History
of CCPD
1989
CCPD was formally organized in 1989 with 12 board members. Joni
Eareckson Tada, head of JAF
Ministries, was its first president. An office was established
in Lake Geneva, WI, at the headquarters of one of CCPD's founding
members, the Christian League for the Handicapped. It received
its tax-exempt status in March 1989 and began its work immediately.
The
first CCPD step in advocacy on a national level came with the
introduction of a resolution on the church and disability at
the annual convention of the National
Association of Evangelicals. A presentation was made to
the board of NAE, and the resolution was later presented to
and passed by the membership.
In
May 1989, CCPD sponsored a symposium on disability and the church.
Ministries met to develop position papers on key disability
areas relative to the church. These included: Church Attitude
and Responsibility, The Role and Responsibility of the Pastor,
Everyday Accessibility, Political Issues, and Evangelism,
Discipleship and Missions.
During
the remainder of the year, efforts focussed on informing the
Christian community about the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Articles appeared in magazines such as Christianity
Today, Contact (for Christian Businessmen's Committee),
Journal of Christian Camping, Positive Approach and others.
Radio interviews were conducted with local radio stations as
well as national networks such as "Focus on the Family
News" and "Family Radio."
1990
In May 1990, CCPD co-sponsored the International Congress on
the Church and Disability. Over 600 disability workers from
38 states in the U.S. and from 39 foreign countries attended
this educational and inspirational event. Membership in CCPD
grew to over 200 at the time. Steve Jensen was elected president.
At
the Congress, the Council introduced its first Caring
Church awards. They were given to six churches across the
country that exhibited Christ's compassion in reaching out to
people with disabilities. Also at the Congress, the Council
honored The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association for its more
than 40 years of making Christ's Gospel accessible to persons
with disabilities at Crusade sites. A plaque was presented to
John Corts, CEO of BGEA. The award received press in the October
1990 issue of Decision
magazine.
These
awards were followed with an award to an
outstanding camp that included people with disabilities.
It was given at the Christian Camping International convention
in November 1990.
1991
In 1991, CCPD held its annual symposium at
Inspiration Center, Walworth, WI. Steve Estes, author of Called
to Die and A
Step Further served as speaker. The symposium addressed
the issue of job access in Christian businesses and churches.
Program topics included: Christian Perspectives on Employment,
The Christian Imperative to Hire Disabled Persons, Methods and
Models: Sheltered Workshops/Supported Employment, The ADA and
Other incentives to Hire the Disabled, and Job Programs
in Churches and the Christian Community.
1992
In 1992, the Council sponsored a symposium on euthanasia at
Sandy Cove Bible Conference Center in northeast Maryland. Presenters
included Dr. Bouma of the Institute of Religion, Houston, TX;
Dr. Dave Biebel, editor of Physician Magazine with
Focus on the Family, and Joni
Eareckson Tada of Joni and Friends. The event was chaired by
Cordell Brown of Echoing Hills Village, Warsaw, OH.
That
year CCPD also inaugurated the first edition of CCPD
Networks, a quarterly newsletter on disability issues
and information. It was edited and produced by the staff of
The Special Gathering in Cocoa, FL. Don Crooker of Christian
Berets was elected president, and the office of CCPD moved to
Modesto, CA.
With
the ADA bringing disability issues to the forefront, and with
right-to-die legislation proposed in California, Iowa, Oklahoma,
Michigan, Colorado, Florida and New Hampshire, the Council received
numerous media opportunities. During the first half of that
year, the Council was involved in nearly 50 interviews on Christian
radio across the country, including an interview on CBN.
1993
A symposium on the theme, "Life Worth Living" was
held in August at Arrowhead Springs Christian Conference Center
in California. Breakout sessions covered such subjects as Circles
of Support, Mainstreaming, Camping, Supported Living Arrangements,
Biblical Basis for Disability Ministry and others. Joni
Eareckson Tada spoke on "Quality of Life," and Marsha
Fuller Williams presented a concert.
Cordell
Brown became president. He surveyed members on goals and suggestions
for CCPD. Major issues were: networking, fellowship, and the
need for more focus, a national office and strengthening the
funding base.
1994
Marlys Taege began serving as part-time executive director in
January, and the CCPD office returned to Wisconsin. CCPD met
in Knoxville, TN, in April in conjunction with JAF Ministries'
Institute on The Church and Disability. It coincided with the
"Meet the Challenge" Conference and Ability Expo sponsored
by the Christian Foundation for the Handicapped. The week included
an evening at Johnson Bible College, where Joni Eareckson Tada
spoke on "Establishing a Theological Framework for Ministry,"
site visits to the Patricia Neal Rehabilitation center and the
East Tennessee Technology Center, and worship opportunities
in disability ministry settings.
CCPD
also established an Electronic Bulletin Board on Disabilities,
under the leadership of Vice-President Steve Kranz. A mentoring
program was launched for the benefit of CCPD members. A new
brochure was developed.
