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Church Partnerships

Connecting faith communities with individuals with disabilities and disadvantages...

The Challenge We Face Together

What community is more important than our faith communities? We know how we depend on our churches for support, encouragement, and spiritual growth.

This is no less true for people Hope Network serves. Statistics show, however, that many people with disabilities or disadvantages are not getting that vital spiritual nourishment. National studies reveal that more than 80 percent of people with disabilities do not attend church. Part of this is because of their own fear of acceptance. Part is because churches inadvertently raise barriers to these individuals' meaningful participation in a faith community.

Hope Network's Church Partnership Program is all about breaking down those barriers, reaching across them, and forming relationships between churches and people we serve.

We connect our sites, programs, and residents with a local faith community. Churches can work with individuals or group homes, focusing on people with a particular special need or serving those with a variety of issues. Each church develops a unique partnership that best suits its mission, abilities, and resources and the needs of the Hope Network people with whom they partner.

What Could Your Church Do?

This program catches the imaginations of parishioners because they all have opportunities to use their gifts. Here are a few ministry options:

• providing transportation to worship services and church activities
• leading a Bible study
• offering respite care for families of loved ones with disabilities
• hosting a social activity like a pizza party or bowling night
• being a special friend
• helping make the church handicapped accessible
• arranging meaningful employment
• receiving training on how to serve people with disabilities or disadvantages

Hope Network has residential homes for persons with disabilities. We have programs for people struggling to rebuild their lives after incarceration. Some of those we serve feel isolated because of their financial situation. Many of these individuals want to become members of a faith community. Imagine what the love, support, and acceptance of other Christians would mean to them.

"To watch the disabled worship the Lord the best they can is incredible. I have never in my years of evangelism seen God's glory shine [as it does] through those who we would consider handicapped…This ministry has been the highlight of everything I've dreamed of as one called to be in the evangelistic field."

F. Denis Napieralski
Central Assembly of God

"It has been extremely rewarding…to follow in the footsteps of Jesus Christ and minister His Word to those who are mentally ill. [These] people have become my friends."

Walter Rozeboom
Providence Reformed Church

If your church would like to become involved in this exciting ministry, please call Hope Network today. Hope Network West Michigan chaplain Joan Cornelison and Reverend Jake Heerema, Minister of Pastoral Services, are committed to linking persons with disabilities and disadvantages to churches where all God's people can grow in love for and ministry with each other.

Chaplain Joan Cornelison
616/248-5218

If you would like to make a tax-deductible donation to the Church Partnership Program, please send a check to:
Church Partnership Program Annual Fund
Hope Network
PO Box 890
Grand Rapids, MI 49518-0890