Life as a Christian Woman

Are you or someone you know unable to attend weekly services due to disability? Are you a member of a church, but are physically unable to participate in many of the activities? Are you a pastor with elderly or disabled congregation members? Personal ministry is still very possible if you make your availability known. These are just a few ways that the disabled can still have a personal ministry and stay active in the church.

TELEPHONE CALLS. Maybe a disabled church member can’t get out much, but can he or she still use a telephone? If so, take advantage of it. Do you have a committee meeting coming up? Give that member a list of the committee members a couple of days before the meeting and let them make reminder phone calls. The committee will have higher attendance rates because they didn’t forget, and the caller stays in the loop by talking to other members of the church and catching up on the latest news. Has there been a tragedy in the community that needs a quick response from the church? One phone call from the pastor or secretary to your “telephone attendant” allows you to get back to early response, while that caller uses her time to alert the church volunteer roll.

E-MAILS. Maybe you have trouble walking and getting around like you need to, but you can use a computer. E-mails are a great way to keep in touch with church happenings, special services, and prayer chain requests. Offer to write and send out messages to the e-mails lists as needed. You get to help out the church staff, the members can reply to your e-mails, and you can keep up with what is going on in your church family.

PUT TOGETHER BASKETS/GIFTS. Arrange to have baskets and supplies brought to your home so you can help put them together. If your church hands out evangelism packets or new visitor baskets, you can help the evangelism teams by putting together the supplies and then having someone from the team pick them up. You can also put together prisoner hygiene packages, holiday gifts for needy children, gifts for soldiers, or goody bags for Sunday school classes and Vacation Bible School. All it takes is one or two members of the church to deliver the supplies to your house and pick them up. And each package that is put together with love and a prayer will touch the life of a child or person in need. They may not meet you in person, but they will have the best part of your giving spirit and Christian ministry.

I have often heard elderly and disabled church members say that the thing they most regret is not being active any longer in the ministries of the church. But that doesn’t have to be the case. Explore ways you can stay in the loop. If you are a pastor or church leader, don’t concentrate only on those who are in the pews every Sunday. Help your home-bound members stay active in the church and use their talents, whatever they may be. Everyone has a role to play in the Body of Christ.

Read Discovering Your Personal Ministry to explore other ways you can work for Christ.

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