Written by Evan Clulee John Swinton said, “To be included you just need to be present. To belong you need to be missed.” (From Inclusion to Belonging. Pg 184, line 6). I agree with John, and it is a powerful and important distinction. This speaks volumes to me. Being missed by the community, or […]
Margie Willers – From Pain to Pearls
March 13, 2023
Please note that since this article was written Margie has passed away. We are deeply grateful for all she gave to this ministry and to the Kingdom of God. Sitting with Margie in a Care Home in Mt Maunganui I am deeply moved. The co-founder of CFFD (now Elevate Christian Disability Trust) is completely bedbound, […]
Volunteer Spotlight: Heather Major
March 13, 2023
I have been involved with CFFD Waikato since the lovely late Edith Morris and her husband Noel hosted a hui* at their house in February 2012 with Di and Hugh about CFFD Waikato being resurrected. The group had been in recess for 10 years as I recall and Athaline Morris (no relation) was the previous […]
46 Years in Ministry: Hugh and Di Willis
July 26, 2022
Hugh and Di Willis have stepped outside of the spotlights, but don’t call it retirement. The couple is still very much part of the ministry. With Kirsty Armitage at the helm in the role as ‘National Director’ of Elevate Christian Disability Trust, Hugh and Di continue to give her their full support, with all the […]
LOVE IS, LOVE ISN’T, LOVE ACTUALLY
June 18, 2022
Written by Wes Walter* JACK* A large, ‘successful’ church: good-looking successful people. And if you’re female, being blonde (whether by birth or by bottle) helps. If you’re popular in the media, so good. We love you! But you? You’re in a wheelchair? We’ve got a ramp, and a wheelchair loo [good for storing gear in] […]
Contributing to the Transformative Work of the Body of Christ
June 16, 2022
Written by Coralie M. Bridle Introduction My eldest son, Samuel, gently led me into the world of sustained theological enquiry. In doing so he has made extraordinary contributions to my life without leaving the confines of his wheelchair. As catalyst for questions, he does not have the vocabulary to pose, he has beckoned me to […]
Honouring One Another
June 15, 2022
Written by Fiona Sherwin In recent years I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about inclusion and belonging. While the two terms are used synonymously at times, there are notable differences between them. Including others is an important practice. It’s an act of kindness and hospitality, but to include others only scratches the surface. When […]
Church Unity in the Love of the Trinity
June 14, 2022
Written by J. Immanuel Koks I can’t think of a time when the unity of the church here in Aotearoa and around the world, has been put under this much strain. It seems like a constant hammer pounds on a wedge between those who are sympathetic towards progressive concerns and those who sense the need […]
Do Not be Ashamed of the Gospel
June 9, 2022
“For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or […]
The Difference Between Inclusion and Belonging
December 21, 2021
We often hear the words ‘inclusion’ and ‘belonging’ when talking about welcoming more people with disabilities into our churches and ministries. But the difference between these two is not always clear. As it’s December, let me use a Christmas example to try and explain. Most of us will have different Christmas traditions, such as a […]