Contact Details
Through the Roof , Alpha House , Alpha Place , Garth Road , Morden , Surrey , SM4 4TQ
Phone : 01372 749955
Email : info @ throughtheroof . org
Web : www . throughtheroof . org
Our Vision
‘… is all people enjoying life together , mutually giving and receiving , as God intended ’
Our Mission
'… is transforming lives through Jesus with disabled people ’
Through the Roof Charitable Trust Ltd is a UK Registered Company number 04201510 with offices at Alpha House , Alpha Place , Garth Road , Morden , Surrey , SM4 4TQ . It is also a Registered Charity Number 1087788 .
Quotes are sometimes edited for clarity and length
Vital Link is designed and printed by PDC Design & Print www . pdc-kingston . co . uk
www . throughtheroof . org
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with 270,000 others , 19,000 of whom need a mobility aid !
Maurice ’ s wife left him because of his disability , so he ’ s a single Dad bringing up a 4-year old child in the harshest of circumstances . He is hampered by nasty pressure sores resulting from living on a mud hut floor . Free healthcare exists on camp but Maurice has been unable to reach it , stuck indoors with no-one to carry him there .
On our last visit to Uganda , our team assessed him , dressed his wounds , and fitted him
How Can We Ensure The Gospel Reaches Everyone ?
We were delighted to welcome 95 people to our fourth UK-wide online event during September . With coronavirus restrictions forcing churches to adapt the way people meet together , this title seemed appropriate : ‘ Church Disability Inclusion As A New Normal – How Can We Ensure The Gospel Reaches Everyone ?’
It was our pleasure to have Roy McCloughry giving a thought-provoking talk . Roy is the National Disability Advisor to the Church of England , a disabled person himself and author of several books – including ‘ The Enabled Life – Christianity in a Disabling World ’.
Roy encouraged us to question the word ‘ normal ’. Does this word not prompt us to ask , “ what does it mean to be normal ? Are we not more than normal according to the Bible because we are made in the image of God ?” We were challenged to recognise that through this awful pandemic , the church needs to lament and grieve over our losses – not only because of loved ones who have died , but businesses that have failed , domestic abuse in lockdown , or deteriorating mental health . Roy reminds us that :
“ there has never been a time in recent history where people living in so-called wealthy countries have come across the unfairness of life . Do Christians try and neaten up the rawness of
A Pastoral Ear
Are you a disabled person struggling during this time of uncertainty and in need of someone to listen ? Perhaps you have lost a friend or are anxious and would like someone to talk to ? We are delighted that two Christian Pastors , with counselling skills , and experience of living with disability , have kindly offered a listening ear through telephone support to the TTR family . Places are limited , but if you would like to speak to someone , please call the office on 01372 749955 or email us on info @ throughtheroof . org , and we ’ ll put you in touch with Alex and Anne .
with a wheelchair and pressure-relieving cushioning . He can now get the medical help he needs . “ Disability is not inability ”, he smiled and said . The wheelchair will not just help him get about , but enable him to visit other disabled people to encourage them in their situation .
Please do pray for the success of this new venture , and consider donating to keep Wheels turning — there ’ s a donation form at the end of this issue .
Roy ’ s talks are up now on our Youtube and Facebook pages . Go to www . throughtheroof . org to find links .
this in order to defend a good God , or go with it , journeying with people in their darkness ? So , we need to be realistic now about the lives we are living and give space for the hurt and grief that has come with it ”.
The talk provided us with plenty to stimulate our thinking during breakout room discussions . Following the event , we organised a Question and Answer session with Roy . Questions included : ‘ How does our thinking need to change to be less focused on Sunday services ?’ And ‘ How do we discover folk in our community who have a disability and might be interested in being part of a church ?’ A video of his talk and the Q & A follow-up video are now up on our Facebook and Youtube .
Anne speaking at our Roofbreaker event in January