Churches can access "foursight" to build their congregations

 

 

The Torch Trust for the Blind have launched their Foursight campaign to challenge churches into attracting people with sight loss into their congregations

Just imagine what it would be like to go to your church if you had little or no eyesight.

How would you get there? Would the steward show you to your seat? Would somebody sit next to you and give you any help that you needed during the service? How would you know if your friends are in church this morning? Are the church Bibles, songbooks, order of service and newssheet available in a media that you could use?

How would you join in?

Churches that wish to help those with sight loss can follow "Four Steps" on the Foursight website.

Briefly, the Four Steps are:

untitled1. Recognise the Need

National statistics suggest that a congregation of just 30 is likely to have one person who has a degree of sightloss that could make it difficult for them to read the songbook, appreciate the flowers, see the preacher or view the PowerPoint screen.

2. Register to access resources

Visit the Foursight webpage http://www.foursight.org.uk/ and complete the simple form, giving the name of your church and your contact details. Once registered you will have access to a growing body of on-line resources that will help you and your church make a difference for blind and partially sighted people.

3. Order the Church Pack

The pack includes a welcoming guide, details of publishers of Christian material in braille, large print and audio, and a list of suggestions of how your church can reach out to blind and partially sighted people in the local community and overseas

4. Prepare for Now and the Future

Just think one in four of us will suffer some sort of sight loss, temporary or permanent during our life times. It could be you!

 

Mervyn Ivany, chairman of the Norwich Torch Fellowship Group comments: " I would love to see more blind and partially sighted people actively invovled in the churches of Norfolk and my hope is that local churches will make full use of the resources available on the Foursight website."

 

http://www.foursight.org.uk/smartweb/foursight/foursight-home