There are things you might consider doing which are less public in nature. 
An example of such is found in our Catholic parishes.  There are many prayer 
groups.  Your Church might offer such a thing.  The older ladies often iron 
vestments and such.  How are your choir robes maintained, and by whom?  You 
might consider whether there is some sort of out reach program for 
prisoners, the disabled, or the sick and elderly.  You might want to offer 
to visit or telephone the shut in parishioners.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "[log in to unmask]" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, June 24, 2009 12:10 PM
Subject: Re: feeling kind of lonely


> Hi,andrew,
>
> I lost my sight 11 years ago and can relate to some of your feelings. Many 
> people feel awkward around a blind person or a person with a disability in 
> genral. This is not so much to do with you but with them as they do not 
> know how to relate to you. You can help them by putting them at ease, by 
> taking the initiative.Once they see that you are just an ordinary guy and 
> that your lack of vision is not a lack in the ability to communicate and 
> relate, I am pretty sure they will be more at ease around you.
>
> I would very much encourage you to use your cane though. I am not a good 
> cane traveler at all but I feel very insecure when I do not have my cane. 
> I want and need my cane because it gives me independence. yor cane does 
> not make you any more or less blind than you are. wen you are blind you 
> are blind. A Blind person with a cane is an independent blind person and 
> it will help your selfconfidence  and that in turn makes other people more 
> confident in you and in themselves relating to you.
>
> I do not know much what to advice about you finding your place in church 
> and how you can serve. I think we each face that question, blind and 
> sighted alike.  What might help some is if you talk to people and state 
> your needs. For example, it might help if your church secretary could 
> email you your church bulletin in advance and if someone could send you 
> the text for next Sunday's hymns in advance also.
>
> Thank you for sharing and we will keep you in our prayers.
>
> Take care and God Bless,
>
> Doris
>
>
>
>
> At 10:55 PM 4/1/2009 -0400, you wrote:
>>Hi all
>>
>>I hope you all are doing well.
>>
>>I  am doing okay.
>>
>>I  been having struggles to do with my blindness and stuff.
>>
>>I  been feeling down allot. I  have been feeling like I don't have any 
>>friends.
>>
>>At my church I been kind of treated like I am blind and not included.
>>I  tend to get lonely when I get left sitting on my own.
>>
>>I  am worried about my future. I  am trying to decide what to do with
>>my future.
>>
>>
>>I  just want to be excepted for who i am. I  don' know what I should
>>do to serve god. My church does not seem that helpful in the areas I
>>would like to serve in and stuff. I just again want to be excepted and
>>treated like everybody else.
>>
>>I don't use my cane because I am afraid of being labeled a blind person 
>>more so.