Change a Life in 20 Minutes:
Ministering to the Chronically Ill
by Lisa Copen
Rest Ministries, the largest Christian organization that
serves the chronically ill, recently did a poll, asking
"List some of the programs or resources a church could
offer to make it more inviting comfortable" Below is a
sampling of the 800+ responses.
1. Encouragement emails.
2. Make sure the handicapped stalls in the restroom are functioning and clean.
3. Padded chairs or cushions, room for wheelchairs, and plenty of room for my family to
sit with me.
4. An open attitude for a support group like HopeKeepers. It would make me feel very
special that there was an understanding of needs that are not always visible.
5. More handicapped parking.
6. An awareness on the part of the ushers that those arriving late may have difficulty
walking or getting out of cars.
7. Have a couple of people who could call chronically ill folks and check on them when
they can't make it to church.
8. When suppers are given, I may need help getting my meal, or at least understanding I
cannot wait in a long line.
9. Be gentle when giving people big hugs. It can topple over or hurt a person.
10. Have a video tape of the service, not just a live web cast. Not all our computers work
that well.
11. Make sure that the church doors aren't too difficult to open or at least have
mechanical assistance if they're unusually heavy.
12. Stop telling me that if I truly believed and had faith I'd be healed by now. Please don't
go on and on about how good I look even though I know for a fact that I look terrible and
miserable that day.
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