Buy levitra no prescription, "If inclusive language, or political correctness, is meant to avoid insult, stereotypes, discrimination, or exclusion, that’s a positive thing and I’m on board," writes Ann Pietrangelo in "The Art of Inclusive Language."

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Order cheap levitra online, First Congregational Church, UCC, in Boulder, Colorado, a Rocky Mountain Conference Congregation, requests that readers comment on the content and presentation of two documents below that the beacon church has developed for churches interested in becoming Accessible to All churches.

An A2A study guide prepared by the United Church of Christ Disabilities Ministires for churches who covenant to become Accessible to All churches is available for download at this website.

Comments about the Covenant and the Introduction to the Covenant may be made using the comment box at the conclusion of this article, California CA Calif. . The Introduction reflects theess by which the Covenant was taken to the congregation. Osta levitra online, Below are two documents:

Introduction to the Accessible to All Covenant

and a covenant draft prepared by Dr. Kevin Pettit, Rocky Mountain Conference Disabilities Inclusion Associate and member of First Congregational,

A2A -- Accessible to All -- Covenant

Introduction to the Accessible to All Covenant

Sunday, October 25, 2009
Rhonda Fadum, Moderator

Today I am pleased to present to you a draft of a new covenant for our church to consider, the Accessible to All Covenant, order cheap levitra online. Our church’s covenants are statements of our agreed upon shared values that guide our life together as a community of faith. Presently our congregation has four covenants that have been adopted by a vote of the congregation: Inclusive Language, acheter levitra bon marché, Just Peace, Rabatt kaufen levitra, Open and Affirming, and Whole Earth.

The covenant we are presenting today we will not ask you to vote on until a later congregational meeting, discount levitra. Between today and that meeting we will be providing opportunities for the congregation to engage in dialogue, Cheap levitra, study, and reflection on the issues of accessibility, so that we will be better informed as we vote on the Accessible to All Covenant, levitra online kaufen. Order cheap levitra online, After the reading of the draft of the covenant, I will mention several action steps.

In a moment we will pass out the draft of the covenant and Kevin Pettit and others from the team that worked on this draft will read it aloud. Cheapest levitra prices, We will then entertain any questions or comments you might have at this time. But before we do that, let me give four reasons why we are bringing this covenant to our church’s attention at this time, buy levitra online.

1. The issues of physical accessibility have been an important part of our church’s consciousness as we began our vision plan for our church facilities over ten years ago. We have made some progress in making our buildings more accessible, but we realize there is much more to accessibility than ramps and elevators, order cheap levitra online. Om levitra online,
2. During our building projects we had small group meetings to raise our consciousness about how many different ways we were unintentionally putting up barriers to full inclusion regarding accessibility in our church, and we became determined to address them. With one of our members, For levitra online, Kevin Pettit, Wisconsin WI Wis. , becoming a Disabilities Inclusion Associate with the Rocky Mountain Conference UCC, we were given a natural opportunity to move forward
3. Two years ago, we began our Mental Health Ministry which has been working diligently through education and consciousness raising to reduce the stigma and provide welcome and support to those living with mental illnesses/brain disorders and their families, kjøpe levitra. This effort, Buy levitra without prescription, too, has made us more aware of accessibility issues that need to be addressed. Alan Johnson is the chair of that ministry, Koop korting levitra.
4. Order cheap levitra online, For the last 15 years our denomination has been working to bring awareness of accessibility to UCC congregations around the country. In 1995, Acquistare a buon mercato levitra, General Synod passed a resolution calling the UCC at all levels to embrace the spirit of the Americans with Disabilities Act, passed by Congress in 1990. In 2005, levitra online stores, General Synod passed the Called to Wholeness in Christ resolution to encourage UCC congregations to become accessible to all, Farmacia levitra baratos, and embody the spirit of the resolution passed in 1995.

To date, very few of the over 5, köpa levitra,000 UCC churches have moved forward in response to this call. Buy generic levitra, Our congregation is poised to be on the frontier of this movement and to be a beacon for other churches.

A2A --ACCESSIBLE TO ALL -- COVENANT

The First Congregational Church, United Church of Christ Boulder, Colorado

We, as members of the First Congregational Church (UCC) in Boulder, Colorado, in recognition of our human differences and various gifts, desire to become an A2A – Accessible to All – congregation, order cheap levitra online. This Covenant expresses our intention to extend God’s extravagant welcome to all persons, seeking to understand, Mississippi MS Miss. , include, Connecticut CT Conn. , and empower people with all differing abilities and disabilities, apparent or unapparent.

The ancient practice of hospitality is presented in the Bible as a mandate for God’s people, New Jersey NJ N.J. . This mandate requires that every body be included in the work and witness of God’s people on earth. Købe levitra, The biblical vision of the Great Banquet is of all gathered at a table dedicated to serving all. Order cheap levitra online, Barriers that diminish the access of any diminish the wholeness of all.

We affirm the 2005 Disabilities Ministries resolution “Called To Wholeness in Christ,” as adopted by the 25th General Synod of the United Church of Christ on July 4, online levitra, 2005, honoring the Accessible to All mandate in the mission of the United Church of Christ. This resolution calls us to embody a philosophy of inclusion and interdependence and to support and implement the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.

CALL TO ACTION

• We pledge to offer educational opportunities to understand the implications of this covenant. This includes working with our church’s Mental Health Ministry as well as the UCC Mental Illness Network, and the UCC Disabilities Ministry.
• We pledge to examine our own attitudes and suppositions regarding the issues of accessibility.
• We pledge to do regular audits of our facilities and programs and continue to work toward making them more accessible to all.
• We pledge when calling clergy and other staff to be open to hiring persons with disabilities.
• We shall be listed in the UCC Directory as an A2A congregation and we will display the blue square with the white A indicating Accessible to All.
• The Church Council shall appoint an Inclusion Team to implement and oversee this Covenant. We will include people on this team who have sensitivity to the challenges and joys of people who have a disability, particularly individuals who have a disability or a loved one who does, keeping in mind the slogan, “Nothing about us without us.”


• We will intentionally partner with persons with disabilities, including but not limited to, physical disabilities, mental illnesses/brain disorders, and/or developmental disabilities. We will also work with disability groups outside the congregation to extend our hospitality and to find opportunities to be in shared mission, ministry, and advocacy together.
• We commit to recruiting, nominating and supporting persons with disabilities to serve in leadership positions within the congregation as teachers, members of boards, congregational officers, candidates for ordained and commissioned ministry, or representatives to wider church ministries.

This vote affirms that we join in the process of always becoming ever more accessible and inclusive of all of God’s people.

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Buy soma cod, Incline your ear, and come to me; listen, so that you may live(Isaiah 55:3a)

This mandate is to hear. I want to live.
What if my ears cannot hear. Soma online, My child, be attentive to my words; incline your ear to my sayings (Proverbs 4:20.)

I can lean toward you with full attention; but if I cannot hear you --.

Give ear, O heavens, Arizona AZ Ariz. , and I will speak (Deuteronomy 32:1a.)

Will you avoid speaking should you think I am not listening.

The hearing ear and the seeing eye -- the Lord has made them both (Proverbs 20:12.)

Who made the unseeing eye and the non-hearing ear, buy soma cod.

My ear has heard and understood it (Job 13:1b.)

I wish. Ordering soma overnight delivery, Such is a conceivable litany of the hearing-challenged. Communication is what a church is about. Consider your response upon learning that the crux of your sermon was missed. Buy soma cod, Weigh your frustration when someone fails to catch what you are saying the first or second time you speak. You tuck away the rest of the conversation for later, köpa soma online. Now ponder the patient energy required for that individual to listen to any sermon or engage in dialogue.

For a mutually fair, Cheap soma online without prescription, adequate exchange, phone hearing- challenged persons using voice relay. A human go-between transmits what you say then reads the typed response. Include the TDD number in your church directory and encourage its use, buy soma cod.

Kari greeted her pastor, Alaska AK , "I feel like a thanksgiving song. Today, Purchase soma online, I knew what was happening." One of three worshipers to benefit when our rural church of 200 members hired an interpreter for the deaf to sign twice a month, Kari added, "Now, I feel more comfortable in church, Minnesota MN Minn. . I understand the choir's songs and what you say."

As worship leaders, we can learn several words in American Sign Language. Om soma online, At minimum, engage an interpreter for family baptisms, confirmations, and weddings, ordering soma no prescription. Buy soma cod, Rather than a distraction, signing is a beautiful, enjoyable addition to the worship environment. However, few churches have such access, Soma farmacia a buon mercato, and signing is not universal among deaf persons.

We have additional resources. Use the following check list to review a video tape of your worship service:

• Do you face the congregation directly whenever speaking.
• Do you hold your head up when praying, soma online stores.
• Is your speech clear, buy soma cod.
• Do you enunciate word endings.

• Do you avoid dropping your voice at the end of sentences. Soma pills, • If male, do you keep a beard or mustache well-trimmed.
• How expressive is your face as you speak. Buy soma cod, When worship leaders optimize communication strategies, some with hearing challenges can follow worship without an interpreter. A colleague with a 55 percent hearing loss moves closer to her congregation during announcements, buy soma online without prescription. She repeats information offered.

"There is a difference between understanding what someone is saying, Osta alennus soma, " she says, "and hearing. I may hear the words, but I don't understand what they are."

If an amplification system is so faulty that even the hearing-able sigh, buy soma cod, consider how little hearing-challenged persons can participate. Older sound systems that emphasize bass tones were designed for the male voice, buy soma cod. With a good quality system having an adequate mix, Acheter soma discount, listeners need not strain both to hear and to understand.

Ask what works best. Hearing capacities vary. Encourage experimenting with seat location, comprar en línea soma. Buy soma cod, One worshiper, accustomed to sitting beneath a wall speaker, hears better one pew back. Is lighting sufficient for lip-reading. Place photocopied sermons, Soma discount, choral anthems, and other special materials on the narthex table.

Talk directly to deaf persons, not through someone else, ostaa halvalla soma. They will ask if they missed something. "Rather than instinctively slow down and speak up when I do not catch what you say," one person says, "talk to me normal, buy soma cod. Speak clearly. Buy soma without prescription, When you repeat, use the same words. I can tell a lot from facial expression. When you tell me something you are enthusiastic about, cheap soma without prescription, show me the feeling."

Hearing challenges precipitate exclusion. Buy soma cod, Include the hard-of-hearing in worship even should their speech be unclear. Duplicate parts in short scripture readings for the voice choir. παραγγείλετε online soma, Anyone with differences struggles with self-image. With a distinction as subtle as the angle of a smile, we can dismiss persons as invalid (both meanings), or we can affirm their whole being, soma without a prescription. Hearing-challenged persons might enter church feeling world-isolated; however, when no longer also worship-isolated, Vermont VT Vt. , they abandon frustration at once.

With the affirmation of her wholeness that grew from a worship environment that removes barriers, no wonder Kari emerged from worship feeling like a thanksgiving song, buy soma cod. She had experienced for herself Christ's first response to those unable to listen, actually or symbolically, with their ears: "[A]nd I would heal them" (See Matthew 13:15-16.)

Unbounded enthusiasm is borne of a similarly graceful attitude when a barrier is removed. Let us name a fifth attribute of ability, high-spirited "abandon."

Dallas A. Brauninger. First published in EMPHASIS: A Preaching Journal. 2000-2001 Series Theme: Welcome-ability. March-April, 2001, Column 5. Used with permission of the publisher.

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Buy soma without prescription, News Story

Monday, June 01, 2009

By Sandra Basu | U.S. Medicine, June 2009
Used with permission from U.S. Medicine

More support for the family caregivers of those injured in war is needed, billig soma apotek, a panel of wounded servicemembers and family members told Congress. Dealing with severe injury and trauma is not easy, Cheap soma online without prescription, ” Army Lt. Col. Gregory Gadson, an amputee told a Senate subcommittee, buy soma without prescription. “When we consider the myriad of injuries, as well as the unfamiliarity a typical family has in dealing with an injured servicemember, ordering soma online legally, it is easy to understand how difficult a task it is for recovery.”

At a hearing in late April, members of the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Personnel asked the witnesses testifying to identify the issues that they were facing. Iowa IA , The subcommittee wanted to know what more the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs could do to improve the care and treatment of the injured. “Only after we identify problems can we work to find answers and provide the highest quality of care for our wounded, ill and injured servicemembers and their families,” Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Personnel Chairman Ben Nelson, Nevada NV Nev. , D-Nebraska, told the panel of witnesses testifying. Cheap soma no prescription, Caregivers Face Challenges

Kimberly Noss, the wife of a servicemember who was severely injured in Afghanistan and remains minimally conscious at the VA’s polytrauma center in Tampa, FL, said that family caregivers can have a tough time making ends meet financially, För soma online. Buy soma without prescription, Often, the spouse quits working to care for their injured loved ones. “If this individual requires 24-hour, 7-day a week care, Acheter soma discount, how can their families who are most likely in the prime of their career afford to quit their jobs and forgo their retirement benefit to take care of their loved one?” she said. “What about the 18-year-old wife who didn’t have an opportunity for education and chose to take care of her severely injured husband instead of putting him in a nursing home?”

She said she plans to care for her husband full time once he leaves the polytrauma center, rather than putting him in a nursing home. Noss said her husband will receive a monthly benefit package and it is “a substantial amount of money, köpa billiga soma,” but that her bills will also be large. “The special care that Scott’s going to have to receive because of his injuries is significant. But what we will pay for bills is large as well, so the net is going to be small,” she said, buy soma without prescription. Maine ME Me. , Lt. Col. Gadson also raised the point about financial difficulties that the families of the injured faced. He said that current policy allows that non-medical attendants for the injured to receive some compensation, buy soma. Buy soma without prescription, While he was receiving care at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, his wife was assisting him as a nonmedical attendant and received compensation. Their household was located at Fort Riley, KS. Buy soma pills, However, once the family relocated to the Washington, DC area in closer proximity to Walter Reed Army Medical Center where Lt. Col, köpa soma. Gadson was receiving care, her nonmedical attendant assistance was discontinued.

There should be a set rate given to nonmedical attendants, no matter where they are located, Lt, buy soma without prescription. Order soma pills, Col. Gadson said. “I believe that there should be a set rate for nonmedical attendants, as well as per diem and lodging, buy soma online without prescription,” he said.

First Lt. Buy soma without prescription, Andrew K. Ordering soma without prescription, Kinard, USMC, a double amputee, said in his case his father left his practice as a physician for two months and his mother came for seven months to care for him until he could care for himself after his injury, Kjøp Discount soma.

Colleen Rivas, whose husband sustained a Traumatic Brain Injury while serving in Iraq, West Virginia WV W.Va. , and will likely need some type of long-term care in the next five years, said she was not aware of any income streams available for the family caregivers of injured service-members. “I am not aware of any of this. We lived off his retirement pay and savings, cheap soma online legally, so this is new information to me,” she said.

Sen, buy soma without prescription. Billige soma apotek, Lindsey Graham, R-SC, said that more attention needs to be given to the financial difficulties families face when they care for an injured servicemember of the family who can no longer work. “The country needs to come to grips with the fact that the moment the person is catastrophically injured, cheap soma without prescription, the family changes. I think that most Americans would like an income stream available for family members who provide that support that otherwise would be given by the government, Comprare soma, ” said Sen. Graham.

VA and DoD Address Challenges Buy soma without prescription, The committee also heard from DoD and VA officials. Acting Director of Transition Policy and Care in the Defense Department Maj. Gen Keith W, order soma online cheap. Meurlin, USAF, Cheap soma overnight delivery, told the committee that DoD is proposing legislation for FY 2010 to allow caregivers, such as Gadson’s wife, to be compensated at the monthly rate that home health care aides are in a locality. “What we are looking at is compensation for caregivers that will provide for a benefit for caregivers equal and approximate to what a caregiver commercially would be earning, online soma,” he said. Sen Graham called this a “great idea.”

Overall, DoD and VA officials who testified said that progress had been made in the care, management, and transition of recovering servicemembers. A recent GAO report found that as of April 2009, VA and DoD had implemented 60 of the 76 requirements required by Congress to enhance care for wounded servicemembers, with 16 in progress.

Still, officials said that there is much work that needs to be done. “It’s obvious that we have a ways to go, but we are headed in the right direction,” said Roger Dimsdale, executive director of the Department of Veterans/Department of Defense Collaboration in the Office of Policy and Planning in the VA.

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Order soma online cheap, Parents feel their son's stress disorder

Tim Kahlor comforted his son, Ryan, during a Las Vegas Veterans Day parade. Ryan's experience with post-traumatic stress disorder has turned his father into an antiwar activist. (Rick Loomis/Los Angeles Times) By David Zucchino
Los Angeles Times / December 21, 2008

TEMECULA, Calif. - When Army Sergeant Ryan Kahlor returned from two combat tours in Iraq last year, Køb discount soma, he was a walking billboard for virtually every affliction suffered by today's veterans. He had a detached retina, a ruptured disk, vertigo, Alaska AK , headaches, memory lapses, and numbness in his arms. Fluid seeped from his ears, order soma online cheap.

He was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury. He was violent and suicidal. He carried a loaded handgun everywhere, köpa rabatterade soma. He drank until he passed out. Order soma online cheap, He cut himself. He burned his skin with cigarettes. He bit through his tongue just to watch himself bleed.

Kahlor, Billiga soma apotek, 24, admits he came back not caring about anyone - the military, his friends, his family, or himself. But, kjøpe billig soma, pushed hard by his parents, he slowly accepted and then embraced counseling and treatment. Today, he has begun to recover, order soma online cheap.
His parents are still trying.

The Kahlors - a college employee and a nurse - have fought through a series of transformations unfamiliar to most military families. Billige soma Apotheke, Tim Kahlor says he and his wife, Laura, have been left with what he calls, only half in jest, "secondary PTSD." He says his doctor prescribed antidepressants to help him cope with his son's ordeal. And both parents, Um soma online, haunted by their son's physical and emotional breakdown, are fiercely opposed to the war. Order soma online cheap, Tim Kahlor, 50, who had felt a patriotic surge after the Sept. 11, 2001, Osta soma, terrorist attacks, turned against the war after Ryan complained during his first tour about ineffective body armor and poorly armored vehicles. Laura Kahlor, 53, blames the war for her son's psychological and physical torment. Although she is now grateful for the treatment he belatedly received, purchase soma, she - like her husband - wishes they had never let Ryan enlist.

They are still bitter over the several months that their son drifted while they pleaded with both Ryan and the military for effective PTSD treatment. Ryan survived several roadside bomb attacks in Iraq but was traumatized by the violence he saw, order soma online cheap.

"I was so naive. I was this kid from the Bible Belt who thought our country would take care of our soldiers, Kentucky KY Ky. , " Tim Kahlor said. "I have guilt for helping him get into this."

A year after the terrorists struck America, Tim Kahlor drove Ryan, then 18, to the local Army recruiting office to sign up. Although the Kahlors would have preferred that Ryan attend college, ordering soma online without prescription, they were proud of his determination to serve his country. Order soma online cheap, When Ryan wrote about equipment shortages, Tim telephoned and wrote to the Pentagon and Congress. Laura sent Ryan a hand-held GPS device after he complained that military devices kept failing.

Tim Kahlor joined Military Families Speak Out, a group opposed to the Iraq war. Jotta soma verkossa, He marched in protests behind caskets, lined up boots outside the Capitol to represent the war's dead. He put up a sign outside his home: "Support Our Troops - Let 'em Come Home."

He confronted military recruiters. He intercepted young men outside recruiting offices, warning them: "You have no idea what you're getting into." He read to them from Ryan's journal - including descriptions of collecting the gear of a close friend killed by a sniper:
"My stomach soured, order soma online cheap. . . , soma without a prescription. His gear was soaked with blood. Order soma online cheap, My hands could still feel the moisture of his sweat. I felt like something was missing in me."

Tim was thrown out of a political fund-raiser for railing against the war. He approached motorists in cars with yellow ribbons, demanding to know exactly how they supported the troops. Soma online stores, Some days, Tim wears a button to his job as a payroll coordinator at the University of California, San Diego. It features an updated number of the war's dead and a question: "How Many More?"

When Ryan returned in early 2007, "he came back a stranger to me," his father said, acheter soma bon marché. Tim focused on his son's deteriorating mental and physical condition, order soma online cheap. He described delays in treatment as Ryan was put on desk duty, unable to perform simple tasks because of his brain injuries and prone to violent outbursts.

"I was either going to die by my own hand - or someone else's," Ryan said. Acquistare online soma, But through it all, he said, "my dad fought tooth and nail for me, knowing people in the military can't speak for themselves always. My dad pushed me to get help. Order soma online cheap, He doesn't let me cut corners, and he's always on my butt."

In November 2007, Ryan was sent to be treated at San Diego's Naval Medical Center. His therapists say he is making remarkable progress after months of physical and speech therapy and mental health counseling, Massachusetts MA Mass. .

