The Reverend Doctor Hugh V. Nash has served Zion UCC in Perry Hall, Maryland, for the past 17 years. Prior to coming to Zion UCC, he served in other denominations as a pastor for a grand total of 25 years of service. Robert Brooks, Licensed Minister at Zion, described Hugh as "a softhearted loving man who does not put on any 'airs.' He is the genuine article; what you see is what you get." Hugh's disability is no secret, the minister said, and he has not allowed his bi polar illness to keep him from being Zion's "Good Shepherd." However, two decades ago in order to receive a call, Dr. Nash had no choice but to knowingly avoid telling the search committee about his mental illness, said church member, Elizabeth E.W. Kirk. "As the congregation came to understand Hugh's total openness about his disease," she said, "we came to know someone who struggles every day to survive. In watching this daily struggle year after year, we came to understand depression and mania." Hugh's openness and advocacy on behalf of mental health issues have encouraged many in the congregation to know that it is all right to seek help when they need it, to share their concerns with the rest of the congregation and not be ashamed of their various degrees and periods of depression, she said. Reaching beyond the local church and into the community because of Hugh Nash's attitude, Kirk herself became an advocate for the depressed elderly and also was instrumental in beginning the first in house (Congregate Housing Program) mental health program in Baltimore. "It is important that people with mental illness feel that they are understood and have people who truly care about them," she said. Three years ago under Hugh's leadership, two endangered UCC churches in a changing area of Baltimore city became and are now one vibrant, growing Zion UCC in Perry Hall. "If you come to visit you will find a warm and loving congregation ready to embrace you. There are no strangers here," Brooks said. "Hugh makes sure of that."

Who am I? The whole issue of disabilities ministries has been interwoven in the fabric of my life. I heard stories from my mother who home-taught students with disabilities. She was always trying to figure out how her students could have fulfilling lives. I figured out early that her annual picnic was their high social point. Meanwhile, a neighbor with Type 1 Diabetes and I became best friends. Later my key thought upon leaving an eighteen-year career in vocational rehabilitation for ordination was that no matter how well we supported people to find jobs and homes, they remained socially isolated. In 1988, I wondered how my church could support people to find God's community. Developing a mentoring partnership built upon members' contact networks, we paired members with people new to the community who worked at Goodwill Industries. Finding the integrative setting, we asked what that would mean for expanding the gifts and capacity of a paired partner. If a member loved square dancing but the setting was socially-segregated, we suggested, "What if you were to do this in an integrative setting?" Later, I helped involve the church around developing a Disabilities Ministries Task Force in the Central Atlantic Conference. A member of the National Committee on Disability since1992-1993, I was asked in 1996 to be consultant to the UCCDM. Few days pass without someone contacting me. I came to 1995 General Synod with the goal of attaching the words, "accessible to all" to "multi-racial, multi-cultural" to Synod minutes. This happened, but the words were soon forgotten. From then on, we have worked to bring them to life. DM is about developing partnerships, a broad DM network of people with disabilities involved up front. No buzz word, DM is woven into the total life, an integral part of the church.

In Fall 2001, United Church News welcomed UCC Disabilities Ministries by offering this insert. "That All May Worship and Serve" was first published January 1999. We thank its retiring editor, Gay McCormick (Central Atlantic Conference), for her vision of a wider colloquy for UCCDM. We welcome as new editor, Rev. Dallas (Dee) Brauninger (Nebraska Conference). Rev. Virginia Kreyer (New York Metropolitan Conference) led UCCDM from its formative days as an outgrowth of her 1977 committee through Synod initiative resolutions until her retirement in 1995. Her ministry culminated with adoption of the 1995 Synod resolution calling on the church at all levels to embrace the spirit of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Our ministry continues. In 1999, General Synod passed the Calling of Clergy with Disabilities Resolution. As consultant since 1996, I have watched our volunteer network grow. We celebrate excellent leadership through DM co-Chairs, Rev. Jeanne Tyler (Nebraska Conference) and Rita Fiero (Connecticut Conference) and through Rev. Peg Slater, our minister for inclusive ministries. The UCCDM is structurally at home in Local Church Ministries. Local Church Ministries' Parish Life and Leadership, inclusive ministries has close administrative ties with evangelism and seminary linkages. Many people have made possible the steady, extraordinary progression of this ministry. Pioneer-founder of the Mental Illness Network, the Rev. Robert Dell (Illinois Conference) leads this growing network into its second decade. Receiving administrative support through UCCDM, MIN links with other essential UCC entities as well as the interfaith Pathways to Promise. At 1999 General Synod, MIN led passage of the resolution, Calling the People of God to Justice for Persons with Serious Mental Illnesses (Brain Disorders). Looking ahead, the Revs. Bill and Gail Royster (South Central Conference) are developing a study process that centers upon hospitality as pivotal for involving persons with disabilities as full partners and contributors in local churches. May God bless you in your ministry of "Access to All." David Denham, UCCDM Consultant