1995
CCPD's national conference was held in Grand Rapids, MI, attended
by 150 people. Theme: "That All May Serve." It included
two plenary speakers (Jim Pierson and Marlys Taege), 20 workshops,
displays, music by Zeeland Christian School choir and Joyful
Noise Bell Choir, plus liturgical dance. Participants also toured
Hope Network and visited a resident-owned group home. Special
life story presentations were given by Cordell Brown and Jim
Hukill, a Christian musician. Steve Kranz became president,
and a regional chapter was launched in South Wisconsin.
The
newsletter format changed to focus on disability ministry news.
Issue-oriented articles of the type that have appeared in Networks
would henceforth be published in a new CCPD Journal to
appear twice a year. An advisory committee of people working
in various disability areas was developed to help collect news
from their field of expertise.
1996
Under the theme, "More Than an Address," the CCPD
National conference, held at Mt. Gilead Camp near Sebastopol,
CA, focussed on housing issues for persons with disabilities,
but also covered spiritual conflicts, board development, personal
futures planning and trends in disability ministry. A second
regional chapter was begun, this one in California. The Executive
Director shared CCPD's work at the annual meeting of the NCC
Task Force on Disabilities and has continued to do so annually
since that time. Also the CCPD office was linked with the Internet,
allowing the Executive Director to provide answers to some of
the questions asked on the disability discussion pages.
1997
Cele Mereness of Friendship Ministries keynoted the annual CCPD
conference held at the Park Avenue Baptist Church Retreat Center,
Titusville, FL. Theme: "Evangelizing and Discipling Persons
with Disabilities." Breakout sessions were held on ministry
with persons who have physical disabilities, developmental disabilities,
deafness, vision impairments and mental illness. On Sunday,
participants attended Bible classes and worship at The Special
Gathering. Jerry Borton was elected president.
1998
After much planning, the first issue of the CCPD
Journal appeared, edited by Dave Heidemann. This web
page was also begun.
CCPD's
10th anniversary conference, held at College Park Baptist Church,
Indianapolis, IN, featured Joni Eareckson Tada as keynote speaker.
Nineteen workshops were offered. A luncheon for pastors preceded
the conference. There Joni spoke on "Jesus' Definition
of Church Growth." At the opening conference session, Ginny
Thornburgh of the National Organization
on Disability announced the Accessible
Congregations Campaign, who goal is to gain the commitment
of 2,000 congregations by the year 2000 to include people with
all types of disabilities as full and active participants.
Annually
CCPD has continued to give Caring Church
awards and Camp Recognition awards.
These are now listed in a separate booklet, produced for the
first time in 1997. The CCPD newsletter also continues to be
produced quarterly and includes news of upcoming conferences,
a feature on one of the disability ministry organizations holding
CCPD membership, a column by Joni Eareckson Tada, a page paid
for by the Lutheran Developmental Disabilities Coalition, a
page of CCPD organizational news, and numerous other features.
Membership certificates for member organizations have been developed,
and also membership cards for individual members.
As
always, the organization remains committed to its Evangelical
Statement of Faith and its Principles of Ministry
as printed in the CCPD Membership Brochure. CCPD stresses the
sanctity of life, the exemplification of Christian love, and
the importance of removing architectural, attitudinal and communication
barriers that impede the message of salvation or hinder the
participation of any person in the life of the church.
1999
As CCPD continues to grow, it is responding to an increasing
number of phone calls, web page queries, and comments about
our publications. As a result of a story in our newsletter about
Cordell Brown, CCPD's executive director was asked to write
a second story about Cordell for Special Education Today.
CCPD was also asked to arrange disability ministry resources
for Mission America's
Celebrate Jesus 2000 outreach and was represented
at MA's sacred assembly in St. Louis, MO, and its subsequent
national meeting in California. CCPD likewise continues to support
the NOD's Accessible Congregations Campaign. The executive director
has also served on the theological education committee of the
NCC Committee on Disabilities.
Two
issues of the Journal and four newsletters were produced
this year, along with a brochure, "How
Accessible Is Our church?" At its Fall 1999
Board meeting, CCPD will begin a strategic planning process
to increase its effectiveness and prioritize goals.
Under
the theme, "Ministering Together Hand in Hand," the
1999 annual conference was held at Harvest Community Church,
Oak Creek, WI (a Milwaukee suburb). Keynote speaker was Cordell
Brown. The conference opened with a presentation by The Silent
Singers, a deaf awareness music and sign language group; the
first portion of the keynote address, and a concert by Jim Hukill,
Christian musician and head of ELEOS
Ministry, Orlando, FL. There were more than a dozen displays,
and on the second day, a second address by Brown, 16 breakout
sessions and lunch table discussions of disability issues. On
Sunday participants met with the disability ministry staff of
Elmbrook Church, Brookfield, WI, and then attended worship there.
2000
2001
2002
