Fellowship Only - Disabilities, Widows & Others
Every Member Made by God
God forms every person in the womb (Psalm 139:13–16), and He is the one who makes the deaf, the mute and the blind (Exodus 4:11). When the disciples asked whose sin had caused a man's blindness, Jesus answered that it was so the works of God might be displayed in him (John 9:1–3). The members of the body that seem weaker are indispensable (1 Corinthians 12:22), and Christ told His people to invite to their table those the world passes over (Luke 14:13–14).
Families who hold to these truths have welcomed every child God gave them. Many of those children are now adults who are deaf or blind, who live with cerebral palsy, spina bifida, Down syndrome or another disability, and who want what every believer wants: friendship, fellowship and, for some, marriage.
The Problem With a First Glance
On most sites a profile is judged in seconds. A member whose disability shows in a photo or a line of a profile can meet a wall of rejections before anyone has heard them speak, laughed at their humor or learned what they believe. That is not how friendships form in a church, and it should not be how they form here.
Fellowship Only
Sola Singles offers a setting called Fellowship Only. While it is on, a member:
- does not appear in anyone's matches and has no matches of their own;
- receives no handshakes from the opposite sex;
- takes part in everything else: the Fellowship Hall, the rooms, games, parties and conversations.
No one is told that a member has turned it on, and no one is told why. No mark appears on the profile or the photo. Sola Singles never asks about a disability and keeps no record of one. A member shares as much or as little as they choose, in their own words.
Friendships begin in the rooms. People come to know one another over threads, games and conversations, and some friendships grow into more. Whenever a member is ready, they turn Fellowship Only off in Settings, and matching opens to them as it does for any member.
Widows and Others
Fellowship Only is not only for members with a disability. A widow or widower who is not ready to be matched, someone after a disappointing courtship, or anyone who would simply rather enjoy the fellowship may turn it on for as long as they like.
Families Who Help
A parent or another family member may help an adult son or daughter use Sola Singles, signing in with them on their own account. Every member is eighteen or older and verifies their own identity.
Built to Be Used
Sola Singles is built to the web's accessibility standard, WCAG 2.2 AA. It works with screen readers, follows the text size and other accessibility settings on phones and computers, and has Accessibility settings of its own. Members can describe their photos for those who cannot see them, and videos carry captions. If something does not work for you, tell us through Contact Us and choose Accessibility.