JANETTE MCVEY
For more information, visit
www.rejoicingspirits.org; email info@rejoicingspirits. org; or call 610-363-6264, ext. 213.
for special needs. “Honestly, it takes a lot of resources,” she said. She is part-time director (with two part-time assistants) of this national program, which now has a budget, website and a guidebook for churches that want to start the ministry. It has received funding from Thrivent Financial for Luther- ans; Wheat Ridge Ministries, which supports health- and human-care programs; the ELCA Deaconess Foundation; and others.
Justin & family return to church Merrill Weber has seen her son, Justin Purdom, 21, grow in his faith at St. James Lutheran Church, Potts- town, Pa., which joined Rejoicing Spirits in 2005. “He does the Lord’s Prayer at the service,” she said of her son, who has autism and other intel- lectual disabilities. “He knows it’s his job.” The Webers looked for a church
that the family could attend, but often felt uncomfortable when Justin expressed himself in ways that were thought of as disruptive in a formal liturgy.
“Rejoicing Spirits got us back to
church,” she said. “It helped us find a church that we now call home. It’s a church that is 100 percent accept- ing of Justin. For Justin, he has a new church family that genuinely cares about him.” Weber credits one of her son’s occupational therapists for first bringing him to the service at St. James.
A perfect fit Sister Carol Weaver is a liaison to Rejoicing Spirits. The ELCA dea- coness, who serves with Lutheran Social Services of New England in Lewiston, Maine, said the ministry is a perfect match for the agency, whose mission is to improve the quality of life for people with disabilities. Weaver has managed the start of two Rejoicing Spirits programs in Maine—Grace Lutheran in Auburn and Trinity Lutheran in Westbrook. As worship coordinator, the former special education teacher looks for ways that allow people to express themselves in praising God. “God is here, the Spirit is here and we’re doing something to
improve the spiritual life of people,” Weaver said. “Folks are encouraged to be themselves. It’s OK to make noise, move around and do what you want to do. We clap hands, sing, and anyone in the congregation is encouraged to come up and lead us in song. There are many ways to praise God.” While the service is open to all, the basis of the ecumenical approach is Lutheran, said Weaver, and people of all religious traditions are invited to worship. “But we do go in cre- ative directions and are as inclusive as possible,” she said. Feedback on the ministry has been positive from both participants and churches, Crawford said. Singh-Hueter said Rejoicing Spirits has also taught congregation members about people with disabili- ties, especially to see them as the same and not different. “There’s a tendency to look and see people who are different, instead of seeing them first as people,” he said. He tells the story of his daughter Cassie, now 15, who has a big heart for the ministry: “My daughter was in first grade when the program started and was apprehensive about people with disabilities. I’ve seen her change in terms of her comfort level and her desire to reach out and be helpful; to not see someone with a need but, rather, to see a person who counts. She got that from the wor- ship service.” Rejoicing Spirits works for one
simple reason, he added: “In the body of Christ all are welcome, and this ministry provides that for a community of people that is often intentionally or unintentionally left out.”
Download a study guide for this article (free to print/Web members) at
www.thelutheran.org (click on “study guides”). March 2012 15
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