At Dutton Farm we have a unique, successful program I refer to as “Reverse Inclusion”. We invite the local elementary school students (typically fourth or fifth graders) to spend a day with us at the farm. The farmers, all adults affected by disability, walk them through a typical day at the farm. They show the […]
Stop me if you have heard these instructions before. Oxygen and the air pressure are always being monitored. In the event of an emergency, an oxygen mask will automatically appear in front of you. To start the flow of oxygen, pull the mask towards you. Place it firmly over your nose and mouth, secure the elastic band […]
I will never forget the first Respite Night we held at First Christian Church in Canton Ohio for multiple reasons. The highlight for me was at the end of the evening when parents came back after their time away. Many came back excited and refreshed sharing stories of getting to go on a real date […]
Many of you probably do not know this, but in my spare time, one of my greatest hobbies and passions has become the sport of weightlifting. Not to be confused with powerlifting, which is the deadlift, bench press, and back squat, weightlifting, or Olympic weightlifting, is the snatch and the clean & jerk. I have […]
Whenever I get a call about a potential resident there are several things that occur. I take all the information that is given, I ask several questions and then I set up a time for an informal interview and tour of our facility. It may be several days before I actually have the opportunity to […]
What if I said the following… “If you are bald, redheaded, or left handed you are not welcome in the Church.” I imagine there would be an absolute uproar! You cannot single people out based upon what they look like or based upon their attributes. That isn’t fair. That isn’t politically correct. That is a […]
I’ll be the first to admit that I struggled in certain subjects in school. I was horrible at typing. Yes, I am old enough that I actually had to take a course in typing. I distinctly remember getting yelled at by my teacher. I will never forget Mr. Oyster. Partly because he took my keyboard […]
One could easily go in circles arguing whether God has predestined every single moment of your life or not. Free will? Predestination? I’m not going there! Regardless of what side of the fence you land on it is hard to argue that there are God moments in our lives that go beyond what can be […]
Why did we write My Friends, My Teachers? Why did we feel it was so important that we put it in book format? Why not just blog these stories? Why a book? All good questions! It would have been much easier to churn out six separate blogs and float them out into the digital stratosphere. […]
I recently heard that Faith United Methodist Church in North Canton, OH was holding a “Messy Church” service. I was instantly drawn to it because of the name even though I didn’t know what all was involved. Messiness, or real life, seems to be intentionally programmed out of most church services. Churches want to remove […]
Because Jesus' table is accessible for everyone...
We desire to see the Church make room for all people affected by disability. To fully participate. To fully partner. To fully lead.
We exist to equip and empower the 25% of the population with a disability, their families, and their churches to become who God has created them to be.
