Read a March 5, 2014, story in Our Sunday Visitor about resources the Catholic Church offers to help parents and parishes prepare special-needs children for the sacraments.

Read a Jan. 3, 2014, Religion News Service story about houses of worship that have started composting and how the practice fits in with theological concepts of stewardship and resurrection.  

Mark I. Pinsky is an author and longtime journalist who covered the religion beat for many years. His books include Amazing Gifts: Stories of Faith, Disability and Inclusion; A Jew Among the Evangelicals: A Guide for the Perplexed; and The Gospel According to the Simpsons: The Spiritual Life of the World’s Most Animated Family. Pinsky […]

Dennis Myers is a professor of social work, with an emphasis on gerontology, at Baylor University in Waco, Texas. He spoke at a September 2013 conference about what congregations can do to help members who have dementia and about how to support their caregivers as well.

Read a Sept. 23, 2013, article in The Baptist Standard about what congregations can do to help members who have dementia.

Read an April 30, 2012, JTA story about strides made by synagogues toward greater inclusion of those with nonphysical disabilities.

Tony Phelps-Jones is director of ministry for Prospects, which helps churches in the United Kingdom provide “effective ministry and outreach among people dearly loved by God and often marginalised by society.” The organization focuses on those with learning disabilities.

Read an account on EthicsDaily.com about the July 2013 Enabling Church conference in Bristol, England. Speakers discussed a range of ways that congregations can become more inclusive of people with disabilities.

Randy Dignan is pastor of Bible Baptist Church in Jefferson City, Mo. He is fluent in American Sign Language, and the church has an extensive ministry for the deaf, including worship services. Dignan grew up surrounded by deaf family members and says he has always felt called to ministry for the hearing-impaired.