Hosting a Celebration

Does your church love to show persons that they matter?
Does your congregation love to show hospitality and have a good time together?
Does your church want to grow in its efforts to show hospitality and to do outreach with those who are vulnerable and who have been marginalized by church and society?

Consider hosting a Sunday Evening Celebration
in conjunction with Bridge Ministries
for persons who have physical and/or developmental disabilities.

Sunday Evening Celebrations bring persons with disabilities and the community at large together in an inclusive setting to experience mutual acceptance, an environment where God’s love is expressed, celebrating the beauty of God’s creation of each individual and their unique giftedness. Matthew 25:35-40 “Lord, … when did we see you a stranger and welcome you?” is the motivation for this ministry.

Bridge Ministries works closely with the church community to provide support as the church forms and equips a Sunday Evening Celebration Team to host the Celebration. In consultation with Bridge, this team plans and implements the Celebration at their church site to include such things as:
      …a meal
          … group singing
               … a devotional
                    … and short program.

Sunday Evening Celebrations provide an excellent opportunity for the church and Bridge Ministries to demonstrate a warm welcome and recognition/affirmation of personhood to persons with disabilities who have often been “looked over” or who have not received a warm welcome in our churches and/or community. “Welcome” is communicated by:

• the congregation’s commitment to host this event
• by individual members of the congregation’s generosity in sharing their time and themselves in extending hospitality and a helping hand to host the event
• and in the kind words and gestures of care and acceptance.

For persons in the church who have not had much opportunity to be around persons who have disabilities, there is sometimes a fear of the unknown and of doing or saying the wrong thing. This is quite natural. The Celebration offers a safe environment among the supportive network of your own church relationships in which to move a little outside your comfort zone. A Bridge staff person orients church volunteers with guidelines for interacting with persons who have disabilities to help in addressing these fears. Most persons who have disabilities appreciate a person with a willing spirit who will be patient in communication and who desires to be with them.

“To heal is to touch with love
what we previously touched with fear.”
- Steven Levine

One participant from a church said “… the Sunday Evening Celebrations are joyful and fun opportunities to not only serve but to bask in the warmth of communal love and grace while dining with new friends… In the past, I had viewed the time spent with handicapped individuals as being primarily one sided, about what I had to offer them and how I could serve. The Sunday Celebrations began a paradigm shift for me where I came to see the experience as being mutually beneficial. I learned to slow down, to relax and to recognize the gifts that persons with disabilities have to offer.”

The Sunday Evening Celebration may be the only social event a person who has a disability attends during the month. Guests are often excited to see old friends and equally anxious to interact with church members and others from the community. For many this is also a scary situation. Will they be accepted and included, or will they feel on the outside? Will anyone talk with them? Will they embarrass themselves by sloppy eating or drooling? Will anyone like them and accept them just the way they are?

Bridge comes alongside to help and advise where needed and in advertising the Celebrations within the Bridge network. The Bridge staff are available to help with issues regarding inclusion and accessibility. Several Bridge staff and/or veteran Bridge volunteers will participate in the Celebration and are available as a resource to the host church.

For more information, please visit Sunday Evening Celebrations. To read stories of church’s experiences hosting a Celebration please visit Calvin Testimonial, John Knox Testimonial, and Vianney Testimonial.

<back to top>