Virginia Kreyer, Consultant 1978-1995 Shares Memories

The UCC Disabilities Ministries (UCCDM) presence was prominent in a number of ways . . . an awards luncheon, a workshop, the UCCDM and Mental Illness Network (MIN) booths in the exhibit hall, and the Local Church Ministries dinner with the presentation of the first Virginia Kreyer Award to its namesake. This new award honors persons who have been "true pioneers," providing leadership inside and outside the church and furthering the day when persons with disabilities will be full partners and contributors within church and society. With the awarding of the Kreyer Award, a defining moment in the life of the UCCDM, the foundation-laying and disabilities-ministries-building by our foremother and prophet, Virginia Kreyer, is recognized. The Rev. Thomas E. Dipko, retired former Executive Vice-President, United Church Board for Homeland Ministries, introduced her with the following words: "Virginia, beloved sister in Christ: Decades before contemporary authors reminded us that the God we worship came among us in the broken body of Jesus Christ, you were a "pioneering, prophetic, persevering" witness to the disabled God in whose image and likeness we are all made. "Your ordination to Christian Ministry almost fifty years ago challenged the prevailing attitude of church and society that for so long rendered persons with disabilities invisible . . . you taught us anew the wisdom of St. Paul's words to the Corinthians, 'If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.' And lest any of us yield to the base temptations of pride and paternalism, you said to us with transparent eloquence, 'There is a ministry of the disabled to church and humanity. Our presence is a reminder that Christ was a suffering servant.' "Virginia, no one who has ever been in the same room with you would ever describe you as invisible! When you set your chin a certain way and look the insensitive in the eyes with your vision of things yet to be, even indifferent hearts melt. Your influence is felt across this land and around the world. From the splendid accessibility of Lincoln Center in Manhattan to the simple barrier free rural church in Iowa to the Amistad Chapel at Church House in Cleveland, your signature of compassion is not only carved in brick and mortar, it throbs in the welcoming heart to which they testify. "A grateful church rejoices in the creation of the Virginia Kreyer Award for Disabilities Ministries. We are pleased and honored that you are its first distinguished recipient. May it remind you all the days that God shall give you that you are loved beyond words by the United Church of Christ." Virginia Kreyer responded, "When I was a teenager, I felt as if I wanted to do work for the church but wondered how God could use a person with poor speech and a disability. When I arrived at Union Theological Seminary, I asked a very dear minister friend, as follows: 'Do you really feel that there is a place of service for me within the church?' Very slowly he said, 'I really do not know'." "The next few weeks were very difficult for me. I spent much time in prayer, and then one morning at chapel, I felt God place his hand upon my shoulder and say, 'I have called YOU, and I will use YOU. You are not going to question this calling again'...Then in 1971 I became a member of this denomination. You put me to work, and I thank you. I thank the entire denomination and above all I thank God for calling me and using me and for allowing me to be a servant of the Lord. Thank you." From UCC DM Newsletter Archive

The Twenty-third General Synod will be held July 13-17, 2001, in Kansas City, Missouri. The first day of General Synod, Friday, July 13, (Yes, that's right! It's a Friday, the 13th, but we don't have triskaidekaphobia!) The United Church of Christ Disabilities Ministries will host a luncheon at which we will honor our past, celebrate the present, and look toward the future of Disabilities Ministries. Be sure to sign up for our luncheon, at a cost of $14.50 per person, when you receive your General Synod materials. Disabilities Ministries is offering the workshop, "Disability Issues: Ecumenically and Locally-It's about Time-Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow," on Saturday, July 14, at 3:45 pm. at the Hyatt Regency Crown Center. A panel from UCCDM will lead a discussion of how practices to address issues of physical disability, mental illness, and cognitive disorders can be strengthened ecumenically between the UCC and Disciples, and implemented locally within congregations. Come and join us there. Anyone needing information about the workshop should contact David Denham at 713.861.6670 or revbaseball@aol.com. This year, UCCDM will be presenting awards, one of which is an award named after the first national staff person to hold the position Consultant in Disabilities, the Rev. Virginia Kreyer. Virginia, ordained in the UCC, has been a pioneer in the disability movement. In the 1970s, she organized a committee to address disability issues in the New York Conference. At the 1977 General Synod, the body passed a resolution calling upon the wider church to establish the National Committee on Persons with Disabilities (now the UCC Disabilities Ministries). Virginia was called upon to develop this group and to serve as its consultant. She served in that capacity through the 1995 General Synod. Virginia has blazed a trail in the UCC, which has opened pathways for other persons with disabilities in the denomination. The UCC is deeply indebted to her. This award recognizes her lasting contributions, and she will be the first recipient of the Virginia Kreyer Award. It will be awarded in the future to others who make such lasting, pioneering contributions on behalf of persons with disabilities in the life of the UCC. Virginia is retired and lives on Long Island. Her skills and gifts as a clergyperson (who has a disability) tell us that disability is no obstacle to serving God. We look forward to the opportunity to honor this remarkable person. This award, and the other awards, will be presented by UCCDM at the UCC Local Church Ministries dinner on July 14. There will be a UCCDM presence through an exceptional and compelling art exhibit offered by our Mental Illness Network (MIN). The artworks come from the National Alliance for Research for Schizophrenia and Depression (NARSAD). Also, stop by and visit us at our booth space in the exhibit hall. Prior to General Synod, July 10-12, the first general meeting of MIN members will be held in Hartsburg, Missouri. To obtain information and register for this event, contact Bob Dell at 414 E. Pleasant Ave.; Sandwich IL 60548, or <bob.dell@ecunet.org>. The UCCDM has much to celebrate, many reasons to rejoice. Within the structure of the wider church, it is part of and coordinated within the covenanted ministry, Local Church Ministries, as well as being part of and seated within the other covenanted Ministries, the Office of General Ministry, Wider Church Ministries, and justice and Witness Ministries. General Synod will occur within the joint communities of the UCC and our partner denomination, the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). We will be meeting together for common time, for worship, and for workshops. The local Disciples of Christ, Kansas/Oklahoma, and Missouri Conferences accessibility committee is at work on the behalf of persons with disabilities. The General Synod registration form offers a place to indicate a need for their assistance. Registration materials are available from the UCC Web site home page at <www.ucc.org> and from General Synod Registration; Office of Associate General Minister; United Church of Christ; 700 Prospect Avenue E; Cleveland OH 44115-1 100. Come and participate in this exciting event and opportunity. Please stay an extra day), following General Synod, for the annual meeting of the UCCDM on July 18. We will be meeting at the Marriott Downtown from 10 am. To 3 p.m. A lunch will be provided. All are welcome as we make plans for this growing ministry. If you plan to attend, contact Peg Slater at 216.736.3838 to confirm.