"We look at Ryan and we say, 'Thank God, we got a good one here,' " said Colleen Leners, New York NY N.Y. , a nurse practitioner who is his primary care manager. "Ryan wanted to get better."

To treat his PTSD, Ryan was referred in May to the National Center for PTSD in Palo Alto, Calif., run by the Veterans Administration. He completed an intensive 65-day group program with veterans from wars in Iraq, αγοράζουν φτηνά soma, Afghanistan, and Vietnam.

There, Ryan said, he learned to recognize his "stuff points" - traumatic experiences in Iraq he was afraid to confront, order soma online cheap.

"There's no time to grieve in combat, so you just stuff it, Farmacia soma baratos, " he said. "You see your friend die and then you go back to work."

Without treatment, Ryan said, "I'd be sitting in a dark room somewhere - or dead."
Ryan said he suffers from survivor's guilt and intends to seek more counseling. He is still being treated for vertigo, for speech and memory difficulties, order soma online without prescription, and for fluid and ringing in his ears.

The military has provided him a hand-held organizer to help him organize his life and remember appointments. Order soma online cheap, He draws maps to help him locate his parked car. "As many times as I've been hit in the head, a lot of stuff that seems simple on a daily basis becomes difficult, Generic soma, " Ryan said.

Even so, he chose a challenging subject - the Russian invasion of Georgia - for a speaking exercise in group speech therapy.

Laura Kahlor considers her son a newly minted person, just as she considered the tormented young man who returned from Iraq a different person from the son she sent off to war - the one who had "Duty, Honor, Louisiana LA , Country" tattooed on his leg.

"He came back so violent," she said, recalling the images of bloody Iraqi corpses Ryan brought home on his laptop. "I was afraid he'd use his gun on himself."

Today the gun is locked in a drawer, and Ryan is evolving into the caring, gentle son his parents remember, order soma online cheap. Alabama AL Ala. , At the request of a counselor, he often talks to other soldiers with PTSD, encouraging them to seek treatment.

Ryan does not publicly discuss his father's activism or his own feelings about the war. He says only: "That's what we're fighting for - for people's rights to speak out."
When his enlistment ends in March, Ryan plans to leave the Army, order soma from canada. He is shopping for a new house and intends to enroll at a community college. Order soma online cheap, He wants to become a history teacher or physical therapist.

After all that has befallen him, would he enlist again.

"Probably not," Ryan said. "But since I did it, I'm glad. It's matured me. It's made me stronger, more confident."

His mother said that although she's grateful for Ryan's counseling and for the travel and educational benefits the military has provided, "it still wasn't worth it."

Tim Kahlor, sitting in his living room at dusk, flanked by his wife and his tall, strapping son in Army fatigues, reflected on his family's six-year ordeal. He paused and said, finally, "I wish he had never gone in."

© Copyright 2008 Globe Newspaper Company.

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Buy aricept online cheap, Confirm Supreme Court Nominee Sonia Sotomayor --- President Obama's Pick Looks Good for Disability Rights

(Washington, DC) ADA Watch's "Campaign for Fair Judges" is calling on their organizational partners and colleagues from the disability, mental health, education, civil rights and social justice communities to support Judge Sonia Sotomayor, President Obama's nominee to fill the seat of Supreme Court Justice David Souter.

A woman, Connecticut CT Conn. , Comprar en línea aricept, a Latino and the daughter of immigrants, Judge Sotomayor -- diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at age 8 -- is also a person with a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), aricept. Buy aricept online cheap, With the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee having set July 13th as the date for the start of confirmation hearings, lowest price aricept, Aricept for sale, ADA Watch's president and founder, Jim Ward has indicated that Judge Sotomayor will receive the full support of ADA Watch, Michigan MI Mich. , Cheapest aricept online, National Coalition for Disability Rights (NCDR) and many of their coalition partners.

For nearly a decade, Mississippi MS Miss. , Buy aricept c.o.d., the ADA Watch coalition of national, state and local disability, comprare aricept, Aricept no prescription, mental health, education, ordering aricept no rx, Jotta aricept verkossa, civil rights and social justice organizations has educated the disability community and the general public regarding the impact of the judicial nominations process on the civil rights of people with physical, mental, aricept online kopen, Billiga aricept apotek, developmental, sensory and cognitive disabilities, West Virginia WV W.Va. .

Ward was among a handful of disability community leaders that recently met with the White House Counsel's Office to outline the priorities of the disability community regarding judicial nominations, buy aricept online cheap. Ordering aricept overnight delivery, Ward stated, "In picking Judge Sonia Sotomayor, cheap aricept, Generic aricept, President Obama has upheld his commitment to choosing a nominee with a firm grasp on the law and the role of the judiciary and has responded to the hopes of those in the disability rights movement for Supreme Court Justices that understand disability rights and the intent of Congress in passing vital civil rights protections for people with disabilities. Legal research and analysis of Judge Sotomayor's opinions reveal a comprehensive understanding of the language and purpose of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), buy aricept online, Køb discount aricept, Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Rehabilitation Act, αγοράζουν online aricept, Aricept discount, Social Security and more."

"Furthermore," Ward continued, South Dakota SD , "in interviews and opinions, Judge Sotomayor reveals an understanding of disability discrimination forged by the personal experience of being diagnosed with diabetes at a young age."

In nominating Judge Sonia Sotomayor for the Supreme Court, President Obama said "It's my understanding that Judge Sotomayor's interest in the law was sparked as a young girl by reading the Nancy Drew series. And that when she was diagnosed with diabetes at the age of 8, she was informed that people with diabetes can't grow up to be police officers or private investigators like Nancy Drew. In essence she was told she'd have to scale back her dreams." Instead, Obama said, her perseverance shows that "no dream is beyond reach in the United States of America."

Sotomayor, of course, went on to graduate from Yale Law School and was Assistant District Attorney in New York City. Buy aricept online cheap, She was nominated to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York by President George H. W. Bush in 1991 and confirmed in 1992. In 1997, Sotomayor was nominated by President Bill Clinton to a seat on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and was confirmed in 1998. If she is confirmed, Judge Sotomayor would fill the seat being vacated by Justice David H. Souter, who has had a mixed record on disability rights.

For more information regarding Judge Sotomayor's legal opinions, see Bazelon's review and analysis of Judge Sotomayor's opinions in disability cases (PDF) at:

http://m1e.net/c?91346605-efnrgy0oCi8hg%404353343-XTE2wnJKzO016

Printed here with the permission of ADA Watch?NCDR.

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Disability 101: I Have A Voice

Posted By Jim On March 20, 2009 @ 3:02 am In Disability Newswire, Opinion | 3 Comments

By Sandy Lahmann
Daily Summit County, Colorado

I’ve been racking my braintrying to figure out how to explain this to you. I guess it’s about a dumbing down, Kjøpe cafergot, a denial of respect, a denial of dignity, a loss of voice, where to buy cafergot.

I have a voice. Cheap cafergot pills, I have a well thought out opinion. I have valuable knowledge. I am capable of making sound decisions, buy cafergot without prescription.

But some people apparently think I don’t and I’m not, cafergot online. Just because I use a wheelchair. Maine ME Me. , There’s a stereotype, an assumption, that people who use a wheelchair, Iowa IA , people who are blind, Cafergot online cheap, people who are deaf, and other people with disabilities are not very intelligent.

As a result, buy cafergot cod, some service providers, Cafergot sale, family members, co-workers, and community members feel compelled to tell us what to do, cafergot discount. Buy cafergot without prescription, They feel a need to instruct us, guide us, inform us, explain to us, decide for us, and lecture us about how we should live our lives. And then they want to speak for us. Order cafergot from canada, In other words, they treat us like children who must be protected for their own good. How terribly patronizing, Koop korting cafergot. It curls my toes. It sets me to screaming in frustration, buy cafergot without prescription. παραγγείλετε online cafergot, I am 46 years old. I have a college degree with a 4.0 GPA. I am a successful professional, comprar cafergot de descuento. I raised two children into two awesome and successful adults. Buy cafergot without prescription, I am not a child. Georgia GA Ga. , Despite the fact I use a wheelchair.

I don’t need you to tell me how to manage my disability, what health care to pursue, order cafergot no prescription, what prescription drugs I should be taking, Cheap cafergot online legally, what supplements I should be taking, what food I should be eating, what exercise I should engage in, cheap cafergot online without prescription, what extracurricular activities I should be participating in, Kentucky KY Ky. , where I should be living, whether or not I should be applying for social security benefits, what I should think, halvalla cafergot apteekki, what I should believe, South Carolina SC S.C. , what I should do, and how I should breathe.

I really can figure these things out for myself, cheap cafergot online. I am capable of doing my own research. And I have, buy cafergot without prescription. Louisiana LA , I am capable of seeking out and evaluating the opinions of professionals. And I have. I am capable of weighing all the evidence and deciding for myself, köpa cafergot. And I have. Buy cafergot without prescription, Why is it some people without a disability automatically think they know better than a person with a disability about how to live with a disability. Pharmacy cafergot, It just doesn’t make sense.

Then some people without a disability want to speak to other people without a disability about what it’s like for people with a disability. How about if people with disabilities speak about what it’s like for people with disabilities.

I have a voice.

TASH, a civil rights organization for people with disabilities (www.tash.org [1]) shares the following verse:

“You do not know what I see, what I believe, what I dream, what I know, buy cafergot without prescription. You do not live my life. You cannot be my voice. - From the Voice of the Highly Regarded (If I ever do want you to speak for me I’ll give you a call.)”

T-shirts with the saying are available from The Nth Degree at www.thenthdegree.com [2] [3]; .

Sometimes I might have an opinion with which you might disagree. Buy cafergot without prescription, Sometimes I might make a decision with which you might disagree. Sometimes I might take a risk and do something that’s not totally safe. And that is my right.

There is dignity in formulating my own opinions. There is dignity in making my own decisions. There is dignity in taking risks, buy cafergot without prescription. Not to mention a life well lived.

Show me respect my granting me this dignity.

Published: http://www.summitdaily.com/article/20090315/NEWS/903159975/1078&ParentProfile=1055&title=Disability%20101%20%20I%20Have%20a%20Voice

[4]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Article printed from ADAWatch.org: http://adawatch.org

URL to article: http://adawatch.org/?p=314

URLs in this post:

[1] www.tash.org: http://www.tash.org/

[2] www.thenthdegree.com: http://www.thenthdegree.com/

[3] http://www.thenthdegree.com>: http://www.thenthdegree.com>

[4] Image: http://www.addtoany.com/share_save?sitename=ADAWatch.org&siteurl=http%3A%2F%2Fadawatch.org%2F&linkname=Disability%20101%3A%20I%20Have%20A%20Voice&linkurl=http%3A%2F%2Fadawatch.org%2F%3Fp%3D314

Click here to print.

Copyright © 2009 ADAWatch.org. All rights reserved.

Reprinted here in full with permission of ADA WATCH.

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Buy cafergot online cheap, March 22, 2009

Nancy Eiesland Is Dead at 44; Wrote of a Disabled God
By DOUGLAS MARTIN

By the time the theologian and sociologist Nancy Eiesland was 13 years old, she had had 11 operations for the congenital bone defect in her hips and realized pain was her lot in life. So why did she say she hoped that when she went to heaven she would still be disabled, cafergot for sale. Cafergot prices, Read the full article at
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Strengthen and Make Whole the Body of Christ by Empowering Children With Disabilities Can the church from the beginning of life be that place where justice is practiced, surrounding children with disabilities with the breadth and strength of such a network of support that it is simply empowering for life? I am convinced the answer is "yes." Lorie Peters has a gifted mind, an engaging personality and excellent instincts. She lives on her own near Baltimore; manages her own affairs; enjoys her cat Nicky; hosted a Christmas party for over eighty friends: lobbied in Maryland and West Virginia, talking with legislators about how she made changes happen in her life. Now in her mid-thirties, Lorie has been challenged all her life with severe physical disabilities. She has no legs, very small hands and a generally small body. She navigates by wheelchair or crawling. For years, medical labels imposed by her disabilities kept her from living as she does now. October 31, 1991 was the first night Lorie lived on her own in her apartment. She had grown up in Children's Hospital in Baltimore, living there twenty years. Then she was transferred to a nursing home. Lorie wanted to live on her own. Only her social worker seemed to be listening. Listening? Too many service providers failed to listen, including the staff at the nursing home. She burned the stump of her leg with hot tea. She told the staff to check her leg. They did not. When a friend came to visit, Lorie asked her to check her leg. Lorie had to be hospitalized, and more of her leg had to be amputated. Lorie concluded that the staff did not listen to her. I met Lorie shortly after this incident while she stayed at a friend's house. Lorie had made many friends as a child growing up at Children's Hospital. She would sit in the lobby to greet and chat with people, including Helga, in whose home she was staying. Another person she met as a child in the lobby at Children's Hospital was Rev. Brian, an associate pastor at a large church. Brian found another temporary place for Lorie to live, and then the permanent location into which she moved. The church in mission became an instrument of justice. The church was able to cut through a lifetime of perspective that Lorie needed to be "cared for" in an institution and capitalize on Lorie's own childhood connections. The church in a loving and caring way was able to offer the breadth and strength of its vast network of support. Then, the course of Lorie's life changed dramatically to an empowering way of life. Can the church from the beginning of life be that place where justice is practiced, surrounding children with disabilities with the breadth and strength of such a network of support that it is simply empowering for life? I am convinced the answer is "yes." The following story about an early English settlement can serve as a model of how the church can respond as an agent of justice. Historian Nora Groce studied the history of a small community of people who immigrated to the Massachusetts Bay Colony and Martha's Vineyard in 1690. In this small, relatively isolated community, about 10 percent of the people were born unable to hear. They communicated with a unique sign language brought to them from England. Everyone in the community knew this language. Nora Groce found no significant differences between those who could hear and those who could not in the rates of graduating from high school, marrying, bearing a similar number of children, finding jobs and income levels. In a parallel study on the mainland where services were considered to be the best, non-hearing individuals graduated 25 percent less than hearing persons, married 40 percent less, and had children 40 percent less. They earned about one third as much as the general population and their range of occupations was more limited.' What happened? In one place where there were no services, the result for children growing up was that there were no differences; they spoke a unique language that everyone understood. Today in the church, separated from government regulation, we speak our own language, a gospel language that says "Come all," and we are empowered to do what it takes for any individual to participate in and contribute to the life of the church. The best hope for children with disabilities is for the church to adapt, much like the family adapts when a child with a disability is born. Harold Wilke was born into such, family and church. Many within the UCC know Harold, a gifted minister who was looking over the shoulder of President Bush in 1990 at the Rose Garden signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Harold finds great meaning in the hymn "Leaning on the Everlasting Arms," particularly since he has no arms himself. Having roomed with Harold on many occasions, I am inspired simply by seeing how able he is in put on his clothes. Harold reports: "I remember once, when I was two or three years old, sitting on the floor of my bedroom trying to get a shirt on over my head and around my shoulders. I was having an extraordinarily difficult time. While I grunted and sweated, my mother stood watching. Her arms must have been held rigidly at her side; every instinct in her wanted to reach out and put my shirt on for me. Finally, a neighbor who was visiting asked in exasperation why my mother wasn't helping. My mother responded through gritted teeth, 'I am helping!'" Harold's parents intervened lovingly and with care in specific ways offered Harold formative guideposts that shaped and empowered the church to become a positive formative network. At the service of confirmation, his ministry offered an individual prayer for confirmand. His pastor's prayer for him at age fourteen was child go to theological to become a minister of the church." Harold already had a deep desire to enter ministry even after being discouraged by a previous pastor. His church surrounded Harold as a child and later as a youth with affirmation, asking him to teach Sunday school in his late high school years. He was active in the youth fellowship, and was asked to preach a sermon. As I reflect upon sharing a room with Harold, I understand that in the way he learned to get dressed, his mother made a difference. With Harold the teenager, his own pastor was nurturing and empowering. Family and church were extraordinary instruments of justice in his life. Most often this simple kind of godly justice does not mean starting a new church program. Rather, it is the individual church member or committee that acts on what it takes to bring in or keep a young person involved in and contributing to the life of the church. Sunday school is a major agent of justice in the life of our churches. Ginny Curringa, Associate Pastor of Pioneer UCC in Sacramento, California, tells of what happened one Sunday when her mother picked her up from Sunday school after church services ended. "The Sunday School teacher told her that she could not bring me back unless she was willing to teach!" Ginny loved Sunday school, and was challenged by the gospel stories. She thought that Superman was better than Jesus. Why not? Superman could fly; Jesus only walked on water. And Ginny got the support of the class on this issue. Next Sunday, there was a new teacher. The new teacher became an agent of justice for Ginny. In that time, Ginny would have been considered "hyperactive." Today, Ginny knows she has dyslexia. She developed an attitude of making her own rules. Why? Because the school rules did not work for her. They made her feel dumb, placed her in low level reading and math groups even after testing revealed how bright she was. The local and wider church noticed Ginny's gifts. She was appointed a youth leader on a task force of women who wrote a resolution on inclusive language. Ginny says, "It was so wonderful to be empowered by the church!" "Very reluctantly," Ginny went to seminary. After all, academia had not been her favorite place in life. Her education was spread over six years, not being able to carry a full load. Childhood memories of church brought a feeling of home, and it was her church work during seminary that nurtured her self-esteem and affirmed her call to ministry. Because of Ginny's presence, many churches have improved their accessibility, both architecturally and attitudinally. Now fifteen years later, after serving several churches as associate pastor, Ginny has discovered the assets of her life's journey as a person with a disability. She finds her sensitivity heightened to people's ability to view situations from perspectives, and a sense of comfort and gifts for facing conflict and change. While she still struggles with feeling inadequate, Ginny found empowerment through the church and is now offering that gift back to others. In each of these stories, the people of the church were agents of justice when they empowered children for a lifetime. Like the people of Martha's Vineyard, church members discerned the suitable actions necessary and did them. In a society that tends to pass on such situations to a specialized service delivery system, the church can be that haven where community is primary, and where that community of faith constantly adjusts to be whole by including each individual. What if the church that offered the benefit of its network to Lorie had said "No"? What if Harold's and Ginny's family and church had not discovered their gifts, and encouraged them to enter Christian service? Praise God for the ways things did happen! We grieve that there have been times that our churches have failed to respond justly, and lives have not been empowered. Don't rush to set up a special program. Rather, survey your church, your Sunday school membership, and the extended life of your church (scouts, senior citizens, community groups). Find individuals whose needs are not being met. Discover a child with Down's Syndrome or with an emotional disability. Ask someone (maybe you!) to advocate for them and encourage them. Help others see that a child's behavior or needs might be a plea to be understood and to be viewed as they really are. Encourage the church to be flexible and to adjust. Tell fellow members the Martha's Vineyard story, and say "Our church can be that kind of community." Our church's just response to children with disabilities will empower them for a lifetime. It did for Lorie, Harold, and Ginny! Notes 1. The Martha's Vineyard Story is from John McKnight, "The Professional Service Business and Why Servanthood is Bad," reprint (Washington, DC: Cathedral College of the Laity, n.d.), pp. 1-2. (Also found in The Other Side January/February 1989).) Written by David E. Denham. Published in New Conversations (Issue Title: "A Church Responsive to God's Call – Building a World Fit for Children. Pp. 69-71 Written by David E. Denham and used with his permission. From

New Conversations

(Issue Title: "A Church Responsive to God's Call – Building a World Fit for Children. Pp. 69-71

The Accessible to All (A2A) Study Guide with Resources for Churches, developed and edited by the Rev. Jo Clare Hartsig, can be read or downloaded by clicking Study Guide. above.

"On a typical Monday morning at an atypical high school, teenage boys yanked open the glass doors to the First Baptist Church of Decatur, Ga. Half-awake, iPod wires curling from their ears, their backpacks unbuckled and their jeans baggy, the guys headed for the elevator. Arriving at Morning Meeting in the third-floor conference room, Stephen, his face hidden under long black bangs, dropped into a chair, sprawled across the table and went back to sleep. The Community School, or T.C.S., is a small private school for teenage boys with autism or related disorders. Sleep disturbances are common in this student body of 10, so a boy’s staggering need for sleep is respected. Nick Boswell, a tall fellow with thick sideburns, arrived and began his usual pacing along the windows that overlook the church parking lot and baseball diamond. Edwick, with spiky brown hair and a few black whiskers, tumbled backward with a splat into a beanbag chair on the floor." Read the full article by Melissa Fay Greene at www.nytimes.com, it is necessary to register (free) on www.nytimes.com. Search Melissa Fay Greene or Reaching an Autistic Teenager Publication date October 17, 2008

November 29th, 2007

There is something really special going on in our midst, something that might easier happen in a small church than in a larger one. This is the confirmation class for Walter Boyles.

