SonBeams provides social outlet, spiritual training
(December 16, 2001)
Jay Hawtin Hallberg first recognized that many young adults with developmental
disabilities lack social outlets when her son Christopher, now 31, finished
school. In 1995 she started SonBeams, a ministry that sponsors a Sunday
school class for people with developmental disabilities at Calvary Temple
(Assemblies of God) in Seattle.
Class act: Teachers
and members of the SonBeams Sunday school are a close-knit group.
"There weren’t really wonderful times for him to fellowship and
socialize with other young adults," she says. "I thought, ‘This
is no good, it’s like looking at life through a window.’ "
Through contacts with Christopher’s school friends and through
her job as a nurse, Hallberg saw that other young adults with developmental
disabilities had similar social needs, but no social outlets. SonBeams
is geared to adults with developmental disabilities, and regularly draws
30 students to its Friendship Bible Class in Sunday school.
"If ever there is a group that needs the church, it is this group,"
Hallberg says.
Although some people initially perceived the class as a glorified baby-sitting
service, the opposite is true.
Hallberg shares teaching responsibilities with two other women. The
class begins with a continental breakfast, group prayer and worship.
A Bible lesson follows, and class members learn a related Scripture
verse through a fun activity.
To reinforce the teaching, each lesson is repeated for several weeks,
using various approaches. The central theme is "Teaching for life: Living
God’s way." After Friendship Bible class, students participate
in the worship service.
Recently, students have been learning about appropriate attitudes and
behaviors in relationships, including casual acquaintances, friendships,
dating and marriage.
Monthly activities such as dinners and campouts round out the class’s
activities, creating a safe place of fellowship and belonging with new
and longtime friends.
Most students have made commitments to Christ as Savior through the
class, including Hallberg’s son, Christopher. "He grew up in the
church, but always said that he didn’t want to receive Christ,"
Hallberg says. "One morning, the Spirit of God was powerfully present,
and he said that he wanted to receive Christ."
The church also has been able to minister to the families of students.
Some who aren’t Christians have started attending the church.
"This is a great and growing ministry," says John C. Martin, pastor
of Calvary Temple. "There have been a number of students added this
past year. The class has touched not only the students’ lives,
but also the families and parents of the students."
Martin believes the ministry is essential. "We have a responsibility
to reach out to everyone," he says. "We’re all created in the image
of God, and we have a responsibility and an obligation to reach out
to those in need and those who don’t know Jesus as Savior and Lord."
