RampUp celebrates the role of people with disabilities in the church.

RampUp:

95% of people with disabilities are not included in churches.

Therefore churches are invited to RampUp their facilities and systems:

God's astonishing generosity is portrayed in the parable of the Great Banquet in Luke 14. "Yet there is room!" exclaims the servant after bringing numerous people to the banquet. These people assumed they were unwelcome due to their rejection, because of their disabilities, by the rest of the village. Imagine their joy at finding themselves seated at the banqueting table. And because there is room, the invitation to the feast is still open.

RampUp helps the Church and people with disabilities to grow in relationship, so that everyone can 'be at home in church', a place of preparation for the Great Banquet. We hope that you will enjoy exploring RampUp as much as we have enjoyed designing it.

Let us know what you think and give us your suggestions to improve RampUp.

In the Bible passage Luke 14:16-23, a man prepared a great feast and sent out many invitations. However, many who were invited had excuses and refuse to come. Therefore, he invited those townspeople who usually would not receive an invitation to a feast. His generosity was astonishing, he wanted his house to be full! Specifically, persons with disability were to be included, before the feast could begin.

On 25 August 2019, South African churches are invited to honour ‘a full house’ by specially inviting persons with disability to celebrate their role in the Church. Ideas for this feast could include the following:

•    Enable persons with disability to take a leading role in the worship service, e.g. preaching, sharing a testimony or do the Scripture reading in Braille.
•    Arrange a meal where disabled and non-disabled people could interact in a relaxed way to share some of their life-experiences.
•    During the meal, arrange an opportunity for children to play a game with children with disability. Ensure that the interaction is spontaneous.
•    Take a walk around the church building and all its facilities and let persons with disability share their difficulties in getting around the terrain.
•    Allow an opportunity for disabled persons to offer their talents to the church and together find ways to really implement it.
•    Find ways to continually expand the number of persons with disability who are actively participating in church projects.

Download this pamphlet here. More general information about Disability Sunday is available here.