Your Church and Persons with Disabilities: Merely Access or Full Inclusion?

by Rev. Laura Barclay

I recently received a copy of the American Baptist home Mission Societies’ newsletter, The Christian Citizen, with the focus “Disability Ministry: From Access to Inclusion.” There was not only an abundance of ideas and practical information for how to become a more welcoming congregation for persons with disabilities, but also helpful articles that engage the imagination of readers without disabilities on what it would be like for a disabled person to walk into their congregation. One chaplain, Bill Gaventa, relates the following on page five:

“What we most want,” I have so often heard [from persons with disabilities], “is simply to be included in what is already there.” The place to begin, therefore, in ministries with people with disabilities and their families is not a new “special” ministry that is tacked onto the church. That approach can be derailed by first raising feelings of inadequacy among members about the skills they assume are necessary to include people with special needs. It is better to begin by talking with individuals and families about what they need and want and then taking a good look at what the church already offers. Then ask, “Why does anyone come? What are the gifts resident in the faith community and the congregation’s dream of this life and mission together? People with disabilities and their families say, “We want a place that is safe, sanctuary, a place of welcome and acceptance, a place where we can worship and learn, a place where we can both participate in and contribute to the life of a faith community.” That’s not so different from most other people!”

Keeping in mind the idea of providing sanctuary for persons with disabilities and provide inclusion in activities and initiatives already taking place in your congregations, ask, “How welcoming is my congregation? Do we have persons with intellectual and physical disabilities in our congregations? How do they feel when they are at church? How can we be more welcoming?”

After brainstorming, review some of the fantastic tips below provided by The Christian Citizen on how to become a more inclusive and inviting congregation for persons with disabilities. What would it look like to embrace these ideas in your congregation?

*Consider installing lifts instead of traditional elevators in older churches for cost-effective inclusion (pg 6).

*For vision and hearing-impaired members (a number that will increase as your congregation ages), consider using projection equipment for announcements, song lyrics, congregations responses, Scripture lessons and sermon outlines. Consider also using an adaptive listening system (pg 6-7).

*Some church use American Sign Language interpreters in their service. Is there anyone in your congregation who is fluent and willing to volunteer (pg 7).

*Create opportunities for employers in your congregation to connect with those with disabilities who are underemployed or unemployed. Create employment opportunities in the church itself (pg 1).

*The Interfaith Disability Advocacy Coalition (IDAC) is spearheading an effort to raise awareness of and support for employment of people with disabilities through a solidarity statement. Encourage your congregation to endorse this effort and implement its provisions (http://www.aapd.com/what-we-do/interfaith/idac-statement-of-solidarity.html) (pg 1).

*Support members and visitors with disabilities who are out of work with specific advice and training, supervised volunteer opportunities and introductions to those who make hiring decisions (pg 11).

*Hire qualified people with disabilities as ordained leaders, religious educators, musical directors, communicators, administrators, support staff, technical support and maintenance workers (pg 11).

*If you have returning veterans in your church, consider that loud bands can trigger PTSD. Consider a more contemplative approach to worship (pg 19).

Whatever you choose to do or are already doing in your congregation to provide the welcome of Christ to all persons, may God bless your efforts with reconciliation, inclusion, and relationship building that strengthens the body of Christ that is the church. Let us remember the words of the Apostle Paul, who said in 1 Corinthians 12, “There should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.” Let us always remember those who may suffer within and outside of our churches who feel the pain of division because of our failure to extend the welcome of Christ.


To read this edition of The Christian Citizen to learn more about creative an inclusive community, click here: http://www.abhms.org/resources/christian_citizen/index.cfm

Churches Are Called to Lead the Way in Accessibility

By Dr. Dennis Herman

The Epistle of James leaves little wiggle room: “…If a person comes into your assembly with a gold ring and dressed in fine clothes, and there also comes in a poor man in dirty clothes, and you pay special attention to the one who is wearing the fine clothes, and say, ‘you sit over here in a good place,’ and you say to the poor person, ‘You stand over there or sit down by my footstool,’ have you not made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil motives?”

As a missionary, I have lived in three different countries of the world and have visited numerous others. In some situations, I have felt treated as a visiting dignitary, with honored seats in special places. In other situations, I have felt like the poor person crashing the party, the uninvited guest or, at best, the reluctantly tolerated guest. I did not feel comfortable in either role, but admittedly I was less comfortable when I felt like a party crasher. How do people feel when entering our church building? How does it feel to be poor and off the street, trying to find a message of home in our assemblies? How about those with special needs? Do the physically handicapped find it difficult to get in and around, to find a seat where they can blend in and not stick out on the front row or feel hidden on the back? How about those of other races and nationalities—are they met with warmth and welcome? What about nursing mothers who want to their baby with them for an hour of worship? What about anyone whose worship culture is different from the one we have known?

In the first church I pastored after returning to the States from South America, I challenged the congregation to shorten some of its unused pews to accommodate walkers and wheelchairs so that there would be seating options other than the front pew or the back of the sanctuary. It was a struggle for the church, but some of those who opposed it later were glad they could park their wheelchairs and not “stick out” in the aisle. In the last church I pastored, we designed and constructed an accessible sanctuary where not only wheelchairs and walkers could fit in at various places, but the back “row” consisted of glider rockers where nursing moms could bring their babies into the worship service. (I guess it helps when the pastor’s wife is a professional lactation consultant!)

There are many ways we can say “welcome” to our worship and church building. Likewise, there are many ways we can say “stay away,” or worse yet, “don’t come back.” I realize we cannot be everything to everyone, but as the Church who tries to follow seriously the exhortation of James 2:2-4 and the inclusive love of Jesus, let’s ask what ways we can open our hearts, our ministries, and our building to all who seek God’s love.