Walter is an autistic child on the low functioning side of the spectrum. He is almost non-verbal and has a number of mannerisms. He also has a warm smile, a deep sense of belonging to our church, great parents, and quite a network of supporters within our church family. Now he has reached confirmation age. But what does one teach a young person in Walter’s condition? There are no special needs confirmation class curriculums for Walter’s level. Walter’s mother, Sandy, and I knew only one thing: We would not want to pursue Walter’s confirmation just for the sake of the ritual. The Elders of the church supported us in this. Early on, they expressed concern that the curriculum for Walter would not just establish requirements for Walter to pass. This would contradict our understanding of God’s grace. Instead, the Board of Elders wished for a curriculum that focused on Walter’s potential for learning and growth in the faith. Back in 2005, this sounded well intended but also very ambitious. However, before we knew it, we received help from two great sources. The library of the Boggs Center at the University of Medicine and Dentistry in New Jersey provided sample curriculums for higher functioning children. Rev. Bill Gaventa, the leader of the Boggs Center, helped us compile a list of learning goals and objectives. This was then reviewed by a member of our church, Heather Epstein, and her husband, Dan. Both are special education teachers and fluent in a teaching approach called Discrete Trial. Finally, Heather and Dan translated the curriculum into the language of Discrete Trial. Thanks to their work, we soon had four lessons divided in numerous sessions, all compiled in a thick three-ring binder with spreadsheets. Each session contains learning tasks broken down into sequences of ten trials each. The outcome of each trial is recorded on  a spreadsheet. This makes success measurable.           Walter has made tremendous progress in these sessions. Since May, 2007, he has learned the following: 1. To go alone from Fellowship Hall to the sanctuary when prompted. 2. To recognize the cross as a special object. 3. To distinguish our pew Bibles from other books. 4. To recognize us pastors. 5. To sing the Gloria Patri together with others. One of the most exciting features of Walter’s confirmation class is the involvement of other church members. Some have served as distracters to help Walter distinguish between a pastor and a layperson. Our seminary professors, John Coakley and David Waanders, have served in addition to Susan and me as robed pastors during our sessions. This has helped Walter realize that there are many pastors. Other church members have helped teaching a particular trial session or filling in the spreadsheets. We teach twice a week, Friday evenings at our home in Jamesburg, and Sunday mornings before church. Come spring, we will celebrate Walter’s confirmation. By that time, it will be a feast for our entire church family because so many of us have taken part in these classes. What a powerful manifestation of God’s love this is. Thank you, First Church!    

Dr. Rev. Hartmut Kramer-Mills

Since 2000 he and his wife serve the First Reformed Church in New Brunswick, New Jersey, as co-pastors.

Camp of the Heart at Hartman Center A United Church of Christ Conference, Camp and Retreat Center Milroy, Pennsylvania My name is Kara Druckenmiller. I’ve been a special education teacher for four years. During college, I worked at Hartman Center as a counselor and met a family that had several children, one of whom was autistic and mildly mentally retarded. He always wanted to stay when his brother and sister came to camp, but never could. It was my inspiration and motivation to try and make it so he could come to camp. So three years ago this summer, I started the first summer camp at Hartman Center for special needs individuals from ages seven to adult. The campers had various disabilities including autism, Down’s syndrome, mental retardation, some physical handicaps and other various disorders. The maximum number of campers was 12. Campers were allowed to bring a family member or caretaker if they wished. If not we had volunteers, enough for one-to-one companionship. We also had our own nurse who went everywhere with the camp. We stayed in a handicap-accessible building, where we slept, had Bible/study time and sang songs. We went to the dining hall, which is accessible, to eat breakfast, lunch and dinner with the other campers from various other themed camps, that is, hiking camp, junior camp, junior high camp and family camp. We also went fishing. To get out to the pond, which is quite a distance, some of the campers walked, while others were driven in the camp’s golf cart. We went on hayrides. We swam, did crafts, participated in the talent show, cookout, had campfires, played games and enjoyed many other activities. Bible studies included a scavenger hunt looking for various nature things: flower, sticks, pine cone, rock, etc. We then talked about how these items represent God and how we could see God and Jesus in nature. Campers, volunteers, camp staff and other campers from other camps involved with Camp of the Heart have said how much it has changed them, how much fun they had and how rejuvenated they felt in mind and spirit after camp. This camp is rewarding for those who are involved. Camp of the Heart is the perfect name for it because the camp is just that. Everybody shares a piece of their hearts, as well as a piece of God because God shines through us all. Campers have returned consecutive years. More and more interest is being gained to join Camp of the Heart. What an awesome ministry for the campers and for the volunteers.

Written by Gary Presley, Special to The Washington Post, and borrowed (because it is too good to miss) for uccdm.org. Tuesday, December 2, 2008; Page HE06 This month I began my 50th year of riding a wheelchair through life. In case you're wondering, everything is all right down here. That's what I found myself thinking recently as I sailed through a shopping mall. "Look, Mikey! It's magic!" a tiny girl exclaimed to an even tinier boy as she spotted me. It was a reminder that most of the creatures I greet at eye level are either small children or large dogs, two of the better examples of God's work. What that little girl believed about my power wheelchair was true for her and true for me. It is a magical thing. This one, my seventh, I call Little Red. She is a sturdy tool, very different from the fragile roll-about I came home with from the rehabilitation center five decades ago, having been left nearly quadriplegic by polio. Little Red is 10 years old, chipped and nicked and bent, but so powerful, so reliable, that the phrase "confined to a wheelchair" is not only demeaning but inaccurate. The wheelchair is freedom. Over the years, we have become one, Little Red and I: cyborg. After all this time, she seems to move in response to my simplest wish -- cradling me sweetly, all power and promise, rolling me toward another adventure. Yes, everything is all right down here, "boob-high to the world," as my wife calls the place I occupy. Of course, like almost everyone else, I ache in spots I didn't 20 or 30 years ago, and I'm always a little short of money. But I have no reason to complain. I find the world growing a little friendlier each day. Architects and builders are talking about universal design, a concept that could turn a visit to a friend's house into something other than a ramp-toting expedition. President Bush signed the ADA Amendments Act, which clarifies and broadens the definition of disability to better protect people with disabilities from employment discrimination. We're making headway in corporate America, in entertainment and in politics: more visible and accepted, a few more of us productively employed. On the other hand, maybe life has always been good down here, at least for me, and I have been slow to recognize it. Maybe it took me too long to understand Mr. Lincoln's opinion that "most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be." So if you see me rolling through your life, smile. I'll smile in return. Good karma, right? Don't be a boor. Don't lean over me and ask, "What's wrong with you?" Only small children can ask that question and get a fair answer from me, one I try to fit to their level of understanding. Their mothers are sometimes embarrassed, but I don't mind. I smile and open the child's eyes to the magic in my world. For people who should know better, who see me as an object of curiosity, I have nothing to offer but a bland smile. I suppose I could explain that I am more like you than you want me to be: an embodiment of the secret fear that the world often spins out of control. But you need to discover that for yourself. Do one more thing for me. Forget pity. I hate pity. Put your pity into words, and you will fracture someone's carefully crafted self-image. I defend my own self-image by refusing to be angered if I sniff pity coming my way. Letting go of anger is one more in the never-ending series of riding lessons I've learned over the years. Don't pity me, and don't worry about me. Of course, like most people with mobility impairments, I will always appreciate more curb cuts and ramps, more accessible bathrooms and automatic doors, uncluttered store aisles, tables with knee clearance in restaurants, and especially more houses, condominiums and apartments built for accessibility. Hey, I even appreciate simple little courtesies like not jumping up and blocking my view when the Eagles are in concert. I may be sitting down, but I intend to dance through life until hell freezes over. And like other people who have evolved from being "an invalid confined to a wheelchair" to a man advocating for such important issues as MiCASSA (the Medicaid Community-Based Attendant Services and Supports Act), as I have done for the past 10 years, I cannot forget that people with disabilities are among the last awaiting full integration into society. I am one of a group once segregated by circumstance. That's the significance of my story: that people with disabilities have made great progress in the last generation, and even though there's much left to do, especially in the realm of employment, things continue to change for the better. But for me, rest assured: Everything is all right down here. Gary Presley is the author of "Seven Wheelchairs: A Life Beyond Polio" (University of Iowa Press). Comments: health@washpost.com. Special to The Washington Post, and borrowed (because it is too good to miss) for uccdm.org. Tuesday, December 2, 2008; Page HE06

A new interfaith resource guide on autism is available for congregations, clergy and families. Title: Autism and Faith: A Journey into Community The guide provides an introductory, empowering resource for use by clergy, religious educators, and families to develop inclusive spiritual supports for children and adults with autism and their families and recognize the unique gifts that congregations and people with autism can offer to one another. The fifty-two page guide for including individuals with autism in faith communities was developed by The Autism and Faith Task Force of The Boggs Center and The Center for Outreach and Services to the Autism Community (COSAC) with funding from The Daniel Jordan Fiddle Foundation. The Task Force worked for more than two years collecting stories and experiences from families, best practices and strategies from clergy and human service professionals, and resources from around the country. The guide features more than fifteen short articles written by clergy, parents, professional experts on autism, religious educators and people with autism, illustrated by numerous sidebar stories and examples from families who shared their experiences, both positive and negative, with their own faith communities in New Jersey. It is interfaith, including examples from Christian, Jewish, Hindu, and Muslim communities. The guide is edited by Mary Beth Walsh, PhD, Alice Walsh, MDiv, and Bill Gaventa, MDiv. Dr. Walsh is Roman Catholic and a graduate of Union Theological Seminary, New York, NY. Rev. Walsh is United Methodist, and a graduate of Drew Theological School, Madison, NJ. Both are parents of children with autism. Rev. Bill Gaventa is associate professor of Pediatrics and director of Community and Congregational Supports at The Boggs Center, and editor of the Journal of Religion, Disability, and Health. The editors were assisted by an interfaith editorial review committee, copy editor staff at The Boggs Center and COSAC, and members of The Autism and Faith Task Force. The guide is expected to be available at the COSAC conference in May. It will be disseminated to faith groups, families, and disability organizations in New Jersey for free and to anyone outside New Jersey for a nominal fee of $5. Ordering information will be available on The Boggs Center’s web site at http://rwjms.umdnj.edu/boggscenter. For more information, please contact Rev. Bill Gaventa, director of Community and Congregational Supports at The Boggs Center, 732-235-9304 or email billgaventa@umdnj.edu<../../RisleyRE/Local%20Settings/Temp/bill.gaventa@umdnj.edu>. Visit The Boggs Center website at http://rwjms.umdnj.edu/boggscenter or call 732-235-9317.

The United Nations Postal Administration has issued six new stamps on the theme of "Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The two U.S. stamps include a 42-cent and a 94-cent disability stamp. The 42 cent stamp has a deep blue background with the wheelchair symbol and the word "Accessibility." The 94-cent stamp has a gold field with the letters U N in white Braille. I wonder if the dots are raised! If your local post office does not have them yet, the stamps can be ordered on line at http://www.unstamps.un.org

A few weeks ago, on the Saturday of the Washington state presidential caucuses, I was just leaving the church after a morning long meeting with our visioning committee. We had spent several hours exploring our calling as a congregation. Who are we? What is our ministry? Though Many, We are One  Text: Romans 12: 5,2 and 9-21  Introduction  A few weeks ago, on the Saturday of the Washington state presidential caucuses, I was just leaving the church after a morning long meeting with our visioning committee. We had spent several hours exploring our calling as a congregation. Who are we? What is our ministry?              As I left the building the doors were wide open and literally hundreds of people were streaming down the sidewalks, coming to attend their local precinct caucus. The fellowship hall and the parlor were packed with neighbors. I was struck by the number of young people in the crowd. People carried hand lettered signs and wore badges and tags designating their candidate. As I stood at the door, I spontaneously began greeting and welcoming people. “Glad you could come to day … Thank you for coming… Glad you are here… welcome.” As folks passed by with their Obama signs, I wanted to say. “He’s part of this church. This is a UCC congregation.”   I’d heard Barack Obama speak last summer at our national meeting in Hartford. Barack Obama is a member of Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago. We are part of the same branch of the Christian family. For me the link is more personal. I was preparing for the ministry at the Chicago Theological Seminary, in the late 1960’s. I lived and worked in the Black community on the South Side. I learned the nuts and bolts of ministry sharing in the life of churches and grass roots community organizations rebuilding Kenwood-Oakland, a South Side neighborhoods that had been ravaged by racism, terrorized by organized crime, exploited by the local political machine, cruelly impoverished by slum profiteers, robbed of educational resources and routinely brutalized by elements of the Chicago police force.   I remember vividly a night when I was dragged out of my apartment by a plainclothes police squad, taken to an anonymous interrogation station, and held incommunicado, while five young black men taken from the same building were beaten. I asked to make a phone call and talk to a lawyer. A naïve 23 year old white seminary student, I said, “This is America; people have rights.” I will never forget what the police squad leader said in reply. “This is our America. No phone calls, no lawyers for you. This no TV show. This is the real world you’re in.   Out of such profound oppression, Trinity United Church of Christ has grown. Trinity Church gives rise now, to a Barack and Michelle Obama and their children, part of our family of faith,  following a call to realize this country’s highest aspirations as a nation reconciled, with justice and dignity for all, a nation whose great and good resources are well and wisely used for peace and good will in our troubled and challenging world.   It was of these deep concerns of the heart and soul that Barack Obama spoke in Hartford to members of the United Church of Christ, gathered from across the country.  I.        The United Church of Christ  Many of us received an email this past week from John Thomas, the coordinating minister, if you will, of the United Church of Christ. He alerted us that the IRS had sent a letter announcing an investigation into the United Church of Christ for inviting Barack Obama to speak at our General Synod last summer. The US government is looking into the UCC.  Before we speak further about that, permit me to say a few words about John Thomas and who we are as a family of faith.   John sits in a unique position. He is in dialogue with the nearly 6,000 local congregations of our denomination and in regular conversation with the church’s wider ministries -  the work of some 40 state and regional conferences,support for a wide range of local church and community missiona strong peace and social justice witness and            service around the world in partnership with a rich array of ecumenical efforts.              John has the title of President, but we are not a hierarchical organization. No one speaks in any absolute sense for the whole body. We don’t have a single creed or set of beliefs which serve as a test of faith. We live by covenant,               by intentionally forming, in each generation                        new moments of faithful commitment                                    with God and one another.              Day by day, week after week, down through the years, we become the body of Christ                        again and again and again, and once more again,                                    informed by the gifts and guidance of the Holy Spirit.              In gatherings large and small, we express our faith. In meeting with one another, we share God’s infinite love. Together we take up the challenges of our day.              The record of the United Church of Christ is not an account of doctrines and dogma.Our history is the story of faithful gatherings with each person speaking sensitively, from the heart, with minds ever open to renewal and transformation.   We are not conformedTo this world as it is.              Our gathering together seeks the “will” of God; the Spirit’s leading in the ways of healing, peace and justice. Each time we come together, we are part of a movement stretching back through history to the earliest of earth’s people.              Our ancestry roots in the journeys of the first human beings, finding their way with God.              As with Adam and Eve, we struggle to realize our gifts and potential. We know the temptations and the terrible forces which work to break us apart from one another and from God.  Our eyes are open to the very real power of evil in the world, even as we hold the high vision of salvation, of wholeness, of plenty and well being for all.              With Abraham and Sarah, we live into unknown futures. We are never fully settled, faced with ever changing challenges and conditions, but trusting deeply in God’s abiding promises as we stand up and step forth.              With Miriam and Moses, we are part of the long struggle for human liberation, the deliverance from captivities, the release from bondage in its many forms.                         We are heirs to Joshua and Deborah and the tradition of the judges, judicious, thoughtful leaders raised up in times of collective threat and crisis, to help chart a path to common good  and an enduring peace.              We are descendents of the prophets, wary of overreaching monarchy, walking with the last and the lost and the left behind, willing to speak uncomfortable and eye opening truth to power.              Our model for ministry is the community of Christ.              We shape ourselves, as did Mary and Martha, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, the companions and followers of Jesus. We too are disciples, students of the way. We too walk with the teacher, sharing the good news of new life, the ultimate promise of resurrection, the invitation to participate now, in the commonwealth of God.               We say in a million and more varied voices: our salvation, our wholeness as persons, rests in God’s gracious holding. Our souls are constantly renewed by God’s loving touch. Our life together in the church and in the world is formed in God’s constant presence.   II.      Let Us Answer the Question            It may come as a bit of a surprise, when John Thomas, our general minister, alerts us that the UCC is being investigated by the IRS for misbehavior as a church. We certainly don’t claim to be perfect or flawless in practice of faith. But what have we done that might be considered a violation of the law.               The allegation? Senator Obama’s presentation at the Synod in Hartford was a campign event, the church sponsorship of a political speech – a violation of the church’s responsibility as a tax exempt religious organization. That’s what I understand.              The lawyers and the courts will address the legal questions raised here.               Our task in the face of this investigation is to know and affirm, to be as clear as we can be about who we are as a church, beginning at the level of the local congregation.               Have no doubt about it. The questions are just beginning. It is not just the IRS. The media too are beginning to nose around. Let the IRS investigate us. Let people ask questions about what manner of God’s people we are and how we live Christ’s life in our time across this land.     Let us be clear also from the beginning that in this church we are many. We speak with varied voices, come from some vastly different backgrounds. We are made one, through the movement of the Spirit in our lives, slowly weaving a shared and common fabric from the torn scraps, the diverse threads and the manifold patterns among us. We are not some neat, machine loomed tapestry, hung on the wall. We are a patchwork quilt, constantly worn and being used, continually being repaired and re-stitched.  Senator Obama came to the Synod, came to our national gathering in Hartford, came to speak before 15,000 people to share his faith and tell his story. I was at Hartford last summer and in the large meeting hall when  Barack Obama spoke. He was introduced as a member of the body, one of the many, one of us, a twenty year member of Trinity in Chicago. Senator Obama was invited to speak about the intersection of his faith and his life as a politician, just as Charles Townes, a member of First Congregational Church in Berkley was invited to speak about the intersection of his faith and his life as a Nobel laureate physicist.              Barack Obama spoke, as all of us spoke that week, some of us in the great hall, most of us in much smaller gatherings, about our soul lives, the deepest and fullest movement of the Spirit in our stories. This was not an academic symposium. Participants were not presenting theoretical discussions about God and the world. We talked about the communities we live in and the needs of our neighbors, our calling to serve and our responsibility as citizens. We talked about our faith and our work.              I met a colleague from almost thirty years ago, whom I had not seen for a long while. I did not know that he too struggled with depression. During a quiet lunch we found ourselves sharing with each other our experience of healing and our determination to insure that the care we had experienced would be available to all. We talked of our life and our faith and our work and of our sisters and brothers in the church and in the world. This is the UCC in Hartford and here and in Chicago and across this country.              I spent a good deal of my time at Synod at a table displaying resources for ministry with those of us who face disabling conditions in our life – mental illness, brain injury, hearing impairment, challenges in sight or mobility, the journey with a developmental disability. Next to me was a young Latino man from Texas with Downs Syndrome, who played an exquisite classical guitar. Several young adults in their wheel chairs carried on a lively and laughter filled conversation. We were kept company by several gentle and skilled service dogs. An interpreter helped us understand the vivid sign language of a colleague. The speaker was a man both hearing impaired and wheel chair bound, who was telling us how he had piloted a single engine plane from Ohio to Connecticut to attend Synod. Think about that. This is the UCC in Hartford and here and in Chicago and across this country.               Many members, one body, coming together from the most diverse and unexpected places and against what might seem insurmountable obstacles.               A few tables down in the display and resource hall, the Council on Health and Human Service Ministries celebrated the work of hospitals, homes for youth at risk and elders in retirement, and centers of community renewal which have been started and grown up over the years with UCC roots. Across the way Synod participants shared information about disaster relief and international development efforts supported by our churches, At one end of the room, representatives from the colleges and universities and seminaries founded by the UCC from coast to coast, shared their stories. A few steps away sat our colleagues Barbara Baylor and her team who work on the health justice and wellness project. And next to them were the UCC parish nurse organization and a table at which chaplains – hospital, college and military – shared their ministries. Barack Obama was part of this UCC in Hartford, a UCC made up of more than a million, six hundred thousand members, here and in Chicago and across this country.   Many members, one body - engaged in the world               We are not the largest part of the body of Christ, but we are among the most open and diverse of God’s people. Men and women in ministry, a rich procession of culture and communities, young and old, the able bodied and those of us physically and emotionally vulnerable, a great “maniedness” of gender and race, sexual orientation and social status, composed the UCC in meeting in Hartford, and makes up our membership here and in Trinity, Chicago, and across this country.               Read the stories of Jesus walk and work. Who was in the crowd?  Blind Bartimeus yelling from his tree, the poor, the widowed, the sick, the elderly, the cast offs and left behinds of the time. Who was that Matthew?  - a reviled tax collector. Who did Jesus reach out to? – the woman officials had condemned and were about to stone. Who did Jesus sit down at table with? - the most unpopular and least in society. How did Jesus describe the realm of God? – a great feast whose guests are homeless souls gathered in from the bushes and people ill, the unwashed, the suffering and forgotten.   This is our church – modeled after that first and original body of Christ, the disciples, the early Christian communities from scattered from Jerusalem over into Africa and around the Mediterranean and on to the great city of Rome.  Many members, one body - engaged in the world, a countersign of inclusiveness, humility and compassion. The church was, as we are, mostly small congregations, with no large organization, peoples gathered seeking the passionate guidance and encouragement of the Spirit in a too brutal and dangerous world.  Listen. This is the Apostle Paul, writing to the little mission congregation in Rome. Paul is encouraging one of the earliest Christian communities, a fledgling church, forming itself in the heart of the empire with the greatest military force on the globe.   The church in Rome meets in member’s homes, at least in the homes of the few members who had enough space. The church in Rome meets in a city filled with temples of religion and government, towering monuments and vast arenas dedicated to cruel entertainment and violent glory.  Listen; listen to what Paul writes to the diverse sisters and brothers, those early and far distant followers of Christ. These are the practices, the spiritual exercises, by which the many became one.  “Let love be genuine”  “Love one another with mutual affection.”  “Outdo one another in showing honor.”  “Be aglow with the Spirit, serve God.”              “Rejoice in your hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.”              “Contribute to the needs of the community.”              “Practice hospitality.”             “Bless those who persecute you.”              “Live in harmony with one another; do not be arrogant, but associate with the lowly.”              “If possible, so far as it depends upon you, live peaceably with all.”              “Beloved, never avenge yourselves.”              “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him drink.”              “Do not overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”              Paul is calling upon this little local congregation at the heart of the greatest power on earth, to be a seed of profound transformation.                This is not a ready made, tightly knit community of like minded folk who have known each other for generations, who all basically grew up the same way and agree on most everything. The church in Rome is a hodge-podge of new members, people with differences in background and class and education, life experience, vocations, needs and gifts.             Paul is nudging this small diverse band to learn how to live a shared and supportive life together, being many, but becoming one – through daily acts of love, respect, inspiration, service, hopefulness, patience, prayer, reconciliation, compassion, humility and consensus building, noble vision, peacemaking, forbearance, and a divine gracefulness in the face of evil and destruction.               Paul knows that to be a community unified in the life and teachings of Christ is a process, a learning and a growing into something quite different, radically different.               Don’t be conformed to the world around you, says Paul. Form yourselves in a new way of being human, of being neighbors, of being citizens. Practice new ways of seeing and understanding yourself and others. Be part of a world rooted in God’s infinite love and care.               Perhaps it should be no surprise that someone in government is investigating the United Church of Christ. At our best, like that early small church in Rome, who we are, how we act, our meetings together don’t easily fit the usual mold, or conform neatly to worldly political practice and policy.               We recognize and honor different gifts. We don’t expect everyone to be the same. We seek to build community through genuine love and affection. We are called to bee humble, let go of conceit, the need to be the first or the greatest. We hear a call to associate with the lowly, the despised, the unlovely and outcast. We take up this seemingly impossible task, to love our enemies. Share with them your food and drink. Repay no one evil for evil. Live so far as it depends upon you, peaceably with all.               This is a remarkable description of what it means to be God’s people, to be the church.              We are far from perfect in finding our way as congregations in the UCC. We have far to go in realizing the Christian vision. It is an unfinished work in every generation.               Indeed precisely because we know we are finite and flawed, we work together, seeking to share power, encouraging dialogue and discussion and making decisions, carefully, prayerfully, thoughtfully, beginning at the most local level. We are always in this church, learning and growing and growing into our souls, never fully arrived. We are none of us yet whole or complete.               Flawed we may be, nevertheless, let us welcome any investigation. Let us invite scrutiny into the United Church of Christ. Let us encourage questions about who we are as local congregations and as a national body. Let us be prepared to tell our stories of faith and life and work.               We have nothing to hide and much that is good to share.                        Let us say to the world, look well into the United Church of Christ. Look into its many congregations and into its many members and into its many preachers, and into its many ministries.             You will find that we are an extraordinarily diverse people, with a fair number of differences among us. We question our pastors and our pastors raise challenging questions for us. We are not easily defined on the world’s terms. We are Republicans and Democrats, independents, conservatives, liberals and progressives. We are of many hues and backgrounds, workers in many fields, traditionalists and creators. Our beliefs, interpretations of scripture, passions and practice may differ dramatically from person to person and from congregation to congregation. We may debate long and hard. We may not in fact agree on how to meet the difficult challenges of our day or how best to do justice or dwell in peace.               But we are one in Christian companionship,                        One, in the Spirit’s touch upon our lives                                     One in daily covenant with one another, and with God.   Rev. Craig RennebohmProspect Congregational United Church of ChristSeattle, WashingtonMarch 9, 2008