Dear Pastor and Church Leaders: Four years ago at General Synod 20, the United Church of Christ made two defining statements about our church and people with disabilities. The delegates passed a resolution entitled Concerning the Church and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, calling the church at all levels to be morally bound by the spirit of the ADA. The document for restructuring of the national setting was amended to claim our church as a multi-racial, multi-cultural church that is accessible to all. Disability challenges us to face our own vulnerability. With Americans living to be older, almost every one of us will be touched by disability in our lifetime, either personally or with someone near and dear to us. Access Sunday is about celebrating our humanity that we can worship and serve as long as we may wish. Access Sunday calls us to open our minds and hearts, to opening our programs, our front doors, our sanctuaries, choir lofts, chancels, restrooms, and more so that the church may speak that God is accessible to all. Many local churches of the United Church of Christ are taking steps to understand and to eliminate physical, architectural, and more general community barriers that persons with disabilities encounter as they attempt to be part of worship, fellowship, and the mission of the church. Access Sunday offers the opportunity to increase awareness, to celebrate steps taken, to prepare to take new steps, and to celebrate the gifts of persons with disabilities. On behalf of the UCC National Committee on Persons with Disabilities, I invite you to join in celebrating Access Sunday on October 10, 1999 or on a date convenient for your congregation. The UCC National Committee on Persons with Disabilities has prepared worship aids for use on Access Sunday. Large print copies are available upon request. The National Committee has available a resource packet for your use. Our Committee collaborates with the Board for Homeland Ministries, Division of Local Church Development and the UCC Fellowship of Architects in providing a comprehensive approach to meeting needs of local churches. This year, we honor the Rev. Dr. Harold H. Wilke on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of his ordination. Harold is blessed with many friends throughout our UCC family. Harold is a true pioneer of the disability movement, inside and outside the church. The Harold H. Wilke Fund has been established in his honor. Your church is invited to contribute to the Fund. Further information on the Fund is on the last page both of this newsletter issue and of the Access Sunday materials. May God bless you and your ministry to all God's people. Faithfully, The Reverend David E. Denham, Consultant, Disabilities Ministries From UCC DM Newsletter Archive

The following three awards were presented at the United Church Board for Homeland Ministries Banquet Program on July 4, 1999 at General Synod 22:

1. To a Person With a Disability Who Has Made An Outstanding Contribution to Church and Society: The Rev. Russell C. Schmidt, Grand Rapids, Michigan The Reverend Russell C. Schmidt has been a true pioneer in the church and in society on behalf of persons with disabilities. While serving as Minister of Education at First Congregational Church, Benton Harbor, Michigan, he helped the church and the community become more accessible by lovingly pointing out the obstacles he and others faced. Schmidt returned to Benton Harbor in 1993 to participate in First Congregational's celebration of full accessibility, preaching a sermon entitled, "The Time of Celebration is at Hand." In 1964, Schmidt wrote an article for The United Church Herald using the imagery for people of limited mobility of being stranded on a small island with no access to the mainland. Following his pastoral work, Schmidt served the Michigan Department of Rehabilitation. 2. To A Person Without a Disability Who Has Made An Outstanding Contribution To Church And Society: Mr. John Selmar, Seattle, Washington With warmth and genuine caring, John Selmar, a master clinician, has served as a speech pathologist and writer who gently has touched the lives of many people with disabilities and their families. His professional life is not so much a career as it is a montage of healing stories -- a young child with a speech deficit who leads a school production; former patients who become speech pathologists; a basketball player who moves beyond cultural speech barriers to become a bank vice-president; a doctor who stutters becomes a university lecturer. But, John has not only been a healer. He tirelessly extended himself in the public arena -serving on university training boards, supervising interns, and serving on and consulting with a multitude of committees. John Selmar has been and is an agent of healing and change, freeing others to speak and lead whatever their abilities. 3. A Special Award of Service to God: Rev. Dr. Harold H. Wilke, Claremont, California The National Committee on Persons with Disabilities bestows upon Harold Wilke a Special Award of Lifetime Service to God. Not only within the United Church of Christ, but, people within the whole United States remember Wilke looking over the shoulder of President Bush and then handing him a pen with his foot as Bush signed the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act. Wilke was present on stage in 1995 when General Synod XX passed the resolution calling upon the whole church to be morally bound by the ADA. Harold has touched the lives of so many people --- writing extensively, speaking tirelessly, pastoring always --- awakening many to the gifts and talents of people with disabilities. At the age of 14, as he knelt during his confirmation, his pastor spoke these prophetic words, "Let this child go to theological seminary and become a minister of the church." This minister with no arms is revered throughout the UCC and has taught us all the true meaning of trusting the embracing arms of God. Looking ahead to General Synod 23, 2001, the UCC Disabilities Ministries will establish the Virginia Kreyer Award. The Rev. Virginia Kreyer, Garden City, NY, established the UCC Disabilities Ministries, beginning in the 1970's, and served as its first consultant until 1995. Her pioneering efforts will be recognized at the next General Synod. UCCDM will establish an award in her name to be offered to persons who have been true pioneers in the disability ministries. Kreyer will be its first recipient.

