. For far too long, black, indigenous, and people of color have faced racism and discrimination. We acknowledge that racism has manifested through white privilege, complicity, neglect, oppression of others, and other forms of evil. We deeply regret the sins of the past and present and repent. AMD is committed to social justice and recognizes the need for commitment to racial justice because we feel both are vital.
The global call to support racial justice because of the killing of unarmed black people is spreading throughout the denomination, including by AMD. As a caucus of The United Methodist Church, members have seen injustices at all levels of the church and in society for far too long. While white privilege and individual racism are part of the problem, ending systemic racism is how we can create lasting change for the church and how we can love like Christ.

AMD also recognizes how racism intersects with discrimination against persons with disabilities, in that black, indigenous, and people of color with disabilities are much more likely to experience oppression, police brutality, sexual harassment, inequities, and poverty than white people with disabilities.

As a disability caucus, we publicly commit to racial justice and to social justice. We acknowledge that we have previously failed in the fight for racial justice, and we repent of this. AMD is making a covenant with its constituents -- people with disabilities, advocates, caregivers, ministers, others, and the wider church -- to include racial justice in our work of social justice.  We believe that God provides us with the grace of Jesus Christ to make the kin-dom a reality.

Our covenant is to the following:

• We vow to identify and dismantle white privilege and racism in our own minds, hearts, words, and actions. We will offer our caucus members training and resources.
• We vow to name and address racism and white privilege as a part of our caucus work. 
• We vow to work more closely in our collaborative work with racial and ethnic caucuses of The United Methodist Church.
• We vow to advocate for changes to policies and structures of the church that have been perpetuated by systemic racism.
• We vow to pray with action where the Lord guides us with various gifts and work for social justice AND racial justice. 

Yours in Christ,
Association of Ministers with Disabilities
Executive Team

The United Methodist Association of Ministers with Disabilities is a recognized caucus of the United Methodist Church and is ecumenical in membership. Visit the Association's website or Facebook page.

How do you take your coffee?

Coffee, anyone? 

Did you know that 83% of Americans drink coffee? Some like it black. Some take it with cream, while others use sugar. I had a friend who would use 8 teaspoons of sugar in his cup of coffee. I always asked him if he wanted some coffee with his sugar. 

I was pretty young when I started drinking coffee. I used to use sugar and cream. Now I just use cream. Some people prefer tea. I like both coffee and tea (and yes, I drink my tea with cream in it too!) When I lived in England, I used to help with their version of a “coffee fellowship” after services in the local Anglican Church. They didn’t have indoor plumbing, but they had a pump at the entry gate of the church cemetery. They would fill an electric kettle and a pitcher with the fresh well water. They would heat the water during the service and then served tea or instant coffee and “biscuits” (cookies) and we would ask, “Do you want it white or black?” (With or without milk). That question, “black or white,” still makes me think, especially right now after this last week. So, my question today is, “How do you take your coffee (or tea)?” It’s all in your perspective, isn’t it?

Looking at our spiritual lives, it’s never “black or white,” is it? Most often we navigate somewhere in between. We all need to figure out what works in our own faith. As people with disabilities, we are all too aware of prejudice, bullying, and discrimination. We know what it is like to be thought of as “less than,” because we are different. The question of being who we are, God’s children, gifted and called by God, sometimes passes us by because we are too busy hiding how God made us.

The Summons is one of those newer hymns that I thought, “It won’t catch on in my church,” but it did. The lyrics are beautiful and the melody haunting. It calls us to think. Whenever I would announce this hymn, I would say, “I hate the title, but it is a great hymn.” One day, I was interrupted by a young lady who is a savant who said, “I like the title. It means we are summoned to serve the Lord of Lords and King of Kings. What more could we ask for?” In these times of turmoil where we are polarized over issues that threaten to undo the very fabric of our faith, we would do well to remember our summons. It isn’t a question of white or black. It’s not just about racism. We need to pray for the human race. We need each other. And we need to heed God’s summons to each of us.

