Good News
. . .for people with learning disabilities
Making the good news of Jesus accessible is Causeway Prospects’ speciality. Simplified Bible teaching, interactive worship and a style of meeting where everyone feels welcome and valued.
Causeway Prospects is in partnership with churches in over 160 places round the United Kingdom supporting them to run groups meeting the particular needs of the people with learning disabilities in their congregations and communities.
The groups are similar in many ways to home groups, house groups or cell groups. People get to know each other well and offer one another practical and prayerful support; they worship together; they study the Bible and apply it to real life situations; and they have fun.
The Bible study is simplified to make it understandable and relevant. Worship is interactive and inclusive so those who don’t read are not left out. Every person is accepted for who they are and their contribution to the group is welcomed and valued. Causeway Prospects ministry is based on the Principle of Personal Value, a biblical view of the value of people.
“I don’t mind people knowing that I struggled with church because of my learning disability. I just couldn’t understand what people were talking about. Then I started going to a Causeway Group. They helped me to learn about Jesus, how he died for us and about forgiving everybody.”
Sarah Redgrove
Lincoln
. . .for churches
Causeway Prospects offers churches encouragement, support and training for effective ministry and has a wide range of resource materials. Churches often feel unprepared to receive and include people with learning disabilities.
Causeway Prospects can provide all a church needs to get going with confidence. Effective ministry is not difficult to achieve. It means following some guidelines which are largely common sense.
As churches welcome and include people with learning disabilities in their services and church activities, they are blessed and strengthened by the gifts and the love that people bring.
“Our Causeway group meets weekly at a local home and continues to be very popular with everyone who comes. The group makes a very significant contribution to the life of St James’. Group members are involved in and enrich all aspects of church life. We have found great encouragement in hosting Causeway Celebrations for the North Staffordshire area.”
Rev Will Slater
Vicar, St James Newchapel, Staffordshire
. . .for Bible weeks
Special celebrations by Causeway Prospects are a regular part of several Bible conventions. These offer a fully accessible series of meetings while allowing people with learning disabilities to join in the rest of the event programme with everyone else. In these settings many Christians are able to meet people with learning disabilities for the first time and appreciate their personality and faith.
“The celebrations run by Causeway Prospects have been a very special part of Spring Harvest ever since they began in 1986. The joy and openness in worship complements the atmosphere of love and acceptance for all who come. There is no doubt that having people with learning disabilities at the event has enriched the Spring Harvest experience for our guests. Their presence around the site and in the Big Top is a wonderful demonstration of the inclusive church in action.”
Alan Johnson, Chief Executive, Spring Harvest