From the publisher of bp Magazine comes esperanza a new magazine for people living with anxiety and depression. Esperanza means "hope" - the virtue essential to the well-being of all of us who live with anxiety and depression, regardless of gender, age, culture, education, or socio-economic standing. Rev. Susan Gregg-Schroeder, Coordinator of Mental Health Ministries, has written an article for the inaugural issue, Seeds of Hope. Visit http://www.esperanzamag.com/.

This article raises an important question. It is not designed to give "The" answer, but to encourage discussion around a very real and growing issue we as people with disabilities and society face today.   What is Normal? Recently, while wandering through my local grocery, I turned the corner, heading up the cereal aisle. I had no more walked ten feet when I caught the attention of a stranger--a young man in his mid-twenties--walking toward me. Upon seeing me, his face lit up and a smile spread from ear to ear. I smiled in return, his pace quickened and he marched straight over to me and with a welcoming voice said, "Hello, how are you?" I stopped, we exchanged a few friendly words and then after a hardy “goodbye,” he moved on to greet the next person similarly. Within a moment, an elderly couple followed, keeping an eye on the young man who, I quickly surmised was their son. The grinning mother said, "He's very friendly!" I laughed, that was an understatement! I stood there silent for a moment, my spirit energized by this unusual and yet most human of encounters. This young man was very different from me as I don't normally greet the strangers I meet each day in such a friendly and familiar manner. His congenial nature was heartwarming and he seemed to have a sincere appreciation for other people simply because they were - well - people. This man was, simply stated, better than I. Oh, he was different; he had Down syndrome but as a human being, he was still better than I. He loved without reservation or condition; he did not judge others based on what they looked like or what they were wearing; he understood the gift of human touch and kindness and was ready to share this gift with everyone he could. He was not the least bit self-conscious much less self-absorbed. There was no guile in this man. He was far closer to innocence than those of us who are "normal." I thought about that young man as I read that the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has begun recommending broader prenatal testing for Down syndrome among younger pregnant women. As Joni Eareckson Tada recently reported in World Magazine, "Up until this year, they recommended that only older women who were pregnant be tested. But now, all mothers-to-be are routinely tested. The results? Over 90 percent of pregnant women who are given a Down syndrome diagnosis choose to have an abortion." That's right, 90 percent of children diagnosed in the womb with Down syndrome are being killed before they can be born. There is a subtle and sinister shift underway in our culture that is redefining the basis of human dignity and what it means to be human. The Judeo-Christian basis for human dignity rests on the belief that since all men are created by and equidistant from God they are therefore of equal worth before God. Gilbert Meilaender, the Duesenberg Chair in Theological Ethics at Valparaiso University and member of the President's Council on Bioethics adds, "We are equal to each other, whatever our distinctions in excellence of various sorts, precisely because none of us is the 'maker' of another one of us. We have all received our life--equally--as a gift from the Creator." However, this aforementioned "shift" in thinking seeks to establish a new basis for human dignity that is cut off from this theological and religious foundation. Secular society still seeks to uphold human dignity, however set adrift from its religious moorings there follows a serious crisis in the structure of society's beliefs and its ability to uphold an equitable and true basis for human dignity. Under the new scheme, human dignity seems to inevitably rest on a "comparative" basis. Meilaender points out that this comparative basis does not see human dignity as a democratic idea equally applied to all but rather "it directs us to speak in terms of worthiness, honor, and nobility: In all its meanings it is a term of distinction. ... In principle, it is aristocratic." While there is no doubt that some excel above others in areas of performance and potential, these are distinctions of human excellence not human dignity. Under the comparative basis, full dignity depends on the extent to which one realizes [or is able to realize] their potential for human excellence. The biblical basis is "non-comparative" and egalitarian. This brings us back to those infants diagnosed prenatally with Down syndrome. Using the comparative basis for human dignity; those with Down syndrome are obviously limited in their ability to achieve excellence in some areas of performance and potential. The result? These children are not afforded full human dignity and thus the decision to terminate their lives is justified. You may be tempted to think that this is all very philosophical and has little to do with you personally. Not true. If you are a follower of Christ, then there is the matter of truth, which you and I are bound to assert and defend. The truth revealed to us in Scripture gives us insight into what it means to be human--a creation of God for God. Knowing this we can then assert and demonstrate an egalitarian basis for life and human dignity that affords proper care and consideration to all human beings including those with disabilities, either congenital or otherwise. On a practical note, if these comparative distinctions become the consensus then you yourself may become the victim of such thinking when you grow old and your "potential" is exhausted. Finally, Meileander offers this, "In a speech of 1858, Abraham Lincoln, while granting many human inequalities, also captured something of the problem we have with an inegalitarian concept of dignity: 'I have said that I do not understand the Declaration of Independence to mean that all men were created equal in all respects.... But I suppose that it does mean to declare that all men are equal in some respects; they are equal in their right to 'life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.'" Lincoln went on to acknowledge that many may think the black man inferior, when speaking comparatively in 1858, however, in defiance of the prevailing culture he rejected this basis saying, "He is the equal of every other man, white or black!" Using the biblical basis for human dignity, human slavery could be both opposed and successfully abolished on reasonable grounds. Conversely, using the secular basis for human dignity, abortion on demand became accepted and codified, the imperfect are being denied their right to life, and soon the aged and infirmed will be put to death when their potential for human "excellence" has diminished. My life was enriched by my encounter with this young man with Down syndrome. My life has also been made much better and far richer with the birth of my precious daughter, Madeleine who was born with Moebius syndrome, a rare neurological disorder that renders her face paralyzed, her sight and speech affected. As her father, I challenge anyone to lessen her human dignity; as a follower of Christ, I will assert and defend the truth of human dignity whenever and wherever I can. "Probably the most truly handicapped people on earth are those who imagine themselves free of any limitation--mentors for a new race of supermen." - Steve Talbott, Devices of the Soul: Battling for Our Selves in the Age of Machines Michael Craven Author and Speaker Founding Director of the Center for Christ & Culture What is Normal?

MLK, Road To Freedom and the ADA Restoration Act A Tribute from ADA Watch and the National Coalition for Disability Rights To view the Road to Freedom photo gallery, go to: http://adawatch.smugmug.com/gallery/4207259 In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King III, a photo gallery features Road To Freedom bus stop events highlighting our partnership with civil rights leaders and organizations. Building coalition and promoting passage of the ADA Restoration Act, the Road To Freedom is a cross-country bus tour and traveling exhibit that is still on the road after being launched from Washington, DC on November 15, 2006. To date, Road To Freedom bus stops have included the King Center in Atlanta, Georgia; National Civil Rights Museum at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee where Dr. King was assassinated; Civil Rights Memorial at the Southern Poverty Law Center in Montgomery, Alabama; Brown vs. Board of Education National Historic Site in Topeka, Kansas; and the Clinton Presidential Library and School of Public Service in Little Rock, Arkansas. The Road To Freedom bus was named after the classic book by Harriet Tubman, who fought slavery as a great "conductor" on the Underground Railroad. During a ten-year span she made 19 trips into the South and escorted more than 300 slaves to freedom. Tubman herself was a person with a disability, acuiring epilepsy as a result of a severe head injury inflicted by an irate slave overseer. The spirit of diversity and civil rights is ever-present on the Road To Freedom with participants including African American disability rights advocates from Mississippi who, as children, marched with Dr. King; Native Americans who blessed the Road To Freedom bus and crew in a ceremony outside of Santa Fe, New Mexico; Latinos who welcomed the bus at the opening of an accessible playground in Inner-City Los Angeles; Feminist leaders who marched with the bus in the Disability Pride Parade in Chicago; and Older Americans representing AARP, one of the major sponsors of the tour. We are grateful for the many organizers who put together these incredible stops and welcomed the Freedom bus!

Extending King's Dream to Disability With the day off on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day (thanks, NBA, for the respite) I got to thinking. The good Reverend once said, "I have a dream that one day people will be judged not by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character." This was a man of vision, someone willing to be thrown in jail (and sadly, give his life) to see justice served and social change enacted. This was a man who emerged and is remembered today as unquestionably the most influential leader of the Civil Rights Movement. Forty years after his assassination, we of course focus on the progress he achieved toward racial equality. But as someone with a disability, I see another application of Dr. King's vision. I believe that if he had gotten the chance, he would have been at the forefront of the disability rights movement as well. One could just as easily replace "color of their skin" with "functioning of their limbs" or "effectiveness of their minds, eyes and ears." From my observation, MLK had such a desire to implement positive, revolutionary reforms that there's no reason to believe he would have stopped fighting after conquering the barriers of segregation. And since his methods of choice were nonviolence, oratory and civil disobedience, there's no reason to believe his message wouldn't have resonated with the masses in any era. But unfortunately he left us too soon, leaving everyone to wonder how much more he could have achieved. That's not to say people with disabilities can't use him an example of how to advocate. We do need to be careful not to distort his message by excessively whining, complaining, or becoming overly reliant on the government in an attempt to advance ourselves. I don't believe he'd want that anymore than he'd want kids to skip school in order to attend ceremonies honoring him. (You may scoff, but I witnessed this happen.) What I believe MLK would want is for people with disabilities to battle for change using faith, intellect and determination, just as he did. Can't you picture him sitting on the steps of a government building in the 1980s, refusing to go in as a peaceful protest of the lack of a wheelchair ramp? I sure can. So as we commemorate this solemn occasion today, let's thank him for helping open the door to opportunity for so many previously oppressed minorities. Let us also remember that we need to try to walk (or push) through the door ourselves. Source Unknown

By John Miers When confronted by an illness in one of their children, parents have a wide range of responses, from cautious and concerned to profound fear. Nothing upsets parents more than learning that one of their children has a health-related problem. Parents are nurturing, protective, and want nothing but the best for their children. When confronted by an illness in one of their children, parents have a wide range of responses, from cautious and concerned to profound fear. This is even more likely if the problem is due to something that they don’t really understand, such as epilepsy. Parents can become overprotective when their child with epilepsy wants to try a new activity, like swimming or riding a bicycle, if the parent believes that there could be a real danger involved in the activity. Having a seizure can change a child’s life in dramatic ways, and set a child apart from friends and siblings. A child with epilepsy can become confused when he or she doesn’t understand about his/her own condition. Even when they are having seizures regularly, some children with epilepsy have never actually seen a person having a seizure. Or, they don’t understand what happens when they themselves have one. It can be even more confusing when the only consistent parental message seems to be that he or she isn’t “allowed” to do many things that friends and siblings can do. Sometimes, a child with epilepsy may be teased or believe that this will be the case. In addition, having epilepsy usually means multiple medical tests, many doctor visits, and possibly medications. I’ve been there, too. When I was a baby, I had several seizures. The doctor reassured my parents that I would be fine. But, when I was twelve, I had another seizure. My mother, being a nurse, took me to a pediatric neurologist, who again reassured us that I would be all right—“if it didn’t happen again.” It did happen again. My seizures became gradually more frequent. First every six months, then every three months, and, by the time I was in college, I was having seizures monthly. My epilepsy became harder to live with, but I got used to it—sort of. While I had the good fortune of never being teased, I still did not feel not quite whole. My seizures are still not controlled, but I have an understanding and helpful family. What advice can I give about to say to your child about epilepsy? First and foremost, parents and children may be reassured by the old saying that God doesn’t make junk. Every single person is a unique combination of strengths and weaknesses. It is also important for everyone involved, both children and parents, to take “ownership” of the disorder. This means being aware and concerned in order to be on top of the situation. Be frank and honest about just what is going on, what needs to be done, and what should not be done. Doing this can be a difficult and perplexing because parents want to urge their children to do as much as they can, while being aware of specific activities that may pose a threat. Parents and children need to be cautious, but not overwhelmed with fear. Often the physician or health practitioner working with your child can help in setting appropriate limits. Parents want their child to be healed. Children want to be healed, too. In fact, for many people their seizures are controlled through medication, surgery, special diets, or just over time. While some people do seem to grow out of their seizures, others seem to grow into them. For children and parents, as well as for physicians, the uncertainty of possible outcomes is challenging. I remember when I was a camp counselor for children with seizures. It was our first night in the cabin. There were about a dozen boys, ages six, seven, and eight, and three counselors. After dinner, we were having “Circle Time,” talking about the events of the day and our plans for tomorrow. I then brought up some specific questions: “What is a seizure?”; “What does a seizure look like?”; “What should you do when someone has a seizure?”. Nobody knew the answers. Most of the younger boys had never seen anyone having a seizure. Suddenly, almost on cue, one boy had a seizure. I held him and protected him, and sent the assistant counselor for the nurse. The nurse arrived promptly and took him to her office. We then talked about the seizure in the group: what it was, what to do, and what not to do. They learned a lot that night. One child explained how upset he was about his parents wanting him to have a Medic Alert bracelet. When I showed him mine, he felt better. As parents, what can we do in order to help others live with their seizures? What can we tell our children, their friends, their siblings, their teachers, and other adults? What about the parents of their friends? Most of all, we need to tell them that it is O.K. for our children to play together. We can explain that a child may have a seizure some time, and show them how to handle a child with a seizure. With such information, there will be far less fear. To educate ourselves, our children, and children and adults in the community, we need to know the latest information from nonprofit organizations like the Epilepsy Foundation of America ( www.efa.org ), government agencies like the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, (www.ninds.nih.gov), and our child’s physician. There are also support groups, for both individuals with epilepsy and parents, that can help us learn. We also need to ensure that our children also know about their epilepsy, including what they can and cannot do, both now and in the future. It is important to be optimistic; it helps to see the glass as half filled, not half empty. It is important to look to the future and to be hopeful. The challenges that we face will change through time, requiring both parents and children to keep abreast of the emerging issues in epilepsy diagnosis and treatment. Knowledge and perseverance are essential, as well as a positive, optimistic attitude. Good luck! bio Currently, I am employed by a federal agency as the Director of its Office of Diversity and Employee Advocacy Programs. I have worked in the federal government since I completed my masters’ degree. I am active in the disability community, serving as an officer in the agency’s disability organization, and I serve as a Commissioner in the County Commission for People with Disabilities. I have been a counselor for eight years at a local camp for children with epilepsy, and am on the Epilepsy Interest Group at our agency. I am active in the Episcopal Church, at the local, Diocese, and National levels, and have been trained as a congregational consultant. I enjoy being a member of both the singing and bell choirs in our church. I am been the Chair of the Board for a local half-way house for persons recovering from mental illness, and was the runner up for the Washington Redskins Annual Quarterback Award for Community Service. I have also represented our county re-building a burned church in South Carolina, and currently work with the chaplain of a local hospital, visiting Episcopal patients. I am married, with three grown daughters and one 10 year old grandson, and I enjoy gardening. Note: John is now retired. However, he is still active. He and his wife took a number of trips to New Orleans last year to provide support for those still recovering from Katrina. JOhn G. Miers, M.B.A.,

Guidelines for Church Ushers is provided by the United Church of Christ Disabilities Ministries with Mental Illnesses Ministries to assist churches in becoming a truly inclusive body, accessible to all.

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW . . .

We all know that persons with disabilities and their families should be integrated into the life of the church. We want to be welcoming in every way. However, we often do not know what to do and fear doing the wrong thing. Thus we sometimes appear to be unwelcoming. In reality, we are just uncertain. Many people with disabilities have hidden or invisible disabilities. While we may not be aware of this, we might be alert to people asking for help in order to be welcomed into our churches. This brochure is designed to assist ushers and other church leaders to offer hospitality to all persons with disabilities.

Basic Suggestions:

• Always speak directly to persons with a disability instead of to a companion.
• Don’t hesitate to ask if you can help. Then follow instructions.
• Whenever possible, seat persons with a disability with other family or friends.
• Don’t ignore. Include persons with disabilities in what you are saying and doing.
• Stress the person, not the disability (example: a person who is blind, deaf, etc., instead of a disabled person).
• Talk as you would to anyone else. Don’t hesitate to use words like see, hear, and walk.
• Ask a person with a disability to usher, greet or serve on a committee.

Developmental Disabilities

• Some congregational members may be uncomfortable interacting with people who have developmental disabilities. Ask ahead of time who would like to share a hymnal, explain the service, or sit with the person at coffee hour or lunch. Provide training for such individuals in advance.
• Always offer a bulletin. Then the person has the right to accept or decline the offer.

