summerkinard.com: Evidence Based Practices to Welcome People with ADD/ADHD at Church

Summer Kinard gives numerous practical suggestions for accepting children with ADD/ADHD in Church school as well as in the services. focusing on their typical strengths. She also addresses the needs of adults with ADD/ADHD, as the deficits often continue throughout life. 

I can relate, as I have many of the symptoms of ADD/ADHD. It has helped me to sing in choir. But it is frustrating to find myself catching only a small fraction of what is said and what is sung. In choir I can read the words over again, but the problem with this is that it takes me away from what is being said at the moment. I also find that what I do catch, I weigh it, and again miss what is said directly afterwards. Closing my eyes can help, but as a chanter I need to be aware of directions being given. The fact that I read a lot of Orthodox Christian books on prayer and theology (in reversed order from when I was new to the Church) helps me to get back in the flow fairly easily. But these advantages don’t apply to all or even most people with ADD/ADHD, so I would earnestly encourage clergy and church leaders to take heed to what Summer Kinard shares here. AND APPLY IT!

To access Summer Kinard’s post:

Welcoming People with ADD/ADHD at Church

From Summer Kinard on You Tube: 

Synopsis of the Video

Enter the story of the myrrh-bearers in this hands-on, accessible activity that forms memory and attention through the beautiful sensory anchor of myrrh oils. Use these methods at home or at church to engage family members of all abilities (including nonverbal persons). This is a pandemic-friendly activity that shows you how to use what you have on hand! From Summer Kinard, the author of, Of Such is the Kingdom: A Practical Theology of Disability Find more hands-on, accessible lessons and prayers at summerkinard.com

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Greek Orthodox Church: Mental Health 101 Webinar

This webinar featuring George Stavros, PhD, MDiv, Executive Director of the Danielson Institute and Clinical Associate Professor of Pastoral Psychology at Boston University provides examples of actual mental health issues as they have been presented in Greek Orthodox parishes, discusses the prevelance of mental health issues in America, outlines the importance of pastoral ministry to those with mental health problems, outlines the need for training for clergy and parish leadership around mental health issues, and provides a structure and strategy for developing strong mental health referral resources for your community.

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From the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of North America’s Center for Family Care – Fully Human: The Special Call of Special Needs

The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of North America’s website addresses the concerns of people with disabilities with the following website. In a culture in which a person’s worth is often measured by what they do and what they produce – their work output, the implication can be that a person who isn’t able to produce much is of less worth needs to be challenged by the Christian understanding of human worth, which is that all human beings are equally valued by God. 

St. Paul, in his first letter to the Corinthians noted that 

. . . not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things that are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, so that no flesh should glory in His presence. (1:26-30)

In the Church, the Body of Christ, he also says, in the same letter, that

. . . those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary.  . . . God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, that there should be no schism in the body, but that members should have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. (12:22, 24-25)

Earlier in this letter St. Paul rebuked the richer Corinthian brethren for their behavior at the fellowship meal following the service, eating their own sumptuous fare while the poorer members went away hungry. This is the kind of schism, or division, of which he was speaking in the twelfth chapter. Unfortunately, this sort of situation has, here and there, often continued to happen in the Church, as we fall back into the typical human way of creating pecking orders, valuing some and devaluing others. 

And in order to address this tendency, The Greek Orthodox Christian Church of North America has developed this website, to remind us of our high calling.

To Access the Site:

  Fully Human: Toward Full Participation Of People With Disabilities

From Fully Human:

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Agape Restoration Society

An Orthodox Christian Mission to Persons with Disability:

Pictures of persons the ministry seeks to support: Supporting persons with disabilities

The pictures are people from two places, Pittsburgh and Russia.

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Orthodox Christian Disability Family Ministry in Des Plaines, Illinois

To Register:  Registration Form