The Bible is full of references to people living with disability who had no miraculous cure: from Leah, whose eyes were weak, to Moses with a stammer that required an interpreter (Aaron), to Jacob and his struggle with an angel that left him with a limp for the rest of his life. When meeting someone with visible or invisible disabilities, many of us recognize a need, but often we don’t know how to respond.
Holy Trinity will host a panel of believers with various visible or invisible disabilities on Sunday, November 15 at 11:15 am to discuss best practices in welcoming and including our spiritual siblings with disabilities, appropriate for any faith community. We invite you to come dialogue with those of us who have lived experience in various congregations, asking the question, how can we take a kind and active role in helping everyone feel welcome and engaged? Participating in this meeting of minds will enrich not only our faith experience, but also any daily contact we may have with the disability community.
Members of the panel include: Rebecca Gonzalez, a Columbus-based self-taught artist, advocate, and community worker whose practice centers on healing through art. Drawing from lived experience with addiction recovery, mental illness, and disability, her work explores grief, trauma, and the power of interpersonal connection through community. Gonzalez facilitates local workshops on self-expression and storytelling. Her leadership and advocacy include mentoring youth through various national programming. She has been featured in media campaigns, podcasts, short-form video, and public speaking across the Midwest and East Coast. See more of her practice at https://rgonzoarts.com.
Nate Fernandes is an active Roman Catholic living in Upper Arlington. He is married. In addition to being born blind, he and his wife Mary have an adopted child with multiple disabilities. Nate works in technology compliance in the healthcare industry.
Raised near Youngstown, Mark Seifarth acknowledges the Methodist Church's prayers and help through many childhood surgeries. Since then, he has also joined the Lutheran community, with over 40 years advocating and impacting laws and policy in Ohio and Washington, DC such as the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Developmental Disabilities Act. Today he supports several organizations on disability and policy issues. Mark also Chairs the Spiritual Life Committee where he resides, at Wesley Glen.
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