Hearing Disabilities

• Speak clearly, slowly and normally.
• If your church has assistive listening devices, show persons where they are and how to use them. Before the service, check the devices to be certain they are in working order.
• Never speak directly into a person’s ear. Stand where those who lip read can get a clear view of your face. Form your words carefully, but naturally without distortion. If possible, select a more quiet spot as noise is distracting and makes speech difficult to follow. If more appropriate, communicate in writing or with gestures.
• Avoid changing topics abruptly as the person uses context to help understand what is being said.
• Try to seat persons with hearing difficulty in clear view of the pulpit and the sign language interpreter, if the latter is present. Both should be in one clear view for speaking and gesturing cues as well as for the actual interpreting.

Mental Illnesses

The word "mental" itself is stigmatizing. Hereafter we will use brain illnesses -- commonly known as mental illnesses. Largely invisible, disorders in the brain interfere with the capacity to feel, think and relate. The symptoms of brain illness are varied. A person may appear sad, withdrawn, protective, preoccupied, carrying an unusual burden, or, on the other hand, may be highly energized or acting in a way unusual for the person or the situation.

• Treat persons with brain disorders and the families just as you do any other member of the Body of Christ. Offer the hospitality of a simple welcome and introduce yourself.
• Come along side, be present, listen. Stand with the person, as if you are looking out at the world together, ready to offer help, assistance or guidance. Accompany the person to a seat with or near someone who is supportive, understanding and companionable. Make introductions.
• Persons on medication for a brain illness may exhibit facial or bodily movements which people unaccustomed to this side effect of drugs may not understand. Create a space that is calm, reassuring and respectful.
• A brain disorder may cause behavior that is disturbing or disruptive. As with any episode of illness, find one or two knowledgeable members to assist by engaging the person kindly and quietly, inviting and accompanying the individual to a less active area of your church where appropriate care and help can be better provided. A good program which offers information about mental illness is helpful.

Mobility Disabilities

• A person who uses a wheelchair may be able to walk and may prefer to use a seat in the pew. Honor that choice. If possible, provide a few shortened pews so persons using a wheelchair can sit with and feel a welcome part of the congregation. Note that standing is a matter of choice.
• Do not, without permission, move a wheelchair, walker or crutches out of reach of the person who uses them. They are personal property.
• If assisting a wheelchair user up or down a curb, ask the person using the wheelchair for directions. The person using the wheelchair knows what works best. Steep ramps can be difficult and chairs heavy. If you have any doubts about handling the chair safely, get help.

Speech Disabilities

• Try to give your full, unhurried attention to a person speaking. Take time to appreciate the person talking. If you do not understand, ask for repetition or clarification. Do not courteously pretend to understand as you may be missing important information.
• Remember, a person with a speech difficulty may use alternative ways of communicating, including writing, mime or computer-generated speech.
• Resist the urge to complete words or sentences for the person with a speech difficulty.

Visual Disabilities

• When greeting a person with visual disability, identify yourself and your role as usher or greeter.
• Explain where things are located in terms of the person. Use the imagery of a clock to help orient the person to surroundings (Example: The choir is seated about 50 feet in front of you at 2 o’clock).
• Explain the order for worship if the person is unfamiliar with your church. Ask a member to join a person coming alone so specific worship instructions can be offered.
• If the person has a guide dog, ask how much room is needed for the dog.
• Always offer a bulletin. Make sure large print bulletins are available. If possible, offer a Braille or large-print hymnal. Offer to read aloud the bulletin if it is not available in an alternative form.
• Ask about seating preference then walk the person to the seat. Offer assistance when and if needed. Provide an elbow or shoulder if requested, but avoid grabbing or trying to push the person ahead of you.

In Case of Medical Emergency

• Never attempt to restrain or put anything into the mouth of a person having a seizure.
• Move objects or furniture to prevent injury.
• Make the person feel comfortable after the seizure by helping the person to a comfortable place to rest and offering reassurance.
• Since an incident could be epilepsy, a stroke, or a reaction to medication, find out if medical personnel or an informed family member is present. Call 911. One usher should call immediately while another stays with the person.
• In case of emergency evacuation, assist all known persons with disabilities.

For further information please contact:

Michelle Hintz, UCCDM 866-822-8224, ext 3845 Email: hintzm@ucc.org www.uccdm.org United Church of Christ Disabilities Ministry C/O Parish Life and Leadership 700 Prospect Avenue East Cleveland, OH 44115 1-866-822-8224 x3845

Introduction Dear Sisters in Christ, Welcome to the 2002 Women's Mosaic Series, which was created for you by your sisters from the United Church of Christ Disabilities Ministries (UCCDM). What a wonderful time we had preparing this packet. We gathered in the fall of 2001 for a writers' conference where we had a chance for some of us to get to know each other better and others of us to meet for the first time. New faces or familiar faces, we formed a bond right away. We worshiped, laughed, shared difficult and joyous stories, made music, and wrestled with texts. We brainstormed where we wanted to go with our assignment and what it is that we wanted to share with you about our lives as they intersect with your lives. As we talked with each other, the theme for this series was born. One after another, we talked about our stories, our hopes and dreams, our realities, and the vision of sharing deep spiritual meaning with you, our sisters. Finally, the Rev. Norma Mengel (author of "Created to Be Interdependent within the Body of Christ" in the 2002 Women's Mosaic Series) said, "Listen, we're talking about being created in the image of God:' Thus, out of our exhilarating women's conversation came our title-"In God's Image." We offer to you an opportunity to reflect and journey with us on what exactly it means to be created in God's image and how exciting, scary, powerful, and hopeful that premise is. We, the authors of this packet, are women who are created in God's image. We are also women who live with and acknowledge living with disabilities. We wish to share what we have learned as our lives unfold. We also wish to give you courage and help for the time when your bodies or minds are not what you might wish or envision. And, we ask for justice, hope, and help as we go on living our ordinary lives. The surprise for you from this series might be that we are ordinary women, created in God's image. Nancy Eiesland, a 38-year-old, tenured professor at Emory University, who has lived with severe disabilities all her life, writes in her book, The Disabled God: Toward a Liberatory Theology of Disability, "The difficulty for people with disabilities has two parts really-living our ordinary, but difficult lives, and changing structures, beliefs, and attitudes that prevent us from living ordinarily." This may or may not be earthshaking news for you, but I hope it will begin to be a partnership of all women created in God's image, disabled and able-bodied, working to see and feel God's blessings in our lives and be energized as justice makers so that all may live ordinary lives. Then God said, "Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness."... God saw everything that God had made, and indeed, it was very good.-Genesis 1:26-31 May you see yourself just as you are when you hear these words. May you be glad in God's generous and lovely gift. Shalom, The Rev. Margaret (Peg) M. Slater Editor, 2002 Women's Mosaic Series Disabilities Ministries and Coordinator for Inclusive Ministry Parish Life and Leadership Ministry Team Local Church Ministries. Contributors THE REV. DALLAS DEE BRAUNINGER and her husband Bob have served churches in Colorado and Nebraska. Dee's ministry is currently a writing ministry. She is the author of fifteen published books, including Talking with Your Child about Change (Cleveland,: United Church Press, 1994). She is a graduate of Chicago Theological Seminary. Bob and Dee have two grown children. Dee is an active member of the Nebraska Conference Disabilities Ministries Task Force and the UCCDM. In the fall of 2002, Dee will be the editor of the UCNews section on disability, "That All May Worship and Serve:" SUSAN L. CLARKE, MMOC, resides in Concord, Massachusetts. She is a graduate of the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston. Susan is a flute recitalist and conductor. She is also an active activist on behalf of the environment and protecting people from chemical injury. Susan works with the Massachusetts Conference, United Church of Christ, concerning social justice issues. THE REV. DIANA COBERLY is pastor of the First Congregational United Church of Christ in Great Bend, Kansas. Prior to obtaining her master's degree in divinity from Pacific School of Religion in 1999, Diana worked as a counselor, specializing in addictions. She has worked on issues concerning people with disabilities for over thirty years, attending the first White House Conference on the Handicapped in Washington, D.C., in 1974. Diana is the parent of two adult children and one granddaughter. SHARON CROUSORE lives in Ashland, Missouri. She is the mother of Amy, Marcia, and Josiah. Sharon and her husband Bryan are active in the Mental Illness Network of the United Church of Christ. Sharon is an accomplished musician who teaches in Ashland. RITA FIERO is a registered nurse and a graduate of Hartford Seminary. She is the co-chair of the United Church of Christ Disabilities Ministries and a member of the board of directors of Wider Church Ministries, UCC. She is a former board member of the Coordinating Center for Women. Rita is active in the Connecticut Conference and a U.S.A. wide traveler on behalf of the UCC-she would travel the world if her van could handle oceans! THE REV. DIANA COBERLY Is pastor of the First Congregational United Church of Christ in Great Bend, Kansas. Prior to obtaining her master's degree in divinity from Pacific School of Religion in 1999, Diana worked as a counselor, specializing in addictions. She has worked on issues concerning PATRICIA WILLIAMS-LONG FRANKLIN 1S both a mother and grandmother. She holds an associate's degree in general education and a bachelor's degree in business administration. She resides in Connecticut and in Virginia. Trish has been active in the Connecticut Conference's Disability Ministries program. THE REV. VIRGINIA KREYER, born with cerebral palsy, is an ordained minister of the United Church of Christ. In 1977, at the Eleventh General Synod, she helped persuade the UCC to create the National Committee on Persons with Disabilities (UCCDM). She became its first consultant and held that position until her retirement in 1995. Virginia has written and spoken on the issues of disability for many years. She holds a master's of divinity degree from Union Theological Seminary in New York City and a master's of social work degree from Adelphi University in Garden City, New York. In 2002, the church and Virginia will celebrate her fiftieth year of ordination to Christian ministry. THE REV. NORMA MENGEL is an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ. She is a board member and consultant for the UCC Mental Illness Network. Previously, she served as a pastor in two Pennsylvania churches; an associate for program at the Council for Health and Human Services; and as president/CEO of the Visiting Nurse Association, York, Pennsylvania. She also authored the resolution, "Calling the People of God to justice for Persons with Serious Mental Illness (Brain Disorders)," which was passed at the Twenty-second General Synod in 1999. Norma has had clinical depression and has a son, brother, and uncle with bipolar disorder (manic-depression). THE REV. DORIS R. POWELL is an ordained minister of the United Church of Christ. She currently serves as Minister for Pastors and Seminaries in the Stewardship and Church Finances Team of Local Church Ministries in the national setting of the UCC. She is a member of South Haven UCC in Bedford, Ohio. JEWEL SHUEY is a native of Alabama who now resides in Connecticut with her husband Merlin. She is a mother and grandmother, a daughter and daughter-in-law who delights in her family. She is an activist who has a marvelous way of persuading the unpersuadable to do what needs doing. Jewel serves on the board for the UCCDM and coordinates the displays at General Synod. THE REV. PEG SLATER is an ordained minister of The United Church of Christ who serves in the national setting of the church. She is the inclusive ministry coordinator for the Parish Life and Leadership Ministry Team, Local Church Ministries. Peg is a member of the Euclid Ave Congregational Church, UCC. THE REV. JEANNE TYLER is an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ. Jeanne and her husband John are co-pastors of St. Paul's UCC in Lincoln, Nebraska. They have two grown sons. Jeanne is co-chair of the UCCDM and the founder of the Nebraska Disabilities Ministries Task Force. A graduate of Chicago Theological Seminary, Jeanne also loves opera and travel. WE 102 Designed and printed by United Church Resources, Local Church Ministries

A sermon given by the Rev. Marja Coons-Torn, Conference Minister, Penn Central Conference Just about a year ago, I attended my first meeting of the United Church of Christ Disabilities Ministry. Luke 6:17-26 He came down with them and stood on a level place, with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea, Jerusalem, and the coast of Tyre and Sidon. They had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; and those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured. And all in the crowd were trying to touch him, for power came out from him and healed all of them. Then he looked up at his disciples and said: ‘Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. ‘Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you will be filled. ‘Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. ‘Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you, revile you, and defame you on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice on that day and leap for joy, for surely your reward is great in heaven; for that is what their ancestors did to the prophets. ‘But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation. ‘Woe to you who are full now, for you will be hungry. ‘Woe to you who are laughing now, for you will mourn and weep. ‘Woe to you when all speak well of you, for that is what their ancestors did to the false prophets. This special group meets only once a year. The rest of the year, they conduct their meetings by conference call. In Synod years, they meet for two days prior to the Synod meeting. In non-Synod years, they meet in Cleveland in March. That’s where I attended my first meeting. Prior to the meeting, we chatted on line about our travel plans. Various people were meeting at the airport and catching taxis or wheelchair vans into Cleveland to the Church House. There was one fellow, however, who, like me, liked taking the light rail from the airport to the center of the city. So I made arrangements to meet David, my unknown friend, outside of the Rapid Transit Station in the airport. He said I wouldn’t have any trouble recognizing him—he’s be the one in the motorized wheelchair. David arrived with his luggage strapped to his wheelchair. I was surprised I confess when, on meeting David, I learned that he wasn’t just in a wheelchair. Because his diagnosis is cerebral palsy, he also has certain speech patterns that make it seem difficult to understand him unless you listen carefully. But David is very verbal. On our train ride, I quickly learned that David has wicked sense of humor. He is, in fact, a charming man with many skills in addition to his wit and good nature. When we arrived at the Tower City station of the rapid transit, I led us up the elevator to the top floor of the urban mall. Confident that I knew where we were going, because I had been to our national offices many times and David had never visited, I led us out the door. It wasn’t long before I realized that I must have turned the wrong direction going out the door. By that time, however, we were too many blocks away to be able to easily retrace our steps. I stopped some people on the sidewalk but they were tourists who had no more idea where to find things than we did. Then we spotted a police office on the corner opposite us. Thinking I could run over there quickly, I told David what I planned to do. I’d done enough, he assured me. And before I could blink, he was gone in his wheelchair, twice as fast, of course, as I could have done. Pretty soon he was back and leading us to the Gateway Radisson much more efficiently than me. You have to know that he never let me forget my misadventure for the rest of the time we were in Cleveland. What I learned at that meeting, above everything else, is that we all have different abilities. People with physical or mental limitations are truly no better and no worse than anyone, they are simply different. Some of them are witty, some are smart, some work hard to do what they do, some are good listeners, some are caring, some are shy, and some are bold. Because they look or sound different, it is we who are lacking the care or the patience to get past the differences and find what is special in each person. That was never the case with Jesus. “They had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; and those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured.” He gave them hope and affirmed their conditions were not anything that would separate them from God, despite the prevailing attitudes to the contrary. He welcomed them into the church of the left out. Can we do less? In the introduction to Any Body, Every Body, Christ’s Body, a marvelous congregational resource, the Rev. Jo Clare Hartsig reflects that “the inclusion of people with disabilities and a renewed awareness of disabilities can enliven every aspect of congregational life.” It isn’t just the right thing to do, it’s the healthy thing. I want to tell you about another friend—one I haven’t met in person yet. His name is Tyler and he is a high school student in eastern Iowa. Tyler created and filmed a DVD for his Eagle Scout project. It’s called “I’m Tyler. Don’t Be Surprised.” I wanted to bring it with me today, but in my enthusiasm for it, I loaned it to my friend Bruce Druckenmiller, who is presently in Namibia, and I haven’t got it back. So I have to tell you about Tyler instead of show you his film. As the DVD opens, an average looking youth introduces himself as Tyler and tells about his life as an active and interested high school student. He is a member of the marching band, a Boy Scout, a member of the theater club---and the list goes on. The young man stops at the end of his litany of activity and confesses that, in fact, he not Tyler, but everything he has said about Tyler is true. Then the real Tyler comes on screen. Like my friend David, Tyler has cerebral palsy and several other medical conditions. But he has asked for no quarter, no special treatment, no favors or excuses. It’s Tyler who has taught me to think about abilities awareness instead of dis-abilities awareness. He is as able as any young man I have ever known. We are all able. But for the sake of the body of Christ, we are called to be present for one another, and to work with one another to make the changes that make it possible for each one to express his or her abilities. [By the way, I had to pop my sermon into 14 point type to facilitate my own vision challenge, a condition of aging called presbyopia.] Let me share with you a short excerpt from a statement made at the World Council of Churches Assembly meeting in Nairobi, nearly a decade ago now: “The Church's unity includes both the "disabled" and "the able." A church which seeks to be truly united within itself and to move toward unity with others must be open to all; yet able-bodied church members, both by their attitudes and emphasis on activism, marginalize and often exclude persons with mental or physical disabilities. Persons with disabilities are treated as the weak to be served, rather than as fully committed, integral members of the Body of Christ and the human family; the specific contribution which they have to give is ignored. . . . The Church cannot exemplify ‘the full humanity revealed in Christ,’ bear witness to the interdependence of humankind, or achieve unity in diversity if it continues to acquiesce in the social isolation of disabled persons and to deny them full participation in its life. The unity of the family of God is handicapped where these brothers and sisters are treated as objects of condescending charity. It is broken where they are left out.” Thirty years ago, when I was a young minister, I had the privilege of knowing a minister by the name of Harold Wilke. Harold was a legend in the United Church of Christ because of his strong intellect, his compassion, and his advocacy for the inclusion of all people. Incidentally, he had no arms and had learned over the course of his life to use his feet as if they were hands, writing and eating with ease. Before he died, Harold wrote a poem that I’d like to share with you in conclusion of our time together this morning. It is called Signs of Liberation and Access. The festivals of the religious year show forth new meanings for access and liberation: In the glory of Easter – the stone rolled away – we see the barrier removed. In the wonder of Pentecost the message is heard, understood, and seen by all, In the liberating act of Passover the message is: “Let My People Go!” and the parting of the Red Sea. In the joy of Advent God embodies divinity in human form. Yet for many persons today – who are blind or deaf or have mental retardation or who are in wheelchairs – the barriers still remain; The stone is still in place; The waters are not parted, the way not opened; The words cannot be heard; The flame of the Spirit’s tongues cannot be seen, the message not understood. Proclaiming the message in all languages for today means using Braille or Larger print for people with visual disabilities, signing or special sound systems for persons with hearing disabilities; image, color and drama for people with cognitive disabilities; architectural access for people with physical disabilities or who are getting older. Let the stone be rolled away! Let the glorious message be proclaimed truly, in all languages So all may hear and understand!

