Feelings of Belonging in the House of God

Today in my church, a person took time to tap me on the shoulder and say, “Here’s the plate,” when the offering was being taken. I took the plate and passed it to the next person. I happened to not have money in hand today, but I appreciated the opportunity to participate in the passing of the plate. There are many things I cannot do–I can’t read the words on the screen when a new song is introduced, so I am silent while everyone else sings. In this one moment, I was a participating member of the community. It mattered to me.

On many Sundays, the plate is passed over me because I don’t see it coming and reach for it. Sometimes it is passed over me when I have money in my hand. This kind of inclusion is easy. I hope that what happened for me today can serve as an example for others. Please share this post and help your church members and leaders learn to do the same.

About Sarah Blake LaRose

Sarah Blake LaRose teaches Biblical Hebrew and Greek at Anderson University School of Theology and Christian Ministry in Anderson, Indiana. She is one of three blind academic scholars who received the Jacob Bolotin Award from the National Federation of the Blind in 2016 in recognition of innovative work in the field of access to biblical language texts and tools for people who are blind. In addition to her work as a professor, she provides braille transcription services specializing in ancient languages. Her research interests concern the intersection of disability, poverty, and biblical studies.

About Sarah Blake LaRose

Sarah Blake LaRose teaches Biblical Hebrew and Greek at Anderson University School of Theology and Christian Ministry in Anderson, Indiana. She is one of three blind academic scholars who received the Jacob Bolotin Award from the National Federation of the Blind in 2016 in recognition of innovative work in the field of access to biblical language texts and tools for people who are blind. In addition to her work as a professor, she provides braille transcription services specializing in ancient languages. Her research interests concern the intersection of disability, poverty, and biblical studies.

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