The Special Needs Ministry Handbook: A Church's Guide to Reaching Children with Disabilities and Their Families [Paperback]

Amy Rapada (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 21, 2007

Educationally, spiritually and experience based; a practical instructional guide and inspirational resource written for church leaders, Sunday school teachers, and families with disabilities.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Amy Rapada is a curriculum and instruction specialist and special needs church ministry consultant. Amy received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Education and teaching certification through Seattle Pacific University. She obtained her Masters degree in Education at the University of Washington. She has helped develop special needs programs for many religious communities. A parent of a special needs child, Amy has used her experience and knowledge to publish The Special Needs Ministry Handbook. She was the keynote speaker at the Children with Disabilities Conference, and has presented workshops at the Northwest Christian Education Conference. She served as an elementary school teacher and as a Language Arts Curriculum Specialist in regular, gifted and special education programs for the Highline School District. Over the past seven years, she developed a special needs ministry at Sammamish Presbyterian Church as their special needs ministry coordinator and at Pine Lake Covenant Church in Sammamish, Washington. Currently, Amy consults with and presents to churches and foundations nationally. She is the mother of a 15 year old son, 11 year old daughter and married to a family law attorney.

Product Details

• Paperback: 194 pages
• Publisher: BookSurge Publishing (August 21, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1419665472
• ISBN-13: 978-1419665479
• Product Dimensions: 10.4 x 8 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #407,450 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Inspired Work of the Heart, September 5, 2007

By 

John Johnston "Author" (Everett, WA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Special Needs Ministry Handbook: A Church's Guide to Reaching Children with Disabilities and Their Families (Paperback)

Totally captivated, I devoured this book, barely pausing from the first to the last page, assimilating a plethora of innovative concepts, all the while sailing forth upon the winds of inspiration. This is a truly exceptional book. Emanating from a great and loving heart, the author shares her passion, a vision that both reveals and serves the unique needs of disabled children and their families. Never having raised a disabled child, and never having worked in the field, I quickly discovered the limitations of my own awareness, and could barely imagine the daily challenges facing disabled children and their families. This book was written to open eyes and awaken hearts, and mine will never be the same.

This Side of the Gate

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "Whoever Welcomes One of these Children..., September 17, 2008

By 

Janie Bowman - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Special Needs Ministry Handbook: A Church's Guide to Reaching Children with Disabilities and Their Families (Paperback)

...in my name welcomes me." Mark 9:37.

When I sat down to write this review, I spent some time attempting to come up with an appropriate title. And honestly, I couldn't think of a better one than the above quote from Mark.

Amy Rapada is a parent of a child with special needs, a special needs ministry consultant, and experienced educator and curriculum specialist. The story of her son Zach mirrors the joys and challenges all parents of special children experience. Thousands of books have been written about the public school experiences, but Zach inspired Rapada to reach further into her community to bring children with special needs into the ministries of churches nationwide. And The Special Needs Ministry Handbook was born.

The author writes, "Ninety five percent of those with disabilities are currently "unchurched." To that end. Rapada's Handbook is a special needs mission to include as many children with special needs into the fold of their family's chosen church.

The handbook covers ages preschool through middle school with a section for resources and disability organizations that partner with churches. It includes handouts for local churches to use in helping children with special needs.The models of Total, and Reverse Inclusion bring teacher resources, one-on-one support, and the nature of volunteerism to the forefront of how a church can appropriately and compassionately include this most special population. It answers questions such as, How can we include this child? What are the family's needs? What can we do if we're short of volunteers?

Perhaps one of the biggest challenges for religious institutions is how to communicate with families with children with special needs, and how to convey information on the multitude of disabilities to church members with the goal of achieving understanding and compassion.

With that goal in mind, Rapada provides a manual with in an easy-to-read format, with extensive teacher resources and specific weekly lessons based on learning centers such as gross motor, art, sensory, etc.

This is a Bible-based curriculum, with versus to read and discuss. But it's so much more. In the Gross Motor Center, a child could be repeating a short Bible verse while using a mini-trampoline. The children are also encouraged to go beyond the "me," and make or do things for other people. For example, an art project that makes things for people who are ill. Being involved with this curriculum helps a child with special needs gain self-esteem and real world experience within a Christian focus.

To quote the author: "Churches that enable learners with disabilities enable God to work in the lives of families with special needs." Rapada saw a need, and she conveys this message intently and with expertise.

*Scripture quoted from The Holy Bible, New International Version.

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very helpful resource!, November 6, 2008

By 

C. Repp "rsm-car" (Orange County, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Special Needs Ministry Handbook: A Church's Guide to Reaching Children with Disabilities and Their Families (Paperback)

Amy Rapada has done a great service for churches (and other organizations) in producing this book out of her own experience. Her insights are helpful, the material is well-organized, and the tools are useful. The Church should be welcoming to all people, but most churches are anything but welcoming to people who don't easily fit in. Amy is helping us to better be the Church.