NCPWD, ALIVE AND WELL AT GENERAL SYNOD (GS) 22

The opening session of GS22 began, notably, with a speak-out by the Rev. Dr. Harold Wilke calling the church to task for omitting "ACCESSIBLE TO ALL" from references to our stated intent to be a "multiracial, multicultural church, accessible to all." Jewel Shuey and assistants kept this message before GS attendees in a fresh way each day with numerous changing posters which began with simply a big black "A", evolved to "MMA," and eventually to "Multiracial, Multicultural, and Accessible to All." All statements in the new UCC Bylaws, which had omitted the term "accessible to all," were changed in actions of the delegates by friendly amendments, as was wording in one of the other resolutions before GS. The combined NCPWD/Mental Illness Network (MIN) booths were again centers of hospitality and sharing for Synod goers. Our new NCPWD commercial display background was a good addition and made it easy to change the display to reflect important activities of each day. Harold Wilke was often present in the booth, with his wife, Peg. He autographed many copies of his autobiography, "Angels on My Shoulders, Muses at My Side," just released by Cokesbury Books. Two resolutions came before the delegates of particular concern to NCPWD/MIN. The first requested the church take a pro-active stance toward the calling of clergy with disabilities. The second called on the people of God to open wide their hearts to persons with serious mental illnesses (brain disorders). Both passed by an overwhelming majority following some editorial changes made during the committee process. Our workshop, "Your Faith has Made You What? The Meaning of Wholeness for Persons with Disabilities," and our meal which emphasized conference task forces on disability issues were very successful in bringing new people into our circle and in meeting real needs. The accommodations for persons with disabilities at GS plenary sessions, worship services, and in the Convention Center and hotels continue to be a source of concern. NCPWD committee members were enthusiastically welcomed and used as resources by the local arrangements committee once we arrived at GS, but, we were not given the opportunity to work with the local arrangements committee prior to GS. Consequently, despite the excellent work of the local committee, there were avoidable slip-ups. Some of these were attributable to denominational office planning rather than to the local committee. Of particular concern to the NCPWD is the difficulty persons needing special hotel accommodations have in making reservations and in making sure that their individual needs can be met. In addition, the serving of communion continues to be an issue. Persons with visible disabilities were singled out for individual service at this GS, and given no option to pass the communion vessels along with other worshipers. Because this was not announced beforehand (which would have resulted in the same objections it did with consequent changing of the arrangements, as happened at GS 21), there was confusion. Persons with disabilities began to pass the vessels and then had them pulled away by servers. ASL (American Sign Language) interpretation for plenary sessions initially was provided only during the scheduled times. When delegates voted to extend a session, persons who required interpreter services, became disenfranchised because the interpreters left the podium at their scheduled times. This was brought to the attention of delegates, and the problem seemed to have been resolved by the conclusion of GS. Our committee will again make diligent efforts to be resource persons to UCC staff and to the local arrangements committee for GS 23. Such coordination is strongly recommended by the local arrangements committee of the Rhode Island Conference. One anonymous GS delegate said to one of our members, after the week was well underway, "This is YOUR Synod, isn't it!" We were well-pleased with our increasing visibility and acceptance. (Report by Billie Louise (Beezy) Bentzen, Past Chair-person, NCPWD)

Back to Top

REV. DR. HAROLD WILKE CELEBRATES 60 YEARS OF MINISTRY!

On July 4, 1999, at General Synod in Providence, the Rev. Dr. Harold Wilke was honored at the United Church Board for Homeland Ministries' Banquet. Harold was ordained in 1939. During his sixty year career he accomplished many things on behalf of the UCC. As an advocate for persons with disabilities he touched the lives of many clergy and laity with disabilities. Harold received a lifetime achievement award at the Banquet which consisted in part of a special medallion that Paul Sherry presented to him. The presentation was followed by a standing ovation which lasted several minutes. Everyone present at the banquet shared in a very special spiritual moment. Harold served in many capacities over his 60 year career as a pastor, chaplain, author, speaker, and workshop leader. He served 10 years as director of Lay Life and Leadership, the predecessor of the Office for Church Life and Leadership. Harold is the founder and director of the 'Healing Community'. He has addressed the United Nations, and delivered a speech to the Pope who warmly embraced him after the message. He, along with the Reverend Virginia Kreyer was the catalyst that started the UCC National Committee On Persons With Disabilities (UCPWD), now known as the UCC Disabilities Ministries (UCCDM). A strong advocate for the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), President George Bush invited him to offer a blessing when the President signed the bill. It is believed that this was the first time a bill signing ceremony included a prayer. Harold has been called by some disability experts the grandfather of the ADA. In grateful recognition of his gifts and service the UCCDM announced the formation of the "Wilke Fund," a fund that will be used to support the goals of the UCCDM.

"Planning to Grow" 1999 NCPWD Annual Meeting

The Annual Meeting of the NCPWD was held in Providence, Rhode Island on July 7, 1999, with seven members, two staff persons, and 13 associate members and friends, including representatives from the Mental Illness Network, attending. Minutes will be distributed to members, associate members, and friends who attended the meeting. (Should anyone else wish to receive minutes, please contact one of the persons listed at the end of the issue.) We reflected upon what the UCC restructuring implies for the UCCDM in the future and what we need to do to grow into the future. We will have a much stronger presence in the new structure with voting members having six-year terms on the Executive Council and the boards of Local Church Ministries, Wider Church Ministries, and Justice and Witness Ministries, and a voting member on the GS Nominating Committee. The level of representation in the new national structure does not mesh with our current committee structure and bylaws. Keeping up with these activities will consume most of our budget and leave few financial resources for pursuing the DM mission. The following people will represent the committee as voting members in the UCC national structure: Executive Council: Christina Thomas; Local Church Ministries: Jeanne Tyler; Wider Church Ministries: Charles Bamforth; Justice and Witness Ministries: Beezy Bentzen; GS Nominating Committee: Doris Dunn. Members reported to the NCPWD on the structures and budgets of other historically under-represented groups within the UCC that might serve as models for the further development of the UCCDM. A committee was appointed to draft revised bylaws. We considered a membership fee and fund raising. We also considered having a national gathering. Committee Members elected for 1999-2001 and their terms are as follows: Doris Dunn (2001), Charlie Bamforth (2001), Christina Thomas (2001), Rita Fiero (2003), Jeanne Tyler (2003), Jewel Shuey (2005), and Donald Lawrence (2005). New officers: Co-chairpersons: Rita Fiero, Jeanne Tyler; Vice-chairperson: Charles Bamforth; Secretary: Doris Dunn; Executive Council Representative: Christina Thomas. Report by Beezy Bentzen, Past-Chairperson, NCPWD Thank you Beezy and Peggy for your service to NCPWD.

