The Church needs to become aware of assistive aids that help disabled people become included in services and social gatherings as well as things that are barriers for accessibility. Basic accessibility includes, but is not limited to, the following: 1) ramped access, 2) an audio induction loop installed in the church and regular checks to Read more

Many Church buildings are structurally designed in a way that is representative of the Temple in Jerusalem. When we step back and look at how the building has been constructed, its architecture and furnishings, it is vital that we consider how this building, constructed in visual beauty has erected barriers for disabled people. Change only Read more

An important point to emphasize and remember is that a person should never ask direct questions to a person regarding their disability. The disabled person or a parent of a disabled child will choose what information to share and when to share it. Questions regarding immediate issues to accessibility and communication methods are appropriate to Read more

Sometimes inclusion is not about meeting a new person who is disabled but rather it is about a spouse or friend who acquires a permanent disability. The non-disabled spouse or friend may have difficulties in adapting their thoughts and may even unknowingly change their attitude towards their disabled spouse or friend which places an invisible Read more

It is equally important to never assume what another person thinks. To avoid assumptions, friendships need to be formed. The more someone gets to know the disabled person, the better they will understand how the individual sees themselves, including both negative and positive emotions. Inclusion is a ministry towards disabled people as well as their Read more

Disabled people have experiences that many non-disabled people have never faced. They have experienced discrimination, humiliation, frustration, which may have turned to anger, and they may need to learn to let go of all these emotions that weigh heavily on them. People who have acquired a disability often go through the process of grieving what Read more

Disabled people need to learn to embrace their disability as a gift from God rather than trying to “fix” it or hide it from others. Perhaps it is not the gift they would have chosen if it had been offered to them as an option, but it is a gift that they have and one Read more

Physical and attitudinal barriers must be removed from the Church in general but also amongst members of the Church. Inclusion also must be accepted by the disabled person and their families. They need to be able to step away from “able”ism which expects them to adapt their thoughts and ways of living to match that Read more

Inclusion in the Church is a key element of living the Gospel that Jesus taught and lived by His example. When we fail to recognize the need for diversity within the Church, we fail to live the Gospel. Inclusion does not only refer to physical access for disabled people but also understanding how to properly Read more

Over the next month and a half, I will be posting a series on Inclusion of Disabled People in the Church. It is my prayer that everyone who reads these posts will take them to heart and implement them in your own churches and religious communities. While they are aimed towards the Christian community, they Read more