Written by Rita Fiero I had a car accident in 1982, and I never walked again without the use of canes, crutches, and, finally, a walker. Song of Invocation "Spirit of the Living God" 283 TNCH ROMANS 8:37-39; PSALM 46:10 I AM! I AM! I AM MORE than a conqueror and what a blessing it is! My life seems to have been one test after another and not the least bit boring. The knowledge that I have experienced so much adversity and kept my faith is the real blessing. I know that whatever life sends me; I can, with the ever-present help of God, work through it and come out the other side as a wiser person! I should not be surprised by what God can do in our lives, but I am. It is not God's power I have doubted but my own ability to be quiet long enough to know God, the Word of God, and the Will of God for my life (Psalm 46:10). I have certainly not always felt like a conqueror and expect that times in the future may be just as frightening as in the past. But as a conqueror, I have past triumphs on which to build. I am convinced that neither the death of our gifted, twenty-six-year-old son, nor the challenge of life with pain and limitation, nor insensitive words of believers, nor hurtful attitudinal exclusion, nor the highs of personal success, nor the depth of suicidal depression, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate me from the love of God in Christ Jesus who suffered much more in his life than I in mine. Despite finding a path for my own journey, I do not expect everyone to understand, nor agree, that victory over difficult situations is possible. It is possible but it is very hard work and it takes, as long as it takes. "Well-meaning" words of comfort after my accident and at the time of our son's death often only silenced my words of lamentation. I felt my grief was not validated, and it gave the consolation to those who were uncomfortable with anything less than a stiff upper lip and smile from me. Swallowing my grief only prolonged the dark days. I had to get through the "going through" at my own speed. I had to work through my loss and grief as best I could and in my own way. No one should ever allow the expectations of others, even those who are closest and love us most, to pressure us to get on with life if we are not ready. But, we must also take the responsibility to choose to move ahead. To not choose is a choice! I am convinced the biblical directive to "Choose Life" translates into conquering the urge to curl up under a blanket forevermore because it is the safest place to hide. This decision, between life and isolation, is what makes for such hard work. A little solitude is a gift; too much solitude can be a burden. I had a car accident in 1982, and I never walked again without the use of canes, crutches, and, finally, a walker. In 1988, I started using a wheelchair. Walking is a highly overrated ability but preferable. Humor is highly underrated but a necessity. Humor and ingenuity have served me well over the years. I raised two teenagers while being very limited and devised creative ways to outsmart them. I had a terrible time getting them to clean up their rooms, so after fair warning, I dumped their loosely lying-around clothing out the second floor window of their rooms. The only thing I regret is not getting a picture of their faces as they saw the only house on the cul-de-sac, viewable from the main thoroughfare, in full dress. I don't think they were too psychologically damaged, and I am convinced that God also has a sense of humor. God, the parent, also laughed. I will never be able to do some of the things I did before the accident, but I can do things differently. There are discoveries and surprises along the journey of disability, and I would not trade them in for anything. That is not true of our son Michael's death. I would give anything, including my life, to have him back. But I feel grieving his death may well have been a catalyst to my healing. I had to face up to all of my losses, the frustrations of my disability, daily life with chronic pain, and sadness over the progressive illness of my husband. I have learned that the only acceptance of such losses is the acceptance that life will never be the same, and this must be sufficient until we come face-to-face with the author of all life. Only God knows our lives from the end to the beginning. Only God knows why. In July 2001, the most extraordinary experience of my life happened when I was invited to be a scripture reader at General Synod worship. I felt honored and agreed to do it. The reading came in the mail and I briefly looked it over wondering if I had finally extended myself a bit too much. I set it aside until the day before my scheduled presentation, when I began to practice reading it aloud. I did read it, over and over again. I had to stop. I had visions of my third grade teacher standing over me with a ruler telling me to read it correctly, "like you really believe what you're saying:" But I could feel nothing. I had become numb in order to survive what no parent should survive, let alone the other complications of my life. I knew I had endured, but I was now faced with the choice to conquer or to hide. Rising to the challenge would not make things "right" again, and I finally knew that in my heart, however, I was being forced to make this choice because I would never be able to sit before thousands and give praise to God and not feel that exquisite praise. I started to read and reflect on the words I was saying: "O Lord, our God, how majestic is your name in all the earth...." Alone in that hotel room, I found the perspective on life I had longed for and the words of praise flowed from me, not the paper before me. The next night, I read as if God and I were the only ones in the auditorium. My spirit was healed and I was granted peace beyond my understanding. I now know it is possible to give praise to God in all circumstances. I have become sincerely thankful for the short time we did have with Michael instead of being angry that our time was so short. I am happy I have gotten to know our beautiful daughter, Rebecca, as an adult and to have her friendship. I am truly blessed to love the man I married thirty-three years ago-even more than when we first wed. We will cherish the rest of our lives together because we know how truly precious that life is. God is good! All the time! Yes, God is good and worthy to be praised! Reflection Questions l. Have you been hurrying so fast that you need to wait for your soul to catch up to your body? Find a quiet place, a church, the woods, or a room in your house where you can shut out the noise of the world. Spend some time in silence listening for God's voice. What do you hear? 2. Write about the strengths you have gained from the most traumatic event in your life. First, step back from your trauma. Watch a good movie or chat with a friend. Next, for three days in a row, write for ten minutes about what you have learned from the negative experience. Finally, decide what you want for a victorious outcome and try to make the dream a reality. Transform your suffering into a sacrament. Be more than a conqueror. Suggested Hymns "When Peace, Like a River" ("It Is Well with My Soul") 438 TNCH "God's Eye Is on the Sparrow" 475 TNCH "There Is a Balm in Gilead" 553 TNCH Women's Mosaic Series 2002 UCC Women's Resource Margaret (Peg) Slater, Editor

A Weekend Retreat Based on Jewel Shuey's "Easter Lilies in November" [See "Easter Lilies" below.] INTRODUCTION This retreat must be held in genuinely accessible space-even if no one appears to need it. If you have questions about what accessible space requires, please contact the UCC Disabilities Ministries at 216.736.3838. All materials you send out and use at the retreat should be printed in 14-point print. FRIDAY EVENING Gather participants with food, either the evening meal or a simple "come off the road" snack. Be sure to include a welcoming grace. OPENING WORSHIP Opening Prayer We gather here this evening to worship you, O Holy One. We gather as women, created in your image, to know you and your will better. We gather to laugh and learn, and to be your faithful servants. Help us to do all these things as we see your face in our faces, and your miracles in everyday life. We ask all this in the name of Jesus, the Christ. Amen. Hymn "How Great Thou Art" is suggested by Jewel Shuey, the essay writer. The hymn can be found in the Methodist and Presbyterian hymnals. "Bring Many Names," 11 in The New Century Hymnal, is another choice. Scripture Reading Psalm 139 (one woman will read aloud, but have copies for all). Reflection Each person will reflect in silence on the entire Psalm or whatever portion caught one's attention (10 minutes). Community Building (Break into groups, 5-10 in number, depending on size of entire retreat group.) Reread Psalm 139. Ask each woman to share the phrase, section, or word that struck her as significant, interesting, or meaningful. Go around slowly, value what each has to say, do not challenge or debate, just live with each response. As a group, "rewrite" the Psalm in modern English based on what the group has heard. Read the "new Psalm" to the larger group. Post the "new Psalm" on the wall for the weekend. SATURDAY MORNING 8-9 a.m. Breakfast 9:15-10:15 a.m. Distribute copies of Jewel Shuey's essay, "Easter Lilies in November."* Have one woman read the essay aloud (make sure she has a copy prior to reading it in the group). Break into small groups and discuss: l. The essay itself 2. A time of trial each woman has experienced-was jewel's essay helpful? realistic? encouraging? discouraging? 10:15-10:30 a.m. Break 10:30 a.m.-noon Discussion (small groups-same or new) Discuss what you know about disability-your own or others, accessibility, welcoming people with disabilities.: Use selected essays from the entire "Women's Mosaic Series" packet-at least two to a group. Read the essay aloud, use the suggested questions for each one. Reflect on what each writer is saying. Suggestion: Do not use Doris Powell's essay at this time. Noon-1:00 p.m. Lunch SATURDAY AFTERNOON This is a spiritual retreat, so retreat. Walk, talk, nap, pray. Take time for yourself If you keep reading Genesis 1:26 and on, you will see that even God rests! SATURDAY EVENING 5:30-6:30 p.m. Dinner 6:45-9:00 p.m. Program We, who are active in the church, often do a lot of praising of God and that is very fine. There is a lot for which to praise God. Yet, we sometimes forget to lament. Lamenting is a time-honored way of communicating (see the Book of Lamentations ... read a little aloud) with God. Read Doris Powell's essay "Treasure in Earthen Vessels:" You might listen to selected pieces of "blues" tunes ... ask a member of the group ahead of the retreat to suggest some ... play music quietly in the background as you talk. As a group, or in small groups, answer the questions and do all or some of the suggested activities Doris Powell suggests at the end of her essay. Homework assignment: after you return to your room, write a lament to God. You may, or may not, wish to share it with someone else tomorrow. Write a lament and reflect on how you feel about what you said to God. SUNDAY MORNING 8:45-9:30 a.m. Breakfast 9:45 a.m. Worship Call to Worship Leader: Where can we go from your spirit? Where can we flee from your presence? People: It was you who formed my innermost parts; you knit me together in my mother's womb. Leader: We are fearfully and wonderfully made, wonderful are your works. People: In your book were written all the days formed for me when none of them yet existed. Leader: We come into this sacred space with joy. Prayer of Confession Holy One, we confess that we come to worship with bias and prejudice and ignorance. We are sorry. We will risk learning and changing. We will risk asking difficult questions. Please forgive us and help us to see you in all the wonderfully and fearfully made people of this world. Assurance of Pardon Leader: Be assured, beloved people of God, we/you are a forgiven people. Now go a new way. People: Thank you. Amen! Hymn "We Yearn, O Christ, for Wholeness" 179 TNCH Meditation Ask, in advance, three women to be prepared to respond to the work you have done together this weekend. Each woman should talk for about five to seven minutes. Prayers of the People Ask for three volunteers to pray. Ask for prayers from the group. Conclude with the Lord's Prayer. Hymn "Called as Partners in Christ's Service" 495 TNCH Benediction (with all gathered in a circle, holding hands) Go, my sisters, go in God's glory, just as you are. Go reflecting the image of God. Go as a woman who is welcome in God's world and welcoming to all of God's children. Invocation How great thou are, my God. We bring you praise as we begin to work together, as we read this essay, and look for you in our lives. Open our hearts to see our lives in the lives of others. Help our interconnectedness lighten our burdens, make paths easier for others, and be the people you wish us to be. How great you are, our God. Amen. PSALM 139, 46:10; PROVERBS 2:1-11; JEREMIAH 28:11-13; ISAIAH 61:1-2; COLOSSIANS 1:15-20 Meditation *"Easter Lilies in November" THE FOLIAGE IN NEW ENGLAND has been exceptionally beautiful and long lasting; perhaps God knew we needed it. After several nights with temperatures below freezing, the summer flowers and most of the fall flowers are gone. Only a few precious, colorful leaves remain. Winter is almost here. Oh, what that cold weather does to my hurting body, mind, and soul. I live with chronic pain, depression, fibromyaliga, cluster headaches, and several other health conditions. The first accident/collision was almost twenty-one years ago, only nine months after my marriage to my husband, Merlin, and my move from Alabama to Connecticut. I was a widow when I met Merlin. My late husband died of a heart attack, kissing me good night. Over the years I have lived with and struggled with disabilities. My Creator, my Messiah, has given me strength and inherent power to start and stay involved with the disability community. Many women, young and old, able-bodied and disabled, have inspired me to have hope in today and tomorrow. Some days the pain is so overpowering that I can't get out of bed. I know God is there, but I ask "where?" I just pray, pray, cry, moan, and even laugh. Sometimes laughter is the only medicine. Bernie S. Siegel, M.D., in his book, Love, Medicine, and Miracles: Lessons Learned about Self-healing from a Surgeon's Experience with Exceptional Patients (New York: Harper and Row, 1986) reminds me of this natural, God-given healing power. That fall, when Merlin was diagnosed with, perhaps, a fatal heart condition, I cried out "Where are you my God? Remind me you are with me, in the depth of despair, as I fall to pieces, again and again. But, with the mortar of your love and peace, you give me a beautiful piece of your love and joy." As I open my door to view a magnificent sunrise, there in my garden is an Easter lily with, not one, but two, beautiful white blossoms! How great thou art, my Creator and salvation! I am blessed. I had a Christian heritage. I have a ministry and I know that God has plans for me. I am blessed with a loving husband, a mother, a mother-in-law (my father and father-in-law lived into their eighth decade), two sisters, a large extended family and many good friends. Oh, how I give thanks! I gave birth to three beautiful daughters. I inherited another beautiful daughter and handsome twin sons when I married their father. I also have two beautiful stepdaughters from a past marriage. In my life today, I also have nine babies, my grandchildren, ages three through eighteen years. They are all pieces of me, all pieces of you, my Creator. Help me to remember you formed each one. I worry about the daughter with diabetes, the daughter who may have MS, the daughter whose only son has a traumatic brain injury; my man-child, and my teenaged grandsons, whose father chose not to see them and be part of their lives. Why can't I trust you, my God, with all the hurts each one will suffer in the world? For each question, I do not have the answers. I want to protect and hold my children close. I remember this and am reminded by many others, including the Rev. Robert Schuller, that "life's not fair, but God is good:" I know and believe this is true. But what I want for each one is to know your love and salvation for eternal life. I praise you and thank you for the miracle of life. For the wonderful way you made us, so whole, so perfect, in your image, for the treasure of love and forever. I feel so fragmented, so broken into so many pieces. How I hate the pain; always the pain. Is pain my enemy? Is fatigue my enemy? I feel so weary, so tired all the way into the future. My body, my spirit, my mind will not cooperate. This is not a pretty sight. Where am I? Who am I? When will I be (find) me? How can I bring the good news to the oppressed? When I can't get out of bed, out of my house? Are these my adversaries? Your adversaries? I will triumph! The power of love. You, my God, my Creator, made me in your image. I look again, inside and outside of my body, my spirit, my soul. I am perfect. I am whole. In the middle of the darkest night, the son, your son shines. I am your child. Years ago, on a visit to Israel with a study group of persons with disabilities, I remember seeing a dirty, mosaic floor that was built thousands of years ago. When we splashed small amounts of water on it, the stones looked new, beautiful, and magnificent beyond words. I, we, are just like that floor, each piece, the power of one, put together, by the mortar of God's love and Son shine from our Creator. A sight to behold! I have always thought of me, all of me, in many pieces! These pieces are held together with the mortar of God's love. I share the view of the Rev. Harold H. Wilke in his book, Angels on My Shoulders and Muses at My Side (Nashville, Tenn.: Abingdon, 1999). There are many ways God can put together the pieces of our lives. Wilke, a good friend to many of us, was born without arms. He has lived a rich, long life in his eight decades plus of life. He has served as a minister in the United Church of Christ; he is a husband, a father, and a lifelong advocate with and for people with disabilities. Wilke's life is an example of God's power in the world to overcome obstacles and transform the pieces of one's life into a masterpiece. In celebration of women from ancient times through modern times, I give praise and thanks to God the Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer. We are each a piece of the beauty, excellence, and wholeness of Her creation. We are God's own masterpiece. WE102 Designed and printed by United Church Resources, Local Church Ministries Women's Mosaic Series 2002 UCC Women's Resource Margaret (Peg) Slater, Editor WE102 Designed and printed by United Church Resources, Local Church Ministries

Written by the Rev. Virginia Kreyer Cannot we, persons with disabilities, nondisabilities, people of color, and persons from different cultures, compare our lives to a patchwork quilt? Invocation Leader: Spirit of God, come among us. Open our hearts to know your transforming presence in our lives. People: Come, Holy Spirit. Leader: Spirit of God, come among us. Brood over us that we may be filled with your love. People: Come, Holy Spirit. Leader: Spirit of God, come among us. Breathe into us your restlessness and courage that we may trust your promise of newness in our lives, in the church, and in the world. People: Come, Holy Spirit, renew they whole creation. Amen. 1 CORINTHIANS 12:4-27 MY GRANDMOTHER'S AND great-grandmother's generation made patchwork quilts. My mother's and my generation rarely, if ever, engaged in this wonderful art form. Within the last decade or two, purchasing and making patchwork quilts has been revived. A good friend suggested that the imagery of a patchwork quilt might be a basis for this essay. I was thinking about the suggestion when, a few days later, a young woman pastor told a group of us attending a workshop that making patchwork quilts was one of her favorite hobbies. The apostle Paul, writing his first letter to the church at Corinth, said, "For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.... Indeed the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot would say, `Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,' that would not make it any less a part of the body. . . . If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be?" (1 Cor.12:12, 14-15,17a). In other words, all of us are different. Before following our biblical theme further, let's look at the patchwork-quilt analogy a little more closely. A quilt is made of many different pieces of material, different colors, and often, different textures. The one who is making the quilt decides how the quilt should be designed and stitched together by a common thread. Once I heard of two women, living in different parts of our country, who made most of their daughter's dresses from the time the girls were infants until they reached young adulthood. Both women saved pieces of material from each dress they made. They have decided to make a patchwork quilt for their daughters, using the pieces of material from the dresses. One piece may remind one of the first day of school, while another piece may have brought back happy and sacred memories of confirmation day. No two pieces were exactly alike, but they have been stitched together by a parent's love. Cannot we, persons with disabilities, nondisabilities, people of color, and persons from different cultures, compare our lives to a patchwork quilt? Each one of us is a unique human being. No two of us are exactly alike. For instance, no two people have the same fingerprints. And we all have abilities and disabilities. Some people's disabilities are very visible, while other people have invisible disabilities that we may never know about unless we are told. These may be mental, emotional, or physical. Each one of us has strengths of one form or another that we need to put to use for our own fulfillment, for the good of others, and to the glory of God. As Christians, Jesus Christ brings us together, just as a quilter brings pieces of a quilt together. In recent years, we in the church have come to realize the value of telling and hearing autobiographical stories, as a way of witnessing to our faith. Each story is different because we, each, are unique individuals . . . no two of us face exactly the same situation or have the same experiences. Yet, as we look back on our lives, most of us can recognize the presence of God at various moments or times. We realize later, even if we are unaware of it at the time, that God has been with us. Just as the maker of a patchwork quilt draws the various pieces of material together with thread, so does God, revealed to us in Christ and known to us today through the power of the Holy Spirit, draws Christians together. I am not trying to imply that life for any one of us is easy. Life for some people is much more difficult than for others. Some individuals who are members of minority groups, such as persons who have physical disabilities, people who are mentally impaired, people who are emotionally disturbed, or people who are African Americans or any other minority group, still are discriminated against. Our world is so full of violence, hatred, injustice, and war that even when I know that persons with disabilities and other minority groups have been shamefully treated, and still are not always given a fair opportunity, we must be grateful that many, many more people are far more accepting of persons with disabilities than they were a hundred, fifty, or even twenty years ago! Societies, in general, and denominations, in particular, have been working since the late 1970s to remove architectural and attitudinal barriers. We finally have come to understand that we cannot be an inclusive church unless all people, regardless of their disability, color of their skin, or national origin, are welcome in Christ's Church. Some people will continue to exhibit anger or hostility toward anyone who is different, be they persons who are mentally impaired, mentally ill, or have physical disabilities or are members of any other minority group. The recipient of such hostility finds this to be very painful. It hurts! We need to remember, however, that such behavior stems from the fear of the nondisabled or nonminority individual that they, too, could have been born into a minority group or could have been born with a disability or could become disabled. This fear often is on a subconscious or unconscious level. Our calling is to help such a person or persons, if possible, acknowledge their fear. Only as an individual does, can he or she admit their fear and change their attitude and, thus, their behavior. In conclusion, let us: 1. Be thankful that society, in general, and the church, in particular, has begun to recognize that all individuals are precious, and must be allowed and helped to discover and use their God-given gifts. 2. Let us give thanks for our individual uniqueness and for Christ who binds Christians together as different pieces of cloth are brought together to make a quilt. 3. And finally, may each one of us, whatever our station in life, be granted strength to use our gifts and our abilities for the glory of God, remembering the words of Jesus who said, "Lo, I am with you always." 4. How can you encourage more persons with disabilities to become part of the congregation? Reflection Questions 1. How do you feel when you meet a person with a disability? 2. Is your church accessible? If not, how can it be made accessible? 3. Are there people in your congregation who are disabled? Are they welcome? Hymn possibilities "Spirit Of Love" 58 TNCH "Called As Partners In Christ's Service" 495 TNCH "In Christ There Is No East or West" 394 TNCH "Blessed Be the Tie That Binds" 393 TNCH Women's Mosaic Series 2002 Margaret (Peg) Slater, Editor

Written by the Rev. Jeanne Tyler The question of justice is one of exclusion. Invocation Persistent God, who never lets us go, come to us in this gathering. Open our minds and our hearts to wrestle with your words. Teach us not to sit politely by when we are not welcomed as the unique people we are. Help us to love ourselves as much as we love you, so that your gift of creating us in your image is not wasted on others or us. Help us be teachers and learners. Help us to follow your ways made straight in the wilderness. We ask this in the name of Jesus, the Christ. Amen. ISAIAH 35; LUKE 18:1-9 A SENSE OF HOMECOMING 1S the vision found in Isaiah, chapter 35. The way home from exile is an ecological treasure-with the land being glad and full of blooms. The dry, inhospitable, and even dangerous desert will be transformed. It shall be filled with streams of water and a way will be found through it. Best of all, the people who could be most easily left behind-the weak, the lame, the blind, the deaf, those unable to speak-will come to the forefront. All will be included, accepted, and affirmed at the center and the whole will be made holy. We will be a sign of God's presence in all our glory and differences. The question of justice is one of exclusion. Isaiah knew the vulnerable ones who might not make it home. Those with disabilities might not have enough strength or mobility to make the way home. They might be left behind because they were too much trouble. Were they even good enough to come home? As the land is transformed, so are the people. Those on the edges are now the center. Those with disabilities are not forgotten, not relegated to the least, or even out-of-sight, out of mind. Isaiah knew that any good homecoming is inclusive of all abilities. Isaiah also invites us to look at deserts and see crocuses in bloom, look at the little paths and imagine a highway, feel the fear of wild animals and know the safety of God. Isaiah invites us to know ourselves as whole and holy. The whole of creation changes, is transformed as we change our perception of ourselves and our abilities and disabilities. I was one of those who questioned if I was good enough to come home. I was born with mild cerebral palsy and a hearing loss. I have struggled to hear and be understood. I struggled to walk. And I struggled to know in whose image I was created. In Genesis, it says that God created humankind in the image of God, God created them male and female. One day I was meditating on this line, trying to get myself around this so I could more fully understand. There I was in the library of Chicago Theological Seminary, looking at my hand, and I understood that I was in the image of God. My hand, which could not take good notes or write well, was "in the image of God:" My hand, which spilt coffee and took more time to do dishes, was "in the image of God:" My hand, which I would have gladly traded was "in the image of God" and the rest of me as well. By the grace of God, I knew myself as in the image of God. I could come home. In the Gospel of Luke (18:1-7), there is a story from which I gain great strength. There is a woman, a widow, a woman without a man to speak for her. She must be alone. She should be powerless, but she is strong and determined. She does not take "no" for an answer from this judge who neither fears God nor regards humans. Can you see this woman dressed in black, perhaps bent over a little but with an attitude? What a hoot! She has been wronged, and she knows the judge can vindicate her if he wants. At first, the judge refuses her. He does not need to bother with her case. She is just a widow with another story of injustice. It does not concern him. She comes again to him with this same request, or is it a demand? And again she comes and again.... Finally, he says to himself, "Though I neither fear God nor regard humans, yet because this widow bothers me, I will vindicate her or she will wear me out by her continual coming:" And, he does. A persistent woman won, and our lives are enriched with justice! With inner strength and fierce determination, she received justice from this judge that neither feared humanity nor God. This attitude drives us to claim our place in a world that often does not want to trouble with us. We can draw courage from this deep well of stories about inclusion at the center of a redeemed life. Coming home to self is coming home to God. Coming home to God is coming home to self. Persevering, demanding justice, demanding a place at the table is faithful work for us all. Reflection Questions 1. When do you see yourself in the image of God? Do you? Why? Why not? 2. When do you see others in the image of God? Is it easier to see others than yourself? 3. What sense do you make of the visions of redemption and hope in the Hebrew Scriptures? Can they be updated to our time? How? Suggested Music "All God's Children Got a Place in the Choir" Women's Mosaic Series 2002 Margaret (Peg) Slater, Editor

