MONDAY, JANUARY 22, 2001
Christian education program builds faith with friendships
By Heidi Krieger
Staff Writer
An ecumenical program that offers Christian education to people with mental handicaps is going strong and continues to grow.
In its fourth year of operation, the Friendship Class at First Presbyterian Church, 96 S. Monroe St., meets 7-8 p.m. every Thursday.
One problem exists. "We need more teachers in order to serve more people," said Jan Dobson, coordinator of the class.
"We have people who would like to be in the program and basically we just can't quite support that," Dobson said.
The class is typically run in two parts. The first half of the class is a group lesson, during which stories are told or acted out, songs are sung, and the group has a prayer.
For the first half of last Thursday's class, Moses came and told the story of his survival and how God sent him to "let my people go."
For the second half, the class breaks up into small groups.
"Our students have a real wide range of disabilities, so when you work one on one you can gear the lesson to their ability," Dobson said.
The class consists of 22 students and 11 teachers. When it breaks up into groups, there are at least two students per teacher. Most are paired in terms of their ability. Some of the students are able to read and some cannot talk.
According to Dobson, one-on-one sessions allow the lesson to be gone over carefully and individually. The students and teachers develop a close friendship and the students are able to realize God's love through that.
The requirements to be a teacher are simple because there are "no requirements, just a willingness to be a friend," Dobson said. "Basically you just need a love of people and a willingness to spend about an hour on Thursday evenings."
The curriculum for the Friendship Class is an international program. It includes individual leaflets that are given to each student to take home. It also instructs the teacher on how to teach the student depending on his or her ability.
For those who are considering volunteering, Sherry Gladieux, a volunteer who heard about the class through the newspaper, has some advice. "Do it. You know, it's very rewarding. These guys are a good group of people &emdash; very appreciative."
Volunteer Ann Newhard said even after a long day at work, working with the students is uplifting.
"The folks here are always so uplifting. They truly love the Lord and the knowledge that many of them have is just wonderful. So we learn as well as they do. We've made such good friends," Newhard said.
When the Friendship Class was started four years ago, "We were aware there was a need in the community for Christian education for those who are mentally handicapped. Basically those folks are maybe put in the Sunday school program as young children but eventually they kind of work their way out of the Sunday school program and most churches, although it's embarrassing to say, shun people with mental disabilities," Dobson said.
A member of First Presbyterian Church had heard of the curriculum.
"It came to us from one of our members who knew the program was working elsewhere and a combination of being willing to try something new and being interested in serving people in need helped to make this happen," the Rev. Richard Mahlmann, pastor at First Presbyterian Church, said.
He said the response from the church has been very good. "Folks have come forward to be helpers, different ones, different times. Folks that have come to our services have been very well received and a few of them have actually become members of the congregation. We're glad for that," Mahlmann said.
Frances Shaull is one of the students who became a member "because I liked it," she said.
Joyce Austin, who says Jesus is what keeps her coming back to the class each week, says, "You learn about Jesus and Moses and all those other things. It's important for people to know." She has been coming for about three years.
Student Buddy Harbert also enjoys the program. "I'm very happy here. If I wasn't happy, I'd be gone." In another month Buddy will have been coming to the program for three years.
Dobson said the students are excited to come to class each week. "What's fun to see is the students when they come in. They come in all excited. Everybody's got a hug for you. It's like all my long lost friends, they're back."
Anyone wanting more information about the Friendship Class or interested in volunteering, should contact Dobson at 448-9612 or call First Presbyterian Church at 447-2004.