Advent Moravian Church in Bethlehem, Pa., is a congregation known for missional outreach to the underserved populations in the community. In 2023, they decided to embark on a new ministry to adults with intellectual disabilities named the Jacksonville Crew.
Knowing little about how to work with this population but understanding that adults with intellectual disabilities have very few opportunities to learn about Jesus on their own learning level, a leadership team was created. The team consists of church members: Bob Boyd, Terri and Jack Boyd, Shirley Chiles, Carolyn Dancs, Pastor John and Anne Fritts and Wendy Leap, along with Brent Krisovitch, a family member of one of the attendees.
Team member Carolyn Dancs said, “I never worked with this population of students, and it scared me. I wasn’t afraid of them, but I was afraid of, ‘could I do this? Do I have this in me?’ After I saw the lessons demonstrated, I thought, ‘I can do this’.”
Members attended a training with the Bethesda Disability Ministry through the seeJesus Ministry, a global discipling mission helping the church see and reflect the life, death and resurrection of Christ though discipleship resources and training.
The Bethesda Disability Ministry understands the challenges of those with intellectual disabilities. Their website states, “Disabilities tend to isolate individuals and families, even within the church of Jesus Christ. It should not be so. Named after the pool where people affected by disability gathered in the Jerusalem of Jesus’ day, Bethesda offers a place where people affected by disabilities—and those not so affected, in the traditional sense—can gather together to jump into God’s word and find healing and life.”
Adaptive Curriculum Writer with the seeJesus Ministry, Jill Miller, was inspired by her daughter Kim. One day Jill was coming home from a bible study and shared scripture with her daughter and noticed that she responded to the message. God’s word touched Kim and Jill thought, “she can learn like I can learn.”
She then began to create curriculum that included scripture, props and a skit to help them learn and each student gets a sheet to take home and share what they learned with their family.
“Two volunteers were uncertain if they wanted to do this; after attending the training, they said yes,” said Anne Fritts.
“We have a new student who is nonverbal and comes with his parents, “said Shirley Chiles. “He played the blind man and after Jesus put mud over his eyes, the student went to the ‘pool’ to wash his eyes and restore his sight. He was so excited! The volunteer told him to tell his parents, and he ran over and told them. They inspire me.”
Jack Boyd shared, “I almost cry every time we meet to see the expression on their faces— and to see the parents, who get a breather thanks to us.”
The Jacksonville Crew meets on the second and fourth Sunday of each month at 4 p.m. The group has been on field trips, hosts a coffeehouse talent show and Karaoke, and teach bible stories to the adults with intellectual disabilities.
“This program has proven to be even more than we had hoped,” said Anne. “Our students are interested and engaged in the scripture lessons through reading, reenacting the lessons, drawings and conversation.
“The previous scripture lessons are reinforced throughout the series,” continues Anne. “This ministry is not only reaching our students, but the parents and caregivers as well as the leadership team. Members of our congregation are welcome to attend, and many have done so.”
To learn more about this ministry, check out the Advent Moravian Church Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/adventmoravianbethlehem. To see a testimonial video from the Bethesda Disabilities Ministry, log onto their Vimeo page: https://vimeo.com/920666366/a5a0848ee9, and to learn more about the seeJesus Ministry, log onto their website at Seejesus.net.