Written by the Rev. Diana Coberly Invocation We approach you, O faithful God, assured of your welcoming attitude to all. You fearfully and wonderfully made each of us. We thank you that your love is with us, that nothing can separate us from your love no matter the way we see or hear, no matter the way we talk or walk, no matter the way we think or feel. Help each of us to be aware of how we exclude persons different from ourselves from knowing Jesus. As we gather in this place, awaken us to your goodness and mercy, that we may through the liberating grace you offer us, help create an attitude of inclusiveness for all. Amen. MARK 2:1-12 REMEMBER THE FIRST TIME I felt shame about having a disability-about how I looked with a disability. It was when the newspaper reporters were taking my picture with Gene Autrey. I had just turned five years old, and a few months before I had been admitted to the hospital seriously ill with the polio virus. I was appalled about the fact that now I was going to be seen, all over Kansas, sitting in a wheelchair. I didn't even have braces yet. In fact, my legs look fine in the picture because the atrophy of my legs had not yet begun to show. But I knew that I was no longer whole. Something was wrong with me, not just with my body but with me. Now that sounds ridiculous! How could a five-year-old child, who had just recently become different from other kids, have developed a sense of shame about being handicapped? But I knew it was true. I not only remember the feeling, but I have the picture that shows my hand across my mouth, as if to hide from the camera. I know how this happened. It was because of the beliefs and attitudes of persons around me, including my parents. In Romans 8:38-39, Paul tells us that absolutely nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. And yet, I have heard, over and over, stories of persons with disabilities feeling ignored, criticized, blamed, and scorned by the church-by its liturgy, by its use of the scriptures, and by its members and their attitudes. What truly handicaps people with disabilities are the attitudes of others. And "others" means us-the people of the church. I believe that the Mark 2:1-5 passage of scripture models spiritual accessibility for all. Humankind's faith made Jesus accessible to the man who was paralyzed. We don't know about the faith of the man on the mat, but we do know about the faith of the four people who brought him to Jesus. Nothing could stop them from gaining access to the love of God through Christ Jesus: not distance; not the weight of the man who was paralyzed; not dusty roads; not crowds; not blocked entry to the house where Jesus taught. Today, most denominations have statements or resolutions calling for their local churches to provide physical access for per sons with disabilities. A 1995, a Twentieth General Synod resolution called on the United Church of Christ to be morally bound by the spirit of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1991 (most religious institutions, organizations, or local churches are not legally bound to the provisions of the ADA). Many churches have devised ways for folks to be present in worship. Notice, I use the word "present," not "participate in," because many churches do not furnish large-print bulletins, hymnals, or assistive devices for people with hearing disabilities or open pews so that people in wheelchairs don't have to sit in the back or the front. However, little attention is paid to the concept of providing access to persons with disabilities to participate fully in the life of the church. Persons with disabilities are often unable to participate fully in the life of the church, not only because of the lack of physical access to the social hall, classrooms, choir lofts, and restrooms, but also because of the attitudinal barriers erected by members of the church community. Most Christian traditions equate perfect bodies with wholeness of the spirit. As a result, a large number of parishioners relate to persons with disabilities from one of three models: the person or family has sinned and is to be shunned; the disability is a gift from God and the person is treated in a paternalistic manner; or misfortune has befallen the person, causing him or her to be seen as a charity case. There are two other reasons why persons with disabilities are excluded from the faith community (all communities). We remind folks of the fragility and vulnerability of their bodies. There were many times I crossed a street or entered a store that I had no intention of visiting just because I didn't want to look at or acknowledge the person with a disability who was headed my way. Years later, I came to understand that the person I didn't want to see or acknowledge was me. Secondly, many people do not know what to say or do when they meet a person with a disability. Particularly, folks do not want to hurt or embarrass that individual or them-selves. Just as the four men in the Mark text provided the man who was paralyzed access to Jesus, faithful members of a congregation can invite persons with disabilities to lead a seminar or a roundtable discussion as a way to educate the entire faith community. In the process of examining why there is an impregnable wall between most commu-nities of faith and the community of people with disabilities, Brett Webb-Mitchell, in Un expected Guests at God's Banquet: Welcoming People with Disabilities into the Church (New York: Crossroad, 1994), identifies one problem as the issue of the difficulty of living in American society as someone who is different from the normal person. Our society, including the church congregations and parishes, attempt to make the person with a disability like everyone else, instead of accepting that person just as they are. Each of us has abilities; each of us seek fulfillment and wholeness; each of us has disabilities; each of us know isolation and incompleteness. In the way that the four men's faith allowed accessibility for the man who was paralyzed, we are called to be Christian agents and to act on our faith by removing barriers of attitude, economics, communication, and environment. Our churches cannot afford to be places filled with shamed people. If we are to take seriously that all of us are created in God's image, then we must change attitudes and bring down barriers that prevent people from finding joy in themselves as God's whole and holy people. May we lift the roof in praising God who created us, as we are, in God's image. Suggested Hymns "Help Us Accept Each Other" 388 TNCH "We Yearn, O Christ, for Wholeness" 179 TNCH "When Minds and Bodies Meet as One" 399 TNCH "Called as Partners in Christ's Service" 495 TNCH Questions 1. Remember back to when you were five. What were some wonderful experiences you had? What were some painful or hurtful ones? 2. What are the physical barriers of your place of worship for persons with disabilities? 3. What do you feel and think when you hear the word "disability," or when you encounter someone with a disability? 4. What role does your faith play in your attitude of inclusion-or exclusion? Women's Mosaic Series 2002 UCC Women's Resource Margaret (Peg) Slater, Editor

Serious Brain Disorders, formerly called Mental Illnesses Written by the Rev. Norma Mengel Invocation Creating, saving, and sustaining God, we thank you for creating us in your image, each having gifts that differ according to the grace given us, so that together we make up the whole body of Christ. Help us to learn new ways to encourage each other to develop our gifts to the fullest, to love one another with mutual affection, and to extend hospitality. May we be sensitive and helpful to one another in our areas of need. In Christ's name, we pray. Amen. ROMANS 12:1-13; 2 CORINTHIANS 1:4 ROMANS 12 HAS profound lessons for me as my spiritual journey leads me to reflect on the meaning of disability for myself personally and for ministry. From our human perspective, each of us comes with some kind of imperfect body. Some of us think we are too tall, some too short, some have arms or legs that are paralyzed, some have eyes that can't see, ears that can't hear, brains that are disordered, hearts that are weak. No matter the condition of our bodies, we are to give ourselves as a living sacrifice and know that we are holy and acceptable to God. We are made in God's image, and God wants our whole being. As we make this commitment of our whole selves, our minds are to be remade or transformed. We are not to model our thinking and behavior on the culture around us, but we are to let God's spirit within us, remake us so that our thoughts, attitudes, and behaviors are changed, enabling us to know God's will in all areas of our living. I will relate this passage to one area that has touched me deeply-attitudes toward persons who have what the "world" calls "mental illness" but accurately should be called "brain disorders:" Society would have us stigmatize, discriminate against, and exclude persons with these disorders from our "normal" world. Our transformed thinking would have our attitudes and actions be ones of love, acceptance, and hospitality. "Love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor.... Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality" (Romans 12:10,13). "For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of yourself more highly than you ought to think.... For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another. We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us...... (Romans 12:3-6). Just as our human bodies have many parts, each with different functions, so it is with Christ's body. As The Living Bible puts it so vividly, "We are all part of Christ's body and it takes every one of us to make it complete, for we each have different work to do. So we belong to each other and each needs the other. God has given each of us the ability to do certain things well:" Persons with brain disorders or any other disability have many abilities and gifts to contribute and are needed to make the body of Christ complete. One's disability does not define the person. Each person has gifts and needs that differ from another person's gifts and needs. All are essential for the body of Christ to function at its fullest. It is my belief that God created us to be interdependent, not independent or dependent. This is an area where we must not let ourselves be squeezed into the world's mold. Society teaches us that independence is to be valued above all else and that a state of dependence is to be avoided at all cost. I think this creates an attitude of pride, arrogance, and a sense of isolation, causing people to think of themselves more highly than they ought to think: "I made it, why can't you?" It causes people to think that they are selfsufficient, with no need for God and no need for others. One of the hardest things for anyone to do in our culture is to ask for help. And yet, Jesus told us, "Ask, and you will receive:" I believe our relationship with God is one of interdependence and our relationship with others is also interdependent, we are called to be one body. My particular story and calling leading me to this understanding of interdependence and giftedness started in my nursing student days as I learned the marvelous workings of the human body through a study of anatomy and physiology. It deepened on a personal level when our son became ill with a brain illness called bipolar disorder at the age of seventeen. In the depth of the pain, we experienced both a profound sense of God's comfort directly and through some members of the body of Christ and a profound awareness of the stigma, discrimination, and isolation toward these illnesses in society and the church. Our health insurance didn't consider these brain illnesses as physical illness, though the last time I looked, the brain is a very important member of the body. To this day, there is a great inequity in insurance coverage for needed treatment of brain illnesses. The congregation, of which we were a part at the onset of the illness, demonstrated transformed minds and attitudes and shared deeply their gifts of compassionate caring. Later, our life journey took us to a different part of the country and to a different congregation where few offered help, few visited when he was hospitalized or even asked about his welfare. We withdrew, became silent about the illness, and felt like modern-day "lepers:" It was only after we, as a family, found the joy of interdependence in support groups of other suffering persons, that we found new friends and were able to come out of "hiding," talk openly about the disability, become involved with the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI), become better educated, find the best treatment, and use these new gifts in the body of Christ to minister with and to other persons with their unique disabilities and abilities for the welfare of the whole body of Christ. As people met our needs, we were able to meet others' needs. Persons with identifiable disabilities have unique needs, but each also has unique gifts and is essential in making Christ's body whole. For starters, "we may be able to console those who are in any affliction with the consolation with which we ourselves are consoled by God" (2 Corinthians 1:4). The ministry of presence is a great gift to offer. Our son has this gift and many others to offer the body of Christ. He has a beautiful tenor voice, a believing heart, and a compassionate spirit. He is a choir member, a generous person, an employee, a son, a brother, an uncle, and he has a recurring illness, bipolar disorder. His illness does not define him. He is not a manic-depressive. He is a person who has an illness who periodically needs help in caring for himself. He needs medication; he needs other people's respect, love, and prayers; he needs God's comfort and mercy. He does not need to be part of some marginalized, stereotyped group of people called "the mentally ill:' No, he is a person who is "fearfully and wonderfully made" in the image of God, who has been given unique gifts to use in making the body of Christ whole. We were created to be interdependent, members one of another, with all our gifts working together to make up the body. One person's disability is filled in by another person's ability. When any one of us, or a group of us, is excluded because of some lack of ability, we are prevented from using our God-given gifts to make Christ's body complete. Together let us make the beautiful mosaic that God intends. Reflection Questions 1. What are your strengths (abilities)? What are your weaknesses (disabilities)? 2. Can you describe a time when you recognized you were interdependent and needed the gifts and help of other people? How did you feel? 3. What is the world's view as it relates to persons with disabilities? How does this compare with the teachings in Romans 12? 4. Do you know anyone with a brain disorder? Are these persons an integral part of your church's life? If not, why not? 5. What are some of the ways your congregation or your family can practice hospitality so that all members of the body experience genuine love and each can be encouraged to develop their gifts so that the whole body is functioning as God intends? Litany One: We are called to proclaim the truth. Let us believe. All: This is true: Jesus said," I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly." One: It is not true that persons with brain disorders or other disabilities are second-class citizens and must accept isolation, discrimination, and stigma. All: This is true: All people are made in the image of God and are people of worth, holy and acceptable to God. One: It is not true that brain disorders are weaknesses of character and cannot be treated. All: This is true: Brain disorders are treatable. One: It is not true that stigma, discrimination, and neglect shall have the last word. All: This is true: The church is called to take the lead in stamping out societal stigma and discrimination and to welcome and affirm all people as children of God, with gifts that differ according to the grace given us. One: It is not true that we were created to be all sufficient and independent. All: This is true: We were created to be interdependent-all a part of the body of Christ with different abilities and different work to do and it takes every one of us to make the body complete. Thanks be to God. Suggested Hymns "Called As Partners in Christ's Service" 495 TNCH "Won't You Let Me Be Your Servant?" 539 TNCH 2002 WOMEN'S MOSAIC SERIES WE102 Designed and printed by United Church Resources, Local Church Ministries Women's Mosaic Series 2002 UCC Women's Resource Margaret (Peg) Slater, Editor

Written by Susan L. Clarke About living with chemical sensitivities Invocation Oh God, in whose image we are all made, give us courage to embrace our family of earthly sufferers. Your creation, as we embrace you; knowing that our bonds in suffering bring insight, empathy, healing, and joy. Amen. PROVERBS 24:11-12; JOHN 9:1-3 IN MY DREAM, I dove into a bubbling stream and resurfaced on the far shore in a glistening white gown. A wide field with groves of trees spread out before me. Musicians appeared with instruments of every kind and, beyond them, a huge choir. I lifted my baton, like a wand, to elicit the beauty of the whole. Glorious music suspended us all in heavenly bliss. Waking, I was struck by the loss of my dream to be a conductor, for which I had sacrificed much. In 1985, I had left my parents' home outside Philadelphia. Generally penniless and in intolerable housing conditions, I had received a master's in orchestral conducting at the New England Conservatory in Boston. Because of a prior bout with pneumonia, airborne chemicals in cities made me ill. Nevertheless, I persevered and succeeded-to a point. In 1988, the director of Affiliate Artists, the primary agent for young conductors, announced at the Aspen Music Festival, where I was a Fellow, that I was "one of the most talented, musical, artistic young conductors in the country." But the cologne worn by one of the conductors there overwhelmed me, as if needles pierced my innermost sinuses at every breath. I had to leave conducting class for fresh air. The first day of the 1991 Tanglewood Festival, fellow class members complimented me on my conducting of Beethoven. Wanting to show hospitality to the Europeans, I invited them to the lake to swim. On that gorgeous day, I floated, thinking how healthful the summer would be. A passing boat stirred pleasant waves. Water went over my head and into my left lung. As I walked to shore, I squished two dead fish apart on the bottom of the lake. I had never before seen dead fish there-they usually nibbled on my legs-but I thought nothing of it. The next morning, feverish, with the lung inflamed, I dragged myself to class. I was extremely ill the rest of the summer and learned only when the festival was long over-and my professional prospects ruined-that the lake had been algaecided the day before the incident. In delirious fevers, I bargained, "God, if you heal me-if you give me even a little health, I'll do anything for you. I'll go to Washington. I'll walk straight into the White House:" However, I was mostly bedridden for years. A toxicologist commented, "You really got dosed:" Endless hours of painful debility, migrainous vomiting, pleas for healing, and sleepless questions-why, how, and what now-filled the decades of my prime-of-life. The humiliation of needing governmental assistance and having to fight for it repeatedly, often while homeless or living in someone else's home, stole my dignity. Employers, hospitals, and churches refused to accommodate me. My body-temple needed a clean earth that no longer existed. Diagnosed with permanent, disabling, multiple-chemical sensitivity disorder and common migraine, my dreams died-dreams of conducting, of health, a home, a husband, and a child. "Where there is not vision, the people perish," the prophet Isaiah astutely notes. I nearly died many times. Between the cracks of illness, a vision emerged. On my well days, I sat in classes at Harvard School of Public Health and scientific conferences, studying the forefront literature on toxins. Each excursion required days of recovery. I learned to speak "scientese" and "bureaucratese": "Laboratory mice will die within sixty minutes of secondhand exposure to many commercial perfumes. The US GAO report on neurotoxicity confirms that death in mice indicates brain cell death in humans." Presenting at conferences, I'd put on a TV smile, no matter how ill I felt. Protecting life on earth now meant more to me than my own life. One day I said to the kindly woman who gave me room and board, "Fran, I wish I could go to Washington and get something done." To my astonishment, she bought me a plane ticket to D.C. I considered flying impossible with my illness. However, because of Fran's generosity, I had to go, and I did, wrapped in barrier cloth. Three days of hellish recovery followed the flight. With my respirator and oxygen tank in tow, I plastered Capitol Hill with scientific studies, meeting with legislative aides and agency officials. Thereafter, if I had $20 to my name, I would drive the ten hours to D.C. People advised me, opened their homes to me, provided me organic food and open windows, and tolerated vomit. On the Hill, I lobbied daily for clean air, water, and food for everyone, for protection from chemical injury. Then a miracle happened. While in a law office, where I could barely breathe, a call came in from the White House. Two days later, the materials I was distributing were in A1 Gore's hands. The federal government recognized chemical sensitivity for the first time, through the appointment of an interagency workgroup. Years earlier, feeling abandoned by society and God, I had knelt by the Charles River in Boston, whispering coldly, "God, why did you do it?" The last thing I had expected was an answer. Two came to mind. First, when Jesus was asked about a man born blind, whether the fault was the man's or his parents; he answered, "so that God's power be displayed," and healed the man. Second, when Jesus knew a close friend was ill, he intentionally stayed away two days, allowing the friend to die. "Criminal negligence," courts would now determine. He ultimately raised the man from the dead. Prior to the miracle, though, Jesus wept. It was hard to believe at the time, but I understood that God had not stopped caring and intended something powerful by my illness. Today, provided that others help protect our common air, I have my health. I give expert testimony in public health science, work for justice, and write professionally. I am a flute recitalist at Trinity Church-Boston and believe I will conduct again. I have a nontoxic home and have marital prospects. My life is fuller than I could ever have dreamed. I am most grateful for the enlightenment of disability. Reflection Questions and Activities 1. How do you feel when someone says they are reacting to your hairspray, perfume, or lotion? Do your feelings change over time? 2. Imagine you are the CEO of a chemical company. Millions of people buy your products, however, many, many people report immediate, serious medical problems in reaction to what you consider low levels of chemicals used. What do you do? 3. How should society provide for and learn from veterans of recent conflicts, many of whom have been disabled by chemical injuries and/or sensitivity? 4. Where do you think God is when we have to ask hard questions about things we don't know much about? 5. Check the ingredient lists on your own food, cosmetics, laundry, and maintenance products, noting how many in each seem to have been created in a lab rather than in nature. Estimate how much your household spends each year on such products. Try living as a chemically sensitive person for a week, going without them. How do you feel? Suggested Hymns "My Heart Is Overflowing" ("The Song of Hannah") 15 TNCH "O God, My God" 515 TNCH Women's Mosaic Series 2002 UCC Women's Resource Margaret (Peg) Slater, Editor