The following sermon was preached by the Rev. Jeanne Tyler, November 1, 2000, at the weekly Wednesday, 9:00 a.m., service in Amistad Chapel, The Church House, 700 Prospect Avenue E, Cleveland OH 44115-1100. The UCCDM, meeting in Cleveland at that time, was invited to lead that service. Jeanne is co-pastor of St. Paul's United Church of Christ in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Scripture: Job 1:1, 2:1-10, Psalm 26, Mark 10:2-16 The question that Job raises for both Jews and Christians is a profound one, one that goes to the heart of the faith. How is it that we are able to praise God in a world that seems evil and, on purpose, intentional about doing us in? Why are our efforts to be good not rewarded? How can it be that a God we worship and call good can allow bad things to happen to good people? Why do good people suffer? The book of Job raises this question in a way no other book does. How is it possible that I can stand here and praise God for my life when I have not often heard good news, or any news for that matter. Words often sound muffled to me without my hearing aids. I love music, but have a difficult time understanding the words that are sung. (My sons had an easy time growing up because I could not hear the lyrics to the music that they listened to with such rapt attention.) The audacity with which I stand up here and proclaim God's faithfulness must seem odd to some people. To me, God's presence is like my next breath. Even when I have been most angry and uncertain, God has been a presence. Unlike Job, I struggled from the very beginning, first to walk and, then, to speak so as to be understood. Struggle defines my existence, and courage and hope come from this persistence to see God in the struggle with me and not against me. Decisions we make have consequences. Sometimes we cause our own suffering by our actions. It is very difficult to live with this knowledge. This is called assuming responsibility for our actions; however, this was not Job's problem. He was faithful and still afflicted. Some terrible events just happen and we feel out of control. We feel powerless to affect change. This is how people with disabilities and their families often feel. My parents had a difficult time accepting my disabilities without being fearful about my future. It was of great concern to them. I just wanted to be accepted. I felt so different, and this was confirmed by my peers who could hear, and walk, and play with ease. The church was the one place that felt welcoming to me. I want to make this church the most welcoming place in our culture. I want this church to be welcoming, not only to me, but to others who may be different. I want to see our circle of fellowship grow bigger as we are transformed into community. We expect one another to bring gifts to church to honor God. I expect to receive gifts from every person I meet. For some, it is their anger or pain, for others, it is their thanks and abilities. I am thankful for people's gifts. For most of us, it is our finances we bring to our offering. Most of us come with gifts and some of us know our gifts and yet others do not recognize the gifts they bring. For many years, I was one of those who did not know my gifts. I was lost looking for community in all the wrong places, of course. My friends were not necessarily wrong, it is just that we did not fit in well. We either looked or acted differently. We certainly did not fit in. I persistently went to church. I felt like I knew the church was a place of hospitality. Even when it was not being that way towards me or towards others even more excluded than I was, I knew it was called to be a place of hospitality. The glory of God was reflected in the people, all of whom were created in the image of this God. As a child, the story of Adam and Eve had meant that we were all related-family, really-with all people. I never assumed anything else. This has influenced my ministry, making hospitality at the center because we are all cousins at one level or another. I hope you can see how my disabilities have made me aware of my gifts for ministry. This in no way justifies the disabilities. I am burdened by a hearing loss. I am one of those people who are different. I stay connected with God because being connected with God makes it possible for me to be connected with the creation, including myself. I take great strength and courage from that bold statement the Rev. Jesse Jackson made popular years ago by proclaiming, "God don't make no mistakes." I take very seriously the image of God in whom we are created. You know, I really wanted to be a college professor, and some of my friends thought that was what I would eventually do. However, I should have known my calling to ministry years ago. The summer I was seventeen years old, I did volunteer work with some children in a hospital setting. The children had various lung problems, in fact, one little boy died while I was there. That little boy was the orneriest little boy. He died of cystic fibrosis. He was so ornery no one was particularly sad. I worked with a couple of children and found a gift of relating that I did not know I had. I found it meaningful to see these children smile when I came into their rooms. One of the children had been abandoned because of her injury. She was literally growing up in this hospital ward. I like giving hope to people around me. I like being hopeful. It sure beats giving up. I mean hope not in a false way of pretending everything is going to be fine, but in a way of trusting God with the worst, trusting that there is a way through the pain and despair. This is a gift I share with you, a gift I bring to the ministry. Hope in God's love and faithfulness that knows no end and hospitality are marks of the church. Sometimes we Christians try to prove God by claiming our happy lives are proof that we are special in God's sight. The book of Job forever challenges this view and moves us to a deeper appreciation of belonging to the community of faith. As we welcome one another, let us enjoy the gifts we bring and share the burdens we carry. Disabilities Ministries is about using everyone's gifts for the glory of God. UCC Access Sunday is about raising awareness of the challenges of finding a place of worship that welcomes us and is inclusive of us. Hospitality defines us as welcoming. Hope is what we offer; hope as belonging together and to God; hope as wanting peace in a world that seems violent; hope as including everyone at the table where resources are discussed and allocated. Hope is listening to one of the children whom I mentor read a book to me. Hope is active, inviting, welcoming, and affirming. In the gospels, Jesus invited children to the center of faith. During the time of Jesus, children were not important because the death of so many children left families numb. Yet, Jesus chooses the vulnerability of children as central to his community. Likewise, we who are vulnerable-who are defined as outsiders-find ourselves at the center of faith inviting hope. At the center of faith where Jesus is, our vulnerability, the ease with which we are excluded and discounted, is forever transformed. This community of children, persons with disabilities, different races, different cultures, different sexual orientations, and the poor, finds themselves filled with hope and courage to envision a new day that is already here and yet not quite. This imminent hope is what needs to be filled with acts of courage. We find ourselves at the dawn of a new day.

