Gathering together is a core part of the Body of Christ; we sharpen each other, encourage each other, and learn together. Across Aotearoa, groups gather with one thing in common: Christ. Two significant gatherings Elevate has loved having connections to are Northern Eastern Camp and Festival One. Festival One is an intergenerational Christian festival […]
Through the Eyes of One with Autism
March 24, 2024
Leslie Schwass tells here about her 35 year old son’s battle to overcome the effects of autism.” Matthew came in at 5.5 lbs, five weeks early. At three months he reacted to the immunisation injection, and then failed to develop at normal milestone pace. He was diagnosed with a host of problems, but chiefly brain […]
Best Christmas Gift
March 23, 2024
The best Christmas gift I ever got was both early and late. My first born child came into this world on December 16th, nine days before Christmas. He was supposed to be a Thanksgiving baby however, so when my wife went into labour three weeks late he had to be delivered by an emergency Caesarean […]
Ask Why Is This Happening
March 21, 2024
He’s a danger to the others,” they said. “He’s aggressive.” “He should be removed from the group.” “He has rages.” The topic under discussion was the little boy with Down Syndrome. “He’s a danger to the others,” they said. “He’s aggressive.” “He should be removed from the group.” “He has rages.” This did not tie […]
Book Review: A Place Where I Belong
March 19, 2024
By Manuele Teofilo If you’re looking for an informative and insightful book on neurodiversity, then A Place Where I Belong by Staci McLean is for you. She is an author, a speaker and the mother of a neurodivergent child. McLean is also the founder and director of The Neurocollective NZ, creating places where we ALL […]
The Sunday Morning Struggle
March 14, 2024
Written by Staci McLean, Director of ‘The Neurocollective NZ’ Is going to church on Sunday worth the effort? For many families getting to and through a church service on a Sunday morning is a marathon effort. As the mother of a child who is neurodivergent, the Sunday morning struggle was real and at times the […]
Live Like a Yellow Rose
March 14, 2024
I’m Emma, I’m 23 years old and I was diagnosed with Aspergers Syndrome when I was a preschooler. A lot of people wish that they could have got a diagnosis that early, but for me, it was a huge shame factor. I never felt like I fitted into any of the stereotypes of what an […]
Belonging to the Body: Beyond Sunday
September 7, 2023
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 […]
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 […]