Publications
The Connections newsletter and Opening Doors blog are written by ADN staff and field associates, as well as guest writers. The stories and reflections of individuals with disabilities illuminate their rich faith life and their lived experience. Contributions from faith communities dedicated to fostering inclusion encourage other congregations to embrace diversity and nurture spaces of belonging. Together, these stories underscore the importance of accessibility, empathy, and education in creating faith communities where everyone can fully participate and thrive.
Connections Newsletter
Christ of the Wheelchair
Pastor Derek Yoder reflects on his spiritual journey as a minister to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and how he came to create the icon, Christ of the Wheelchair.
Everybody’s Theology Matters
Keith Dow reflects on the Images of God project, a collaborative artistic effort with participants with intellectual disabilities.
Book Review: Blessed is the Body
This year’s Lenten devotional from Herald Press, Blessed Is the Body: Disability Justice and the Community of Christ by Tatum Tricarico, is a thoughtful and accessible reflection on biblical texts centering disability and how they can inform the life of the church.
Opening Doors Blog
Built for Everybody
Camp Friedenswald, a Mennonite camp in southern Michigan, has worked hard to make their camp a place that is accessible and welcoming for people of all abilities.
Come As You Are
Camp KIND demonstrated the beauty of community by calling out each other’s gifts, gently loving people’s weaknesses, and fostering feelings of belonging and unity among participants and staff alike.
Worship for Everybody
What if our Church gatherings were designed with everybody in mind – from toddlers to elders, from disabled folks to neurodivergent thinkers?
Going Deeper
Sensory Rooms
Sensory rooms are needed places of quiet in the midst of celebration. Here Sarah Werner shares about the sensory room at Mennonite Church USA’s biennial convention.
An Anxious Presence
Board member and field associate JE Misz shares advice for how churches can welcome people with anxiety.
Opening Doors at Immanuel Mennonite Church
Chris Moore shares about the barrier free grant that Immanuel Mennonite Church in Harrisonburg, VA received.
Media Reviews
Resource Review: Believing and Belonging
Field Associate Sarah Werner reviews the anabaptist baptism & membership curriculum for adults with intellectual disabilities.
Book Review: Dancing with Elephants
Mindfulness Training for Those Living with Dementia, Chronic Illness, or an Aging Brain.
Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution
Hannah Thompson and Peter Graber offer their honest reviews of this Sundance film.