Jeanne Tyler is one of the members of the National Committee on Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD). She has been an ordained clergy woman for more than 20 years and lives in and serves two churches in Nebraska. Just recently she represented the UCC at a National Council of Churches of Christ (NCC) event in Charlotte, NC. The purpose of the event was to examine employment issues within the structure of the NCC for both people of color and persons with disabilities. Jeanne was the child of her mother's fifth pregnancy. Her parents were Rh factor incompatible. Because she was not transfused as a newborn, this has caused her to have cerebral palsy (cp.) - which affects her gait, a 55% hearing loss, bone loss and a speech impairment. Her hearing loss was not diagnosed until Jeanne was in third grade. Up until that time, she had been considered not very bright. Even so, it took until she was in college to be properly fitted with hearing aids in both ears. During her growing-up-years it was expected that she would go to college, though her family of origin was opposed to her dream of pursuing a post-graduate education. All that changed when she met and married John Tyler to whom she now pays the tribute, that "without-her husband she doesn't know how she would have survived." He enrolled at Chicago Theological Seminary (CTS) and she decided to audit one class, a class on Hope. Their son, Jason, was then one year old. Jeanne took a year of seminary classes as a time for exploration. She had felt a call to the ministry since her under- graduate days when she had been active in campus ministry. Because of her disabilities, some professors were more supportive and reassuring than others that she could handle the demands of being a CTS student. She made the decision to listen to those who affirmed her call and her abilities and she enrolled as a full-time student. When Jeanne and John graduated from CTS their family included four-year-old Jason and one-year-old Andrew, who had been born during Jeanne's second year of seminary. They were called to co-pastor a church in La Crosse, WI. There they divided pastoral work as they felt comfortable, since John is more gifted in administration while Jeanne's gifts and interests are in the areas of Christian education and visitation. They next served a church in northern WI where the rights of the Ojibway Indians to Spearfish, as guaranteed by the treaty signed with the US government, were unilaterally opposed by the congregation, a position with which Jeanne and John disagreed. The atmosphere was divisive and confrontational but the Tylers were able to help allay the potential for and prevent violence. Since 1991 they have lived in Lincoln, NE where they are now co-pastoring St Paul's UCC 80% of their time and Trinity Chapel UCC for the remaining 20%. Jeanne knows what it is to experience discrimination but finds it difficult sometimes to distinguish the motive behind that discrimination.- Is it because she is a woman? Is it because she is a woman clergy person? Is it because she is a person with a disability? She came to the UCC from another mainstream Protestant denomination, a place where she was well treated. She has found acceptance within the UCC which she names as a Biblically-based and justice-oriented denomination and has served on the NCPWD since 1996. She enjoys the NCPWD membership, a place where her gifts are received and even treasured. The UCC pastor, The Rev. Harold Wilke, known to many persons with disabilities and UCCers, has been a significant presence in her life for the last 20 years. There is no doubt that she is a woman with many gifts which she uses in the service of Christ and in tandem with her disabilities. To quote Jeanne, "I believe my gifts are in relationship to my disabilities. They are in part a reaction to my disabilities and in part in service to them. For example, I am curious and have writing skills. These have nothing to do with the disabilities but I use them to listen to the stories of 'the other' and seek to make connections to the community of faithful that gathers around the stories of Jesus. I seek to build bridges of understanding through which people can connect with each other. "A sense of grace has been given me so I am more accepting and more inclusive and more compassionate in reaction to both being excluded and included. I know how it feels to be excluded but I also know the feelings of acceptance, inclusion, and affirmation. I know what it is to be in the image of God. This nourishes me." Of interest to those of us who are acquainted with the UCC Ministerial Profile is how Jeanne sees its purpose and usefulness. She utilizes it as a means to obtain interviews. She states on her profile that she has a hearing loss and wears two hearing aids. Then she shares with the readers, to help them possibly gain a new perspective on disability, that her great love is music, and especially opera. Also, during interviews she talks about the connections between disability and vulnerability; and it is a time when she shares that she brings special gifts to ministry, including her gifts of empathy and of her writing skills. She values the time spent on pastoral visitations and hearing people's stories, and she enjoys preaching. Reading theological writings is another pleasurable activity. Over the years she has found that her theology and how she lives her personal life have become inseparable, one from the other, helping her to be a more holistic person. C.P. affects her finger reaction time so she sought out and received help from Assistive Technology Project, a federally funded project in NE. Her computer is a Macintosh which has a "delayed response" automatically built into the system. She benefits from the assistance offered by recent technological advances including a Clarity phone, made by Walker, which has an amplifier built into the phone. Nine years ago Jeanne had jaw surgery for TMJ. The surgery brought about a fracture which has had a long term effect of causing her to become quite fatigued in lengthy conversations. Jeanne has mild dyslexia and both their sons have learning disabilities. She has first hand and difficult experience with what it means to be the parent of children with disabilities. After reading about her you will not be surprised that one of her parishioners wrote the following about Jeanne: "Jeanne Tyler is a highly compassionate woman and a caring pastor. She understands pain and suffering in the lives of others and reaches out with sensitivity to help them ... is available to those in need and very generous with her time. Jeanne has an intense intellectual curiosity ... continues to sharpen her theological skills . . . brings lively awareness to groups and boards with whom she works, and often offers stimulating insights about areas in which the church needs to minister. Jeanne has a lively spiritual life (and) ... is effective in leading a group in devotion and prayer." From UCC DM Newsletter Archive

