Pastoral Relationship with People with Intellectual ... - Theses

207I’d like to describe what amounts to a fairly typical worship scenario on aHoly Communion Sunday at this institution’s chapel. ‘Typical’ is a word to beused advisedly given that some who attend are prone to fairly spontaneousphysical and verbal gestures. Furthermore, there are those who attend who aresimply not concerned with or cognisant of what your average worshipper mayconsider normal worship protocols.So here this morning is Barry who likes to laugh at the most seeminglyinopportune moments, such as during the sharing of a concern over a residentwho is dying.There is Angela who offers me a geranium she’s pulled up from a largepot placed just outside the entrance to the chapel. She takes pleasure in seeing itplaced on the Communion table.There’s Eileen who keeps singing loudly long after the song has finished,provoking Nicole to utter quite loudly, “Oh, shut up.” But the singing continues.There’s Mario who may have an anxiety attack at a moment’s notice.There’s Janet who needs to be woken in order to receive the communionelements.There’s Rodney, hearing and intellectually impaired, and one of the mostcommitted up-front worshippers in this place.And there’s quiet undemonstrative Howard who sits erect in hiswheelchair seemingly oblivious or unconcerned at whatever else may be going onaround him.All such folk and numerous others are present for this service of HolyCommunion. The service follows a familiar liturgical form – bright, wellrememberedhymns and songs; opportunities to share good news and concerns forthose who can verbalise; and descriptive and familiar biblical stories, such asparables. Added to this, there is some laughter and spontaneous feedback. And sowe proceed to Holy Communion.A short, less verbal liturgy is intoned. The bread and cup are raised: thetraditional Lord’s Prayer is spoken with some who can speak joining in with thisfamiliar prayer. The bread is raised again and broken as the words are uttered,551 Apart from minor alterations, this narrative, and reflection and analysis, represents anextract taken almost verbatim from a self-penned journal article, namely,Whitney, "Intellectual Disability.”