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The number of church and regional disability advocates is growing in the Christian Reformed Church, with more people stepping into these roles to support belonging and participation in their congregations and communities. As of 2024, there are 384 church disability advocates, representing about 40% of the churches, and 21 out of 49 classes have a regional disability advocate. Those numbers include 10 regional advocates who started since 2023 and 22 new church disability advocates who began serving within the same time.

Lindsay Wieland Capel, disability consultant with , described the difference between the two roles, saying church disability advocates serve in their church context and regional disability advocates volunteer on the classis level.

Church advocates think about universal and responsive design in their church context. “Universal design is proactively designing and adapting worship services, buildings, and attitudes so that they are accessible for as many people as possible,” said Wieland Capel. “Responsive design is more person-centered” focusing on a particular person with a disability and adapting and accommodating based on what works well for them.

Regional advocates support church disability advocates in their classes and connect with churches who don’t yet have a disability advocate. Wieland Capel said, “Our hope is that each church and classis would have a disability advocate.”

Dian Hofstra has been the church disability advocate at in Toronto, Ont., for about a year. She enjoys helping her congregation “become aware of the challenges of persons with (a) disability, and familiarizing them so that they become more comfortable.” Hofstra said, “My husband (who died two years ago) was blind since 1999. Navigating that world and experiencing the ways that people treat blind people or treat disability has really made me be more aware of persons with disability.”

Hofstra said, “People, for the most part, are not willful in neglecting (or) in saying something insensitive—but they are sometimes unaware, and if I can increase the awareness, I think that would be great.”

Amie Spriensma has been a disability advocate “on and off for at least a dozen years.” She said some years she’s been more active than others, depending on her life circumstances. Spriensma is currently the regional disability advocate for Classis Zeeland.

“As a person with Cerebral Palsy, I feel as though I am always advocating for something: Either I want to be included, or I am looking for ways to help others be included,” Spriensma said. “One of the best things about being an advocate is having your message of inclusion connect with other people. It doesn’t always happen, but when the message is conveyed with compassion, comprehension, and clarity, it’s a blessing to see the response.”

She added, “Disability advocates help people in the church and wider community recognize that God sometimes uses broken crayons and cracked pots to create his masterpieces. The power to do what we do and shine his light in any capacity is from God and not from us. If the calling truly comes from Christ, he will expand it, not revoke it or hide it away.”

Four of the 13 new church disability advocates that began in 2024 are in Classis Grand Rapids East, being encouraged by their . Sara Lemke was looking for a and became an advocate for her home church and a regional advocate after Wieland Capel noticed her passion and asked her to consider serving. If Wieland Capel notices someone is already engaged in Thrive’s disability work, she’ll ask them to prayerfully consider joining as an advocate.

To express interest in learning more or in becoming , email Thrive@crcna.org.