The NCPWD Annual Meeting, October 8-10, 1998

The NCPWD met for its annual meeting, October 8-10, 1998, at our national denominational setting in Cleveland, Ohio. The meeting included joint sessions with Pathways for Promise, an ecumenical mental illness network chaired by Jennifer Shifrin from St. Louis, Missouri. Pathways' UCC representative is Rev. Bob Dell from Sandwich, Illinois, also our contact with the UCC Mental Illness Network. Joint Session Highlights:
Jennifer Shifrin of Pathways and Beezy Bentzen of NCPWD began the session with a celebration of the coming together of the two groups. The Rev. Jim Vanderlaan, of Pathways and the Christian Reformed Church, challenged Pathways and NCPWD representatives to find common ground for service in the life and mission of the UCC. Two areas of common concern emerged:

Other NCPWD Meeting Highlights:

• Agreed to celebrate and support the Accessible Congregations Campaign initiated by the National Organization on Disability (NOD). A flier is enclosed. NCPWD invites your congregation to join in committing to access by completing the flier and returning it to:

  National Committee on Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD)

  Rev. David E. Denham, Consultant

  700 Prospect Avenue - 3rd Floor

  Cleveland, Ohio 44115-1100.

  Address questions to Lorraine Thall, NOD Coordinator of Accessible Congregations Campaign, 202-293- 5960 or www.nod.org

What is the UCC National Committee on Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD)?

NCPWD is a committee of seven (7) people charged with the responsibility of proclaiming that the message of Christ, which mandates the participation and contributions of individuals with disabilities in the life and mission of the local and wider church. It is a "moral and spiritual imperative" as noted in the 1995 General Synod 20 resolution (page 7), which called upon the church to be morally bound by the spirit of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. NCPWD also has a large network of associate members. Dr. Billie Louise "Beezy" Bentzen of Berlin, MA chairs NCPWD. Other members are Rev. Dr. Charles Bamforth, KS, vice-chairperson; Peggy Bronson, IA; Rev. Doris Dunn, CA; Rita Fiero, CT; Christina Thomas, PA; and Rev. Jeanne Tyler, NE. Rev. David Denham, a local church pastor in MD, serves as the consultant to NCPWD. This committee is part of the Ministries for Health and Welfare, staffed by Barbara Baylor of the American Missionary Association (AMA), United Church Board for Homeland Ministries.

Back to Top

NCPWD Annual Meeting, July 7, 1999

Westin Hotel, Providence, RI 9:00am-4:00pm The annual meeting of the NCPWD will take place in Providence on the day following General Synod. This will enable us to keep expenses of the meeting within our very limited budget, while also including Associate Members who are coming to general Synod and who may be able to stay for an extra day. The primary item on the agenda will be to design and develop a new committee structure which is consistent with fulfilling our responsibilities in the new UCC structure, one which will enable us to meet our objectives more effectively as we move into the new century. We will be examining the structures, including the bylaws and financing, of other UCC special interest groups such as the UC Coalition for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Concerns and the Council for Hispanic Ministries, to help us envision and decide how to work toward a larger, more active, and self-sustaining model for work on disability ministries within the UCC.

Facing the Challenge - Finding a Solution: The Cornerstone Fund

Local churches throughout the United Church of Christ have often encountered a difficult time borrowing funds for property-related projects -- money needed to improve accessibility, renovate or expand facilities, or to refinance existing real estate debt. As a solution to this challenge, the United Church Board Ministries created the Cornerstone Fund. The mission of the Cornerstone Fund is to help strengthen local churches by providing real state-secured loans at the lowest possible interest rates. Specifically designed to meet the needs of UCC congregations, these loans feature flexible terms and the choice of fixed rate or adjustable rate options. But best of all, the Cornerstone Fund does not charge the fees normally associated with similar loans -- application fees, appraisals, loan origination fees, surveys, and most closing costs are eliminated. In working with local congregations across the homeland, the Cornerstone Fund has held that on new construction and major renovation projects, architectural barriers be addressed. Most often, these churches have realized that the removal of architectural barriers is an act of hospitality and a commitment to their faith, That They May All Be One. To date, the Cornerstone Fund has provided financing for the installation of elevators, the building of ramps, and the renovation and remodeling of older structures so that hallways, restrooms, educational spaces, meeting rooms, sanctuaries, and chancels are welcoming and accessible to all. Investments from local churches and their members create the pool of funds to make these loans possible. "Investing .from the Heart, Building for the Future" is the mission of the Cornerstone Fund. From the start, churches and their members were delighted to discover a way to participate with other churches in their building projects, a way to contribute without making an outright donation. By investing in the Cornerstone Fund, you are really investing in the future of other local churches. Now is the time to become part of the solution. If your church is considering a building-related project to improve accessibility, renovate existing space, or add additional space, call the Cornerstone Fund at its toll-free number of 1-800-UCC-FUND (1-888-822-3863). We'll be glad to discuss your project, send information on borrowing, and provide a copy of our user-friendly loan application. If you or your church want to help other local congregations, why not become an investor in the Cornerstone Fund. Just call 1-888-822-3863. We'll send an Offering Circular and current rate information. Through the work accomplished by the Cornerstone Fund, we praise God by celebrating and advancing the ministry of Jesus Christ, the Cornerstone of our faith. For more information on the Cornerstone Fund, please contact Gordon Gilles, Vice President at 1-888-822-3863, or gillesg@uccorg.

