Sunday 6 June 2010

Who Was That Masked Man?

torch trust  Today is Disability Sunday. Lydia Tebbutt from the Torch Trust came and preached at our morning service.

We were all given blindfolds as we arrived, and at one point, she asked us to put them on so we could appreciate a little of what it means to be blind. So when the rest of the congregation couldn't see me, I am afraid I took their picture!!

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I think our fellowship are brilliant - they just get on and do whatever bizarre things the preacher asks of them. Here is Lydia after the service, enjoying a coffee with Helen, our Chief Steward.

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Bob led the first part of the service, which included communion - and also a time of prayer for the people of Cumbria.

So many of us have been to that beautiful part of the world for holidays, and can visualise the places where the shootings occurred.

It is so important to pray for people in need, even if we do not know them personally. I am always a little uncomfortable when I attend a Sunday Service and the prayers are entirely 'self-centred', as if nobody matters or exists outside of that particular congregation.

Lydia said that surveys have shown that as a group, disabled people are the least evangelised throughout the world! She contrasted that with the ministry of Jesus - where 50% of his recorded miracles involve direct ministry to those with disability.

Torch Trust offer lots of practical support for those with visual impairment. Check out their website [here] for ideas as to how you can be involved. Thanks Lydia, for coming today.

3 comments:

  1. A pause for thought--cottonreel

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  2. That was definitely a fascinating exercise!! As part of our staff training at the nursing home we used to put staff into a wheelchair and wheel them around the building - especially in elevators, up and down curbs, maybe immobilize an arm, put thick glasses on their eyes, later feed them pureed food, in order to teach them empathy. It certainly gives one a different perspective!! I've certainly been in favor of having that training revived, but it hasn't been done in the last few years.

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  3. Thanks Angela - Ken looks a bit scary in the photo! Mind you I think he had nodded off as it was warm and dark!!!

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