Dennis Herman is the interim pastor of Oxford Baptist Church in Oxford, NC. This article originally appeared in their church newsletter, The Forecaster.

Faith & Film: The King's Speech

by Rev. Laura Barclay

One of my co-workers has been instrumental in starting a faith and film series at her church for fellowship in and outside of the church walls. Because film is a common medium for discussion, we have chatted about possible films to include in the series. With this on my mind, I recently saw The King’s Speech, which may be one of the best films I’ve seen in a few years. It follows the true story of the reluctant King George VI (previously Prince Albert) who is afflicted with a stammer. As Prince Albert, he is second in line to the throne after his older brother Prince Edward. The film follows several speeches he gives where he struggles and pauses throughout, much to his discomfort and the disdain of the audience. After trying many unsuccessful speech coaches, he meets Lionel Logue at the insistence of his wife. They argue and debate about Lionel’s methods, but they soon become very close friends and Albert is able to share traumatic events from his life. His father, King George V passes away and his brother becomes King Edward VIII. When King Edward contemplates marriage to an American socialite who is twice divorced (deemed improper at the time), Edward faces abdication. The prospect of being King and preparing for the onslaught of Hitler hangs heavy on Prince Albert’s heart as he does some soul searching at the prodding of Logue. Edward marries the American, abdicates the throne, and Albert becomes King George VI. As Britain declares war on Germany, he faces the ominous task of delivering a powerful, yet comforting speech to his people.

While the tale is historical and you can simply “Google” his name to find out what happens, I don’t want to spoil it for you. Before this movie, the story was little known and even restricted from being published during the long lifetime of Prince Albert’s wife, Queen Elizabeth (the current Queen Elizabeth II’s mother), who died in 2002. She loved her husband deeply and the memories were too painful to re-live.

Although the church, personified by the Archbishop of Canterbury is portrayed as somewhat antagonistic and disapproving of Logue’s methods, the story itself draws interesting parallels to the story of Moses. Both Moses and King George VI struggled with a stammer, were reluctant to lead, wanted someone else to be chosen instead, and had to find a way to stand up to a frightening, oppressive dictator. It was powerful to see Prince Albert wrestle with his disability in order to be comfortable being the leader his people needed, much in the same way Moses had to overcome his discomfort with his speech in order to confront the Pharaoh.

I recently read a news article about how children who stutter found a role model in watching this film. In the story, kids who stuttered expressed the need to be listened to and not judged. They were inspired by the leadership portrayed in the film after facing similar humiliating public speaking experiences. Parents discussed the need for optimism, patience, and support. I encourage you to read the story to see the real life applicability.

This true story incorporates the themes of friendship, overcoming adversity, and leadership, and could be very popular in community-wide or small group viewings. Discussions could be held about thematic elements, biblical allusions, and/or addressing stuttering and fear of public speaking. The acting is superb by every performer, and I encourage you to see it as soon as possible!

The movie is rated R, most likely for language, which is used during the course of the unorthodox therapy session. It stars Colin Firth as King George VI, Helena Bonham Carter as Queen Elizabeth, and Geoffrey Rush as Lionel Logue. Check out more details about the movie here: http://www.kingsspeech.com/

Liturgy and Human Disability

by Andrew Tatum

In many ways, I think, our understanding of what it means to be human (and by us I mean Westerners) is inherently related to an understanding of the imago dei - even if some people won't claim that relation. When we think of what it means to be human, we often turn to the idea of human capacities.

Hans Reinders, in Receiving the Gift of Friendship, reminds us that this view of humanity as related to human capacity is - unfortunately - directly connected to historical Christian conceptions of the imago dei. In other words, any Christian effort to insist that "people with profound intellectual disabilities are people just like other people" on the basis of the imago dei is bound to disappointed with what it finds.

Reinders notes that in his research on the imago dei, he found that the theological support for a capacity-oriented imago dei was broad and deep within the Christian tradition - and not only the Christian tradition:

"Personally, I have great respect for people who live profoundly disabled lives. But can one even say that? Are the people living such lives the proper object of respect? Any contemporary textbook on ethics will explain to its readers that they owe respect to all human beings, because of their capacity for reason and will. These textbooks do not say this because they are contemporary; readers will find the same view in all major Western thinkers, from Kant back to Aquinas to Augustine to Aristotle, to name a few. One only need substitute "rational soul" for "human being," and one will find the proof of this claim."

Reinders, of course, wants to counter this claim that our humanity or our lives as the imago dei are necessarily related to human capacity. In working through these claims, I am more than willing to go along with Reinders - but in a different direction that he is going. I want to say that our humanity is constituted by our relation to other people and to God and, thus, that none of us are fully human unless we participate in life with others and with God. Of course, this could be a dangerous move because it could lead to the oppression of those who do not understand "right relation to God and others" in the way in which I do. This is something that I'll have to deal with. But the further claim that I am inclined to make is that "right relation with God and others" is forged primarily in the fire of gathered liturgical celebration. Therefore, I have some questions. Implied in each of these is the question of how "historic Christianity" has asked and answered these questions.

Three interrelated questions on Liturgy and Human Disability:
1. In what ways can liturgy shape our understanding of what it means to be human?
2. In what ways can liturgy serve as a means of faith formation?
3. In what ways can the inclusion of disabled persons in the liturgical celebration of Christian communities become mutually edifying and spiritually formative?

Andrew Tatum is the youth minister at Centenary United Methodist Church in Smithfield, North Carolina and a student at Campbell University Divinity School. This post is taken from his blog, Methobaptist Musings, where he reflects on being a Baptist in a Methodist setting, and writes on matters of theology, culture and church.