Community Supports

Faith Based Supports

Faith Based Supports are a variety of activities and projects either led or supported by The Boggs Center that encourage congregations to include and support people with disabilities and their families.

The projects include:

• Coordination of training and technical assistance events with faith based organizations in New Jersey and around the country

• Collaboration with the New Jersey Coalition for Inclusive Ministries

• Educational Opportunities for Seminarians

• National Networks and Publications

New Jersey Coalition for Inclusive Ministries
The Boggs Center helped to initiate and organize The New Jersey Coalition for Inclusive Ministries, now incorporated and moving toward 501(c)3 status.

Activities of the coalition include a listserv to share information, resources, and training events, a periodic newsletter, That All May Worship , an annual Awards and Recognition Dinner, speakers for congregations and other organizations, educational events in congregations; distribution of resources to clergy and lay leadership; access to a resource and video library at The Boggs Center, and a quarterly networking forum and other educational events sponsored by the Coalition.

Membership in the New Jersey Coalition for Inclusive Ministries is open to organizations, congregations, and individuals. If you are interested in joining the New Jersey Coalition for Inclusive Ministries, please see the membership form: Coalition for Inclusive Ministries Membership Form. The Coalition is always willing to receive information about resources and stories of inclusive congregational supports for the newsletter and listserv. Membership is free.

The Boggs Center, the Coalition on Inclusive Ministries, and COSAC have joined together to form an Autism and Faith Task Force to develop resources for congregations and for families who have members with autism to begin and strengthen inclusive faith supports. The Task Force has two major goals. First, we hope to develop a resource guide for congregations, with strategies, stories about successful inclusive congregations, and information about autism for clergy, religious educators, and congregations. Second, we hope to sponsor a conference geared to religious educators.

The Task Force is currently distributing a survey, one to families, the other to congregations.

Please feel free to download the survey, complete it, and distribute it to others for them to complete and return. Thank you.

Project Director/Contact: William Gaventa