Welcome

Why We Need a Special Needs Ministries
Mission to North America (MNA) promotes diversity in the body of Christ within the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) by intentionally developing ministry initiatives to enfold minority groups into PCA church life. As a result, there are currently numerous multicultural ministries under the auspices of MNA. There is different type of minority group, however, whose needs have yet to be consistently addressed within the denomination. It is a minority group-not on the basis of race or nationality-but on the basis of differing abilities. This group consists of individuals with special needs and their families.

People with disabilities represent approximately twenty percent of the population within North America. Yet, they are vastly underrepresented in church life. This occurs for a variety of reasons, two of which are related to accessibility. The first barrier to accessibility-and the easiest to change-is architectural. The second barrier to accessibility-and the most challenging to change-is attitudinal. Attitudinal obstacles tend to stem from either ignorance or indifference. Ignorance often results in a failure to provide for basic needs because we just don't know the problem exists, or we don't understand how to address a specific challenge. But indifference is more complex issue. It's a matter of the heart. It could be characterized as, "We know there's a problem, but we really don't care enough to act." Education can cure ignorance, but the only true remedy for indifference is a heart broken by the gospel of grace.

The Role of MNA Special Needs Ministries
The PCA motto reads: "Faithful to the Scriptures, True to the Reformed Faith, and Obedient to the Great Commission of Jesus Christ." As Presbyterians who love Christ and his church, we need to pause and ask ourselves: Are we being faithful to what the Scriptures teach about people with special needs? Are we being "reformed and ever reforming" in our personal lives, our congregations, and our communities in the ways we respond to those touched by disability? Are we being obedient to the Great Commission in calling individuals with disabilities to come to Christ's banquet table? The MNA Special Needs Ministries is dedicated to calling the PCA to an authentic, grace-based commitment to inclusion of, and outreach to, people touched by disability and their families.

The Goal of MNA Special Needs Ministries
The intent of the MNA Special Needs Ministries is not to offer a compartmentalized ministry to people with disabilities and their families, but to exhort, encourage, educate, and equip PCA agencies, presbyteries, and individual congregations on "why and how" to minister to and alongside people with disabilities. Ministering to addresses the mercy-oriented aspect of acknowledging and meeting real needs in the lives of people. Ministering alongside addresses the justice-oriented aspect of valuing and respecting every part of the body of Christ and, therefore, being committed to pursuing opportunities for people with disabilities to be included in the life of the church in its various dimensions. These dimensions include Christian education, worship, fellowship, evangelism, service and all other expressions of body life in the covenant community. The goal of the MNA Special Needs Ministries is to see the body of Christ made whole through the inclusion of all its parts-thereby benefiting the entire body of Christ that is represented in the PCA.

The Start-up Team
Stephanie Hubach has been appointed as the MNA Special Needs Ministries Director. Steph is leading a Start-up Team that is designing the Special Needs Ministries together. This is a team of individuals who are experiencing a personal/familial encounter with disability, and/or share a common vision for constructive change, and/or have hands-on experience in special needs ministry, and exemplify love for Christ and his Church. The Start-up Team members are:

Ruth Brewbaker, Young Meadows Presbyterian Church

Lois Denier, Tenth Presbyterian Church
Sue Jakes, Christian Education and Publications
Fred Marsh, Mission to North America
Margaret Ramage, Hope Presbyterian Church
George Wallace, Perimeter Church
Joel Wallace, Briarwood Presbyterian Church

Would you please pray that the kingdom of God would advance through the work of this team? We earnestly desire to have your prayer support! Please contact us if you are willing to be a regular prayer partner on our behalf.

Financial gifts are also necessary in order to fund the position of Director for Steph Hubach. If you or your congregation are eager to see the Church embrace individuals and families touched by disability-and are able to make either a one-time gift or provide regular support-your contribution of any size will be greatly appreciated!

Here is one example of how $30,000 in support could be provided by individuals or PCA congregations:
Two donors at $5000.00 per year........$10,000.00
Four donors at $2,500.00 per year..........$10,000.00
Six donors at $1000.00 per year.........$6,000.00
Eight donors at $500.00 per year........$4,000.00

"The eye cannot say to the hand, 'I don't need you!' And the head cannot say to the feet, 'I don't need you!' On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor..But God has combined the member of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other (emphasis mine)" (1 Cor. 12:21-23a, 24b-25).

The church as it operates today is essentially disabled. It is attempting to function without all of its intended parts. Life improves for all of us when the body of Christ works as it was designed to: by incorporating all of the differing abilities of its various members. Won't you help us to help the PCA to reach out and embrace people touched by disability and their families? Here are three ways you can help:

1) To join the MNA Special Needs Ministries prayer team, please contact Steph Hubach at shubach@pcanet.org.

2) To join the Special Needs Network in the PCA and be part of an "ongoing informal conversation" with the Start-up Team please contact Steph Hubach at shubach@pcanet.org.

3) To join the MNA Special Needs Ministries financial support team, please mail your contributions to:

Mission to North America
1700 N. Brown Road, Suite 101
Lawrenceville, GA 30043-8122
Designate: Support for Special Needs Ministries, Director Stephanie Hubach