By Rev Dr Trevor Whitney
Disabilities Ministry Chaplain, Uniting Church SA
Posted in Faith
“We are not called by God to do extraordinary things, but to do ordinary things with extraordinary love.” – Jean Vanier
One warm Sunday afternoon in January 2013, an ecumenical group of 16 people met for lunch in a suburban Adelaide home. They were drawn together by a common vision of seeing a faith-based L’Arche community home for adults with intellectual disability established in South Australia. Now, just over two years later, supporters of L’Arche Adelaide have some exciting new developments.
L’Arche is an international, not-for-profit organisation first established in France in 1964 by Jean Vanier, a Catholic philosopher and theologian. Beginning when Jean welcomed two men with disabilities into his home, L’Arche communities have since been established in 147 homes across 35 countries. In 2013, each state in Australia had at least one L’Arche home – except South Australia.
The small Adelaide group who first met in early 2013, which included three adults with intellectual abilities, recognised the unique environment that could be fostered by the establishment of a local L’Arche home. They recognised the various community and institutional accommodation options for people with intellectual disabilities in Adelaide, but none where people with and without intellectual disabilities could live together in a context of mutually shared love and care.
After this first meeting, the group continued to gather regularly – to share stories, pray, eat together, celebrate, and begin an ongoing journey towards understanding what it means to be a L’Arche community.
As part of this journey, the community has tried to raise its profile by participating in events such as the 2013 City to Bay Fun Run – where they proudly came close to last!
This year, the community has made huge strides to achieving their goal.
In January, they held their first community weekend at the Highgate Park chapel in Adelaide’s eastern suburbs. Approximately 24 people attended, including individuals from interstate L’Arche communities, gathering for community building, envisioning, fun and worship.
In recent months, the community has officially become an incorporated body under the banner of L’Arche Australia. They have also developed an interim board, and a mandate (strategic plan) to guide them as they take tentative further steps on the road to community.
Various denominations are represented amongst the community’s membership, including the Uniting Church. All are welcome to attend the community’s monthly gatherings.
For more information about the burgeoning L’Arche Adelaide community please contact Uniting Church SA Disabilities Ministry Chaplain Rev Dr Trevor Whitney on 0403 711 653 or Turn on Javascript!
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Paul tries to create some “audiovisual aids” for this big message, which he calls “churches” (a term Jesus used only twice, found in Matthew 16:18 and 18:17). Paul knows we need living, visible models of this new kind of life to make evident that Christ’s people really follow a way different from mass consciousness.
It is very important, friends, not to think of the soul as dark. We are conditioned to perceive only external light. We forget that there is such a thing as inner light, illuminating our soul.
Paul tries to create some “audiovisual aids” for this big message, which he calls “churches” (a term Jesus used only twice, found in Matthew 16:18 and 18:17). Paul knows we need living, visible models of this new kind of life to make evident that Christ’s people really follow a way different from mass consciousness.
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