Where Will NCPWD Be in the New UCC Structure?

In the proposed Amendments to the Bylaws of the UCC to be voted upon by the 22nd General Synod, the NCPWD, along with other historically under- represented groups, will have voting membership on the Boards of Directors of three of the four Covenanted Ministries: Local Church Ministries (LCM), Wider Church Ministries (WCM), and Justice and Witness Ministries (JWM). Terms of office will normally be six years, however, in implementing the new structure, initial terms will be two, four and six years. We will have a voting member on the Executive Council of the General Synod. We will also be eligible to submit two names for the pool of candidates who will qualify for possible membership on the Nominating Committee of General Synod. In the design of the Covenanted Ministries established by the Bylaws, three of the ministries have clearly articulated responsibilities related to disability concerns. Each responsibility is placed under a particular ministry team. The three Covenanted Ministries recognize that the right and needs of persons with disabilities are social justice issues that local churches need to be open to, and inclusive and affirming of persons with disabilities that persons with disabilities have health and welfare needs. Within LCM, the mandate of the Evangelism Ministry Team is the "developing (of) churches which are multiracial, multicultural, and accessible to all." It also includes the Cornerstone Fund. The mandates for the Parish Life and Leadership Ministry Team of LCM encompass responsibilities in the areas of "ministries by, for, and with persons with disabilities." The JWMplaces disability concerns under the Human Rights, Justice for Women, and Transformation Ministry Team, with mandates to work in the areas of "liberation (age, physical accessibility, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender concerns)" and "full inclusion of persons with disabilities." In WCM, "ministry by, for, and with persons with disabilities" is placed under the Health and Welfare Relationships and Advocacy Ministry Team. It is of great significance that it is under the WCM that the work of the NCPWD is to be coordinated. Although recognizing that health and welfare are important issues concerning persons with disabilities, the NCPWD has been strongly advocating that it should not be coordinated by WCM but instead by LCM. This is because placement within WCM perpetuates the medical model of looking at disability issues. Persons with disabilities have felt alienated and separated under the medical model when the medical model is the paradigm, persons with disabilities have been made to feel that their disabilities are what defines them. When that is the paradigm, persons with disabilities, as a group, are "done to and for" and not expected to take charge of their own lives or to contribute to society. The medical model perpetuates the stereotype that persons with disabilities are "unable." On the other hand, the minority empowerment model, which resulted in the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), a civil rights law, grants persons with disabilities both dignity and self-determination. This is in contrast to the medical model which emphasizes weaknesses and dependency. The NCPWD has repeatedly advocated for coordination of ministries by, for and with persons with disabilities under the Local Church Ministries, recognizing that the most important issue for persons with disabilities in the United Church of Christ is full inclusion in all aspects of church life, for both lay and clergy. To address this concern, David E. Denham, Consultant on Disability Issues, UCBHM, met with the Planning and Correlation Committee of the UCC Executive Council (EC), March 11, 1999. As a result the minutes of the EC Planning and Correlation Committee reflect the presentation given by him, with supporting comments by EC member and NCPWD Associate Member, Richard Pulling, as follows: EC minutes for March 10-14, 1999 Item: 99-3-P&C-2 "The Planning and Correlation Committee recommends the Executive Council approve the request that the Collegium of Officers and The Mission Planning Council make it a priority to reconsider the placement of the coordinating function of the National Committee on Persons with Disabilities." - Passed by the Executive Council, 3/14/99. - Item: 99-3-P&C-C "The Planning and Correlation Committee expresses its appreciation to David Denham, representative of the National Committee on Persons with Disabilities, for his helpful and informative presentation and dialog regarding restructure and about the work of the Committee."

• The Indiana-Kentucky and Central Atlantic Conferences which make copies of this newsletter to send to all their churches in all-conference mailings.
• Molly Chaffee of Coeur D'Alene, ID, who became the first donor to the Newsletter Fund, a fund by which we cover some of the expenses of producing and mailing newsletters.

Other contributions can be mailed to: Ms. Luvette Hickey, UCBHM, 700 Prospect Ave., Cleveland, OH 44115- 1100, made payable to UCBHM, and designated for the Newsletter Fund.

We celebrate our name That All May Worship and Serve. There were no responses to requests other names for our newsletter.

A Network of Support

NCPWD is ready to guide your church to needed resources and to lend support. There are written resources to help you get started. There are people resources, persons from other churches who have had experiences with church accessibility issues and with resolving the problems. Within the Division of Evangelism and Local Church Development/United Church Board for Homeland Ministries there are the UCC Fellowship of Architects and financial resources for local churches. Does your conference have a Task Force or Committee dedicated to accessibility like the EDATF of the Central Atlantic Conference? Such a group is central to developing conference-wide energy focused on accessibility. NCPWD can assist your Conference with starting a Task Force or Committee with the help of someone with experience.

Contributors to this Issue

Billie Louise (Beezy) Bentzen, David E. Denham, Gordon J. Gilles, Gay H. McCormick.

Vote

At the Annual Meeting of the National Committee on Persons with Disabilities following General Synod 22, the body voted to change its name to UCC Disabilities' Ministries. Please note this name change-in future correspondences - Disabilities Ministries is a group of church leaders, lay and clergy, with and without disabilities, available to assist individuals, conferences, and congregations, "We are all vulnerable. -We are not all disabled. Person with a disability is defined as any person who has or has acquired a physical or mental impairment, which limits one or more major life activities, such as self care, performing manual tasks, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, and working on a temporary or permanent basis." Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.