some recent "future community with adults with and without intellectual disabilities" developments (aka "l'arche," as i and most people checking in with me refer to it - but i really shouldn't use this actual term, because "l'arche" may or may not happen in nashville, and i have not even brought together an organization that would eventually become anything associated with "l'arche").
-met a new friend who would also like to start "l'arche" nashville and contacted l'arche usa about this possibility awhile back
-edgehill umc, where the guys and i have been attending, just had a 4-week sunday school series on "brain disorders", including intellectual/developmental disabilities, mental/emotional disorders, and brain injury/disease. the "what do we do now" piece is moving toward a sunday school class and perhaps a special worship service (and/or a re-vamping of worship services already in place) for adults with intellectual disabilities. exciting!!
-met with the nashville district committee on ministry twice this spring, and they're enthusiastic about supporting my current and future ministry with persons with intellectual disabilities. so much so that they approved me to transfer into the district from my home district in north texas. and they approved me to enter the commissioning process (hello, paper-writing this summer/fall!).
-my new dentist told me about a ministry at his church and a few other churches in this region called "stone soup" - a weekly respite evening for parents of children and young adults with intellectual disabilities. more people to learn from, and maybe even partner with!
-i continue to be in conversation with friends of l'arche atlanta and the central region coordinator of l'arche usa about future possibilities of living in some l'arche communities. i'm extremely looking forward to those tentative opportunities!
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