So how do you take your coffee or tea?

Bev Hall is pastor of Caldwell United Methodist Church in Ohio, and a member of the United Methodist Association of Ministers with Disabilities. This article is a devotion presented to an AMD meeting on 5 June 2020. Learn more about the AMD here or follow our Facebook page.

News and notes from AMD, 5 June 2020

Here are the highlights of postings this week from the Association of Ministers with Disabilities, Disability Ministries Committee, Mental Health Ministries, Deaf and Hard-of-hearing Ministries Committee, and UM Congress of the Deaf.

Whether a congregation remains closed, open limited or fully, our inclusion resources remain important.
This includes a list of resources from Disability Ministries, a list of ASL or captioned streams from Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Ministries , and guidance on inclusion: Online and Virtual Gatherings: Inclusion for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Members. In all of these situations, we ask that you show Christian love for others: stay aware of safety and be aware of signs of trauma or other health concerns.
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AMD

• UM Disability Blog: AMD on George Floyd
• Beckie Writes: Bald is Beautiful
• Beckie Writes: Poetry Review, The Misuse of Scripture
• Crip Camp: The official virtual experience
• Random Acts of Expression: Prayers for these times
• Beckie Writes: Writerwheels
• Random Acts of Expression: Worship in Psalmody
• Beckie Writes: Trinity Sunday
• Justin Hancock: video
  
• Random Acts of Expression: Trinity

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DHM/UMCD

• UMC ASL: Pentecost
• Living with Hearing Loss: Zoom is testing integrated captions
• HLAA: online convention
• Signs Unseen: Racism
  
• NAD: Remote employment
• CBS: ASL interpreters in Minnesota
• NBC: Face mask problems
• Leo Yates: Repentance (video)
  

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DMC

• Beckie Writes: Pentecost
• Christianity Today: Let's not stop adapting
• Eternity News: Church online has been great for our daughter
• L'Arche UK: The exceptions and the ordinary
• Christian Century: A neurodiverse God
• Christian Citizen: Pandemic and Platitudes
• Healthline: Physical disability and mental health care
  

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MHM

• Christian Citizen: Faith and mental health
• Gratitude
• Webinar June 9, Connecting Spirituality to Mental Health Services
  

-
Click here for a list of events of interest to people in disability ministry.

This newsletter is generally issued weekly by the
United Methodist Association of Ministers with Disabilities,
a caucus of the United Methodist Church.

Click here to join this e-mail list.
This newsletter is also published on the UM Disability Blog
Visit us on the web or Facebook.

AMD statement on George Floyd

“True peace is not merely the absence of tension; it is the presence of justice.” –Martin Luther King, Jr.

“Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.” –James Baldwin.

Over the past week, we have watched and mourned as, once again, a black man’s life was unjustifiably and brutally taken from him at the hands of a police officer in the United States. George Floyd was wonderfully and beautifully made in the image of God, and what happened to him is not only unacceptable, but it has become a far too common occurrence in an increasingly divided society.  

The leaders of the Association of Ministers with Disabilities of the United Methodist Church affirm our solidarity with those who protest Floyd’s senseless death and the countless other black lives that have been lost. We, along with many who are fighting for justice, mourn the ongoing systematic racism and brutality that continue to hold an evil grip on our country.

As Paul says in his letter to the Corinthians, we are all jointly a part of the body of Christ, and when one suffers, we all suffer, and when one is honored, we can all rejoice together (1 Corinthians 12:26)

As members of the disability community, we, as the Association of Ministers with Disabilities know what it is like to be a part of a group that experiences prejudice and bigotry because of the way we look, speak, and behave. Today, we voice our support for all minority groups who face continued oppression, and we are committed to listening to, lifting up, and amplifying voices from within these communities.

As AMD member Chris Wylie said, “You cannot call for peace without also acting for justice. Injustice, racism, systemic failure, and greed is the cause of all we see. It’s up to each of us to change that.”