Written by Sharon Crousore OUR DAUGHTER LOST HER MIND. Others lose their sight or hearing or ability to walk. What trauma and challenge that is. Invocation Let us give thanks to the God and heavenly Parent of our Savior Jesus Christ from whom all help comes! God helps us in all our troubles, so that we are able to help others who have all kinds of troubles, using the same help that we ourselves have received from God. Just as we have a share in Christ's many sufferings, so also through Christ we share in God's great help and we are given the strength to endure with patience. So our hope in God is never shaken, we know that just as God shares in our sufferings, others may also share in the help we have received. (Adapted from 2 Corinthians 1:2-7.) MICAH 6:8 OUR DAUGHTER LOST HER MIND. Others lose their sight or hearing or ability to walk. What trauma and challenge that is. For Amy, just as she was finishing a wonderful junior year in college, in the midst of applying to graduate school and anticipating her career and the rest of her life, while being active in her church, being a very independent and hardworking young woman, the loss was of her mind. Seven a.m. in the practice room in the music building. She couldn't seem to memorize one particular measure of a Beethoven sonata that otherwise was totally memorized. Eight a.m. The classroom becomes blindingly bright, then fades back to normal. The walls begin closing in, then receding far away, then closing in again. Noon: Sounds of the campus, the carillon, dorm noises, conversations a block away on the quad, all are amplified like a Rolling Stones concert. Nine p.m. Home at last, but the little pumpkin candle on the end table suddenly comes alive, mocks her, taunting her, threatens her. The next day O.K. Everything normal. A couple of days later: She can't leave her apartment because everything out there is gone. Only her apartment continues to exist. Everything else is a desert, and if she stepped outside, she would sink into the sand and cease to be. She is losing her ability to remember the steps of taking a shower, of getting dressed, how to wash the dishes or prepare a meal. Two days later, she goes to the campus medical clinic and is told she is suffering from "stress:" Never mind that she is having a great semester. Even though, by then, she is having auditory, olfactory, tactile, and intense visual hallucinations. She protests that diagnosis. She keeps telling the clinic counselors that something was wrong with her brain, but no one would listen. Rather, she is told that this was a psychological problem and that she needed to work through these problems by herself. She was not to tell her family or to seek their assistance while she went to "counseling:" It is a year of hell. After two hospitalizations, she defies what her doctor was telling her to do and confides in her father what was happening to her and what her symptoms were. He recognized immediately that this was a medical emergency. Now that her father and I are involved, we seek other medical advice and treatment as a family rallying around one member who is ill. She is finally believed and diagnosed with schizophrenia, which we find out, is a very common brain illness. Her illness is and remains devastating. The pain of the illness, the side effects of medication, the misinformation, the jokes, the shunning by friends and coworkers, the horror of losing one's ability to think, facing night after night of vivid nightmares seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, and feeling the horrors, and the lifetime of struggle just to survive in the poverty enforced by our society are all an exhausting challenge to even the strongest Christian. Out of the depths I cry to you, O' Lord. I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope. -Psalm 130:1, 5 But she has survived. And she has lived her faith. Every day, no matter how ill, she has done something kind or helpful for someone else. She constantly struggles to make ends meet, but she shares. She works to educate people on the signs of schizophrenia and the importance of getting good medical care as early in the course of the disease as possible. She freely talks about her illness to help others cope with the terrible stigma in our society. She tries to educate the media, our legislators, and our churches. And so do her father and I. Our God gives us hope. The Holy Scriptures say "What does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God" (Micah 6:8). We, too, try to do justice-we speak up when people laugh about schizophrenia, when they make jokes about "schizos;" tranquilizers, Prozac, "nut cases," when they assume that all persons with schizophrenia are dangerous when, in fact, persons with schizophrenia are far more likely to be the victims than the perpetrators of violence. We educate where we can, and we strive for justice for others with this and similar illnesses by joining with others in the Mental Illness Network UCC to make our own denomination a more caring community and by doing as much legislative advocacy as time allows. We will walk the journey with our daughter as long as we are alive and, in doing so, we walk humbly with our God. What will you do? One in one hundred young people will be struck with this disease. Will our churches abandon them and their families? Some will already be married. How will you treat their spouses? Some will have children. Will their parent's illness be a shameful subject that is whispered about in the aisles and kitchen at your church? "What does the Lord require of you?" Schizophrenia is an equal opportunity disease striking young men and women alike, rich or poor, of all intelligence levels. There is no way to prevent it and no way of knowing who will be struck. But there are new medications and supportive therapies that help. And we can help people in our congregations cope with schizophrenia's initial onslaught and the following lifetime of care. We have an opportunity to do justice, to be merciful, and to walk humbly with our God by walking with those whom God loves. Reflections and Questions 1. Have you known anyone with schizophrenia? 2. What was their illness like? 3. Are they receiving the new medications that have been invented in the last eight years? 4. Does God care about the people who are struck with schizophrenia and their families? 5. Does God care about persons with the other brain illnesses like bipolar disorder, panic disorder, clinical depression, and obsessive-compulsive disorder? 6. Could you do just one of these things to respond to God's word to do justice and love mercy? Learn about schizophrenia, how to recognize its symptoms, and where to find appropriate and competent help in your community. Participate in a community effort that provides care for persons with mental illness. Learn about and help to improve laws and governmental services for those with mental illnesses. Educate your congregation, your community, and the media representatives in your community about appropriate language to use when describing a person with a mental illness. Find a family in your church or neighborhood who has a family member with a mental illness and offer to help with emotional or practical support. Contact Persons and Organizations The Mental Illness Network of the United Church of Christ; c/o Bob Dell; 414 E. Pleasant Ave.; Sandwich, Illinois 60548; 815.786.6341; . Pathways to Promise: Interfaith Ministries and Prolonged Mental Illnesses; 5400 Arsenal St.; St. Louis, Missouri 63139; or . The Rev. Margaret (Peg) M. Slater; Coordinator for Inclusive Ministry; Parish Life and Leadership Ministry Team, Local Church Ministries; United Church of Christ; 700 Prospect Ave. E.; Cleveland, Ohio 44115-1100; 216.736.3838; < slatermCucc.org>. NAMI (National Alliance for the Mentally Ill); 200 N. Glebe Rd.; Suite 1015; Arlington, Virginia 22203-3754; 703.524.7600; NAMI Helpline at 800.950.6264 (answered from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST Monday through Friday); or . National Depressive and Manic-Depressive Association; 800.826.3632; . Suggested Hymn "O God in Whom All Life Begins" 401 TNCH Resources Ross, Jerilyn. Triumph over Fear: A Book of Help and Hope for People with Anxiety, Panic Attacks, and Phobias. New York: Bantam Books, 1994. Gold, Mark S., with Lois B. Morris. The Good News about Depression: Cures and Treatments in the New Age of Psychiatry. New York: Villard Books, 1987. Kernodle, William D. Panic Disorder: The Medical Point of View: There Is No Need to Suffer. Richmond, Va.: Cadmus, 1995. Klein, Donald F., and Paul H. Wender. Understanding Depression: A Complete Guide to Its Diagnosis and Treatment. New York: Oxford University Press, 1993. Peschel, Enid et al., ed. Neurobiological Disorders in Children and Adolescents. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1992. Shifrin, Jennifer. Pathways to Understanding: A Manual on Ministry and Mental Illness. Pathways to Promise; 5400 Arsenal St.; St. Louis, Missouri 63139; phone: 314.644.8400. Torrey, E. Fuller. Surviving Schizophrenia: A Manual for Families, Consumers, and Providers. 3rd ed. New York: HarperPerennial, 1995. Turkington, Carol, and Eliot F. Kaplan. Making the Prozac Decision: A Guide to Antidepressants. Los Angeles: Lowell House, 1997. Woolis, Rebecca. When Someone You Love Has a Mental Illness: A Handbook for Family, Friends, and Caregivers. New York: J. P Tarcher/Perigree, 1992. WE102 Designed and printed by United Church Resources, Local Church Ministries Women's Mosaic Series 2002 UCC Women's Resource Margaret (Peg) Slater, Editor

Written by the Rev. Dallas Dee Brauninger The attitude was different the first day I entered that gathering room with a mobility cane. Prayer of Invocation Leader: Mindful that from the genesis throughout the revelation of our lives, God creates, reveals, and renews God’s promise of hope for us, All: Let us be faithful to our commitment to you, O God, and to one another. Amen. Leader: As birth, disease, accident, or maturity brings special needs to those within this church, All: Guide us, O God, as bringers of your hope. Amen. Leader: As we increase our skill in reading the signs of change among church members and anticipate their needs, All: Guide us, O God, as your welcoming people. Amen. Scripture References Jeremiah 29:11-114; Revelation 21:5 Meditation “Bessie, you warm my heart,” I said. Having forgotten her glasses, our women’s group secretary handed me a note to read. “Forgetting my blindness is a compliment.” The attitude was different the first day I entered that gathering room with a mobility cane. Bernice jumped up, grabbed me by the elbow, and planted me in a chair. For seven years, my husband and I had been her co-pastors. I could not lose her now. When she released me, I said, “But Bernice, I was headed for the kitchen.” I went for a slow drink of water. I felt invalidated. Folks had respected my skill at coping with deteriorating eyesight. The unannounced cane, however, transmuted this invisible journey into a seeable disability. Failing to thrive six weeks after premature birth, I had been sent home with frightened parents. Mom dared not bond, moving beyond guilt only late in life. In time, I concluded that visual chaos from the birth-damaged eye/brain connection was not the fault of hospital, parent, or an unfaithful God. It just happened. Dad’s quiet coaching about other ways to see carried me through a double major in college and then, with recorded textbooks and keen ear, through seminary and into a future with hope. Ever-present, compassionate God, who created the human family with freedom, provided also a resilient curiosity and ingenuity. Now, having convinced others in the 1960s that a woman with a disability is not only ordain-able and hire-able but also a potential treasury of compassion and joyful enthusiasm, I refused to let disability handicap. No invalid, I had to explode outdated attitudes. Sunday’s sermon: “The Mobility Cane as a Tool.” Soon several members began testing the eye contact I simulated by following voices. I would respond to a voice then find it coming from a new direction. I chose to skip that game. The cane became a symbol of triumph. Before long, other needed canes appeared in church. When rheumatoid arthritis troublesome in youth returned in earnest, I could not stand long in place. The trustees furnished the pulpit with a removable riser and bar chair. When I preached, everyone settled in for a “sit down” visit as comfortable as the eye level chats had been with care center residents when I rolled about in a wheelchair one Lent. Twenty years and two churches later, the mutual education continued. Soon after I, seated, greeted Christmas Eve worshipers, Twila also broke tradition to greet with her husband, seated. Now, additional changes erupted as the RA intensified anywhere it chose. It took the jaws I needed for preaching and singing. For a while, I let it take joy. Plan B: Redefine ministry. Midway through a hospital chaplaincy program, I saw the insulting potential of ignored body messages. I stopped Plan B and returned home. I loved my calling. I was sunk. I hollered, “Just what do you have in mind for me, God?” I had to know God would not give up, that I was still acceptable. Amid this outrage of exile, the Jeremiah passage and Plan C found me. I began to trust. Grabbing a single thread of quiet, pervasive hope. I phoned visual rehabilitation. “Help, Karen, I’m using up my talents.” Almost casually, I added, “All that’s left is writing.” Within a week, an adapted computer arrived. Later, a Web screen reader would open another world of communication. Conference advocates gained quiet invitations that promoted my ministry of writing. I was assigned “Talking with Your Child about Change.” Another editor requested “A Family Journey” and the “Preaching the Miracles” series. Disability was only one part of my identity again. Thread by thread, I tatted new fabric, discerning within its intricate texture the old joy and gratitude for being whole. I cherished the unique design that overrode disability. I resolved to meet change until I can only sit and be. With the persistence of raspberries ripening in autumn, God’s presence comes out on the side of hope. “See,” God’s holy nudging and the Revelation writer sings, “I am making all things new” (21:5). Church folk learned together about disparaging and welcoming layers of attitude. Tiny things undo or fortify us. With a diagnosis of diabetes solving my new maze of foggy thinking, we all gained new levels of community. Respecting the perimeters of a disease whose management is as varied as forms of blindness became acceptable to others as well as to me. A glass of water chosen over sugary desserts still lubricated table talk and need not offend the server. Others also stopped jeopardizing their health. Simple foods, welcoming to all, appeared at shared meals. Despite girding myself with a dog guide and a miscellany of other tools, when my feet needed triple thickness socks and clodhopper athletic shoes, a surprising vanity reared. I remembered the meticulous women of another church who, seeing only my blindness, readily dispensed unwelcoming pity but refused to offer a quiet word to remedy my clashing through Advent in a mismatched red outfit. I cringed at the thought of again dressing like “the blind.” Unwilling now to wear clumpy white socks and shoes to church, I brought to women’s fellowship an old yearning to be a regular kid. Gwenda set me straight. “Well, do they help?” I was no longer lonely. Earlier, my can-do attitude had embarrassed Emma’s offer of assistance at a potluck. After the shoes, she dared try again and something within me melted. Less caustic about my body, I had become more hospitable toward others. When hand greeting became impossible, I wore my computer splint. No one would touch me then until I extended the hand palm up. Then Stu laid one tender finger on my outstretched palm. With it, he conveyed the full warmth of his Nebraska farmer handshake. One by one the congregation took his cue, and I melted again. Hospitality spread. Today, an interpreter signs for a deaf mom. A pew-back stand holds the large-type hymnal for a fragile member. Will we redesign chancel steps so choristers awaiting joint replacement can still sing? Sidewalk railings ensure security. Levers replace knobs. Hand-carved signs identify bathrooms. Will we convert them into a universal space so wheelchair-users can drink another cup of coffee with their friends? Reflection Questions 1. Recall a life change that cast you into spiritual exile. Tell about God’s gathering you in and restoring you to wholeness. Any new tools for your journey? 2. What do a sense of wholeness, the holy, and wellness within a body with broken or ailing parts mean to you? 3. Why might you feel uncomfortable at first around a person with a disability? 4. What speeds your transition from identifying a person with a disability, for example, as a blind person, to perceiving that individual as someone who happens to be left-handed? Share your wisdom about influencing the attitudes of others who might see only the disability and miss the whole person. 5. Aware that little things count, what changes in the physical environment within and around your church building would free older folk to continue attending worship and other gatherings a little while longer? What changes might welcome newcomers with disabilities? Hymns “We Are Your People” (#309 NCH) “Called As Partners in God’s Service” (#495 NCH) Benediction May God guide this living church as we aim to do whatever it takes from the quiet, welcoming act to the visible or costly physical change that reflects God’s life-giving plan for a future with hope. Amen. Extra Credit: How good are you at reading the signs? Be someone who uses a walker, a wheelchair, whose eyesight is wearing out, who has fragile hands or little strength, who can sit for only short times, who lives with a mental illness, who is sensitive to perfumes and other toxic substances, who cannot hear well. In teams of two, try on a variety of these disabilities then attend worship or walk throughout your church building and grounds. Take the resultant “to do” list to your Access Ability Committee. Further Reading National Organization on Disability (N.O.D.) Website: www.nod.org. Brauninger, Dallas A. Holy E-Mail (CSS Publications, 2001) _________. Lessons from a Dog Guide (Forthcoming from CSS in 2003) Mild, Mary L., Editor. Women at the Well (Judson Press, 1996) Women's Mosaic Series 2002 Treasure in Earthen Vessels UCC Women's Resource Margaret (Peg) Slater, Editor

Written by the Rev. Doris R. Powell I WAS THIRTY-TWO. I'd just been backpacking in Colorado and was painting my house when I began to experience mysterious symptoms: swelling and pain in my hands, then an elbow, soon my shoulders, knees, and ankles. I went to work swathed in ace bandages. Within two months, I'd been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. Invocation Holy One, come among us. Walk this faith journey with us as we learn from our sisters and experience the stirring of our own deep yearning for you. Amen. CORINTHIANS 4:7-11; EPHESIANS 3:16-21 I WAS THIRTY-TWO. I'd just been backpacking in Colorado and was painting my house when I began to experience mysterious symptoms: swelling and pain in my hands, then an elbow, soon my shoulders, knees, and ankles. I went to work swathed in ace bandages. Within two months, I'd been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. The doctor said, "It's not a death sentence," speaking of life expectancy. No, I thought, "It's a life sentence" to a body in which my expectancy about life was changed. I was thirty-two ... going on eighty. I was familiar with Elisabeth Kübler Ross's stages of dealing with loss: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. I managed partial denial for almost two years. I would learn the "lessons" it had to teach me, and then it would go away. What I wasn't prepared for was an identity crisis. Perhaps it was because I'd just moved, and no one in my new community knew me. Everyone was reacting to this stranger who wasn't me. They saw a woman hurting with every movement, constantly exhausted, struggling to keep up. They didn't know the active, energetic person I'd always been. They didn't know me. Over and over I asked: "Who am I, God? Am I the lively, capable person I've always known myself to be, or this stranger sidelined by pain? Is it healthier to fight this, or accept it?" The poet Rainer Maria Rilke counsels, "Be patient toward all that is unsolved in your heart.... Live the questions now." The day-pain forced me to wear moccasins with my elegant business dress to a corporate meeting; I slipped from suffering into affliction. I'd looked forward to meeting many colleagues I'd only known by phone, but no one knew how to relate to the odd one in their midst. Simone Weil wrote of affliction as something that "seizes and uproots a life in all its parts ... social, psychological, and physical:" It makes the sufferer an outcast and life into an image of death. "Who am I, God?" The answer was a "standing up out of death to life," as Melanie Morrison has described resurrection. "You are my beloved child. I know you. You are all you ever have been. You'll always carry that with you. And you are all you are becoming. You'll learn the grace of resisting and accepting. I am with you in all of it:" And then, "Are you still my disciple? Don't ask for a pass to sit on the sidelines, because I have great need of you. You, my beloved child." That was almost twenty years ago. Nothing since has shaken my identity: disciple of Christ, bearer of treasure in an earthen vessel. As a person living with disability, I've discovered that I am differently-abled. I am clear in purpose and identity. I've cracked the illusion that we control our lives. Determination and perseverance still serve me well. I am more compassionate, creative, courageous, peaceful, perceptive, reflective, joyous, appreciative, whole. Yet, can I be whole while others are not? So I am passionate, energetic, and active in creative, powerful ways to work for healing and wholeness for all. As with many persons with disabilities, I say to the church, "Let me offer my gifts in the church. Let me minister to and with you:" God's power is at work in us, accomplishing far more than all we can ask or imagine. Arthritis functions as a spiritual discipline, keeping me keenly aware of my reliance on God, God's presence with me, and my connectedness with all people. I live in conversation with God and community, rooted and grounded in love. I seem to have missed the classic stages of bargaining and depression, perhaps because the word spoken to my identity crisis moved me to acceptance. Whatever happens with me, I am in God's hands. I say that not in resignation but in trust. In a sermon about Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, Howard Thurman said, "We cannot fathom the mystery of God. We cannot even understand the meaning of our own little lives, but the fierce hold that we have on our lives, again and again, is the most real thing that we have. To relax that and to trust God ... not to hold things in some all-encompassing grasp; no, but to trust God just with you ... is the most difficult dimension of the spiritual life." I do experience anger. At the indifference, prejudice, and injustice that add suffering. I feel anger and lament at the barriers people erect. Where is it written that print must be tiny? That to sing we must rise to our feet ... it's not enough that our spirits rise up? That full participation in the body of Christ demands certain physical and mental capacity or certain race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, economic status? Who are we to order our lives, and life in our churches, in ways that exclude or diminish any of God's beloved? Our lives are lived in relation. Our reception of others is made possible by Christ's deep reception of us. I claim, with every other baptized disciple, "The life of Jesus is made visible in my body; we have this treasure, this treasure, in clay jars, earthen vessels:" Can you not perceive it? Questions and Activities 1. Major life changes or loss may provoke a sense of identity crisis, causing us to question, "Who am I now?" Is there a time you've felt this way? What has helped you? Can a congregation experience an identity crisis? What shapes your identity as a person? as a women's fellowship? as a congregation? What if the images you hold of yourself or another prove phony? Would you be willing to have them shattered to let new images arise? 2. Think of a person or community in the Bible who knew affliction. How did they respond? What questions were they living? What questions are you living? 3. Is a lament "just" complaining? Can a lament be an act of resistance? What does a lament say about our relationship with God? Read one of these Psalms: 22, 31, 42, 77, 88, 116, 123, or 137. Write a lament about something that causes you aggravation or suffering on a regular basis, perhaps even daily. You might begin, "I've got a right to sing the blues...... Or play some blues as you prepare. 4. What treasure do you bear in your ordinary, fragile being? How are you differently abled? How can you open yourself and your church to receive, value, and incorporate the treasure and abilities of others into your communal life? Resources Eiesland, Nancy L. The Disabled God: Toward a Liberatory Theology of Disability. Nashville, Tenn.: Abingdon, 1994. Heyward, Isabel Carter. The Redemption of God: A Theology of Mutual Relation. Washington, D.C.: University Press of America, 1982. Kiibler-Ross, Elisabeth. On Death and Dying. New York: Macmillan, 1969. Morrison, Melanie. The Grace of Coming Home: Spirituality, Sexuality, and the Struggle Justice. Cleveland, Oh.: The Pilgrim Press, 1995. Meditation Read Ephesians 3:16-19 or Romans 8:35,37-39. Read Matthew 19:14. Sit or lie quietly. Take several deep breaths. Perceive Jesus seated on a low stool in an inviting setting. Experience a soft, warm glow surrounding Jesus, filling the space. Perceive Jesus turning toward you, opening arms in invitation. Perceive yourself as a young child, moving into the gentle embrace. Rest on Jesus, soaking in the love, acceptance, protection, security, peace, comfort, assurance ... all that you need to receive for as long as you need. Gradually become aware of your current surroundings. Stay quiet for a few moments and offer a silent prayer. Suggested Music The Mudflower Collective. God's Fierce Whimsy: Christian Feminism and Theological Education. New York: The Pilgrim Press, 1985. Rhude, Beth E. Live the Questions Now: The Interior Life. Cincinnati, Oh.: The Women's Division, Board of Global Ministries, The United Methodist Church, 1980. Soelle, Dorothee. Suffering. Trans. Everett R. Kalin. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1975. Thurman, Howard. Temptations of Jesus: Five Sermons Given by Dean Howard Thurman in Marsh Chapel, Boston University, 196. Richmond, In.: Friends United Press, 1978. Weil, Simone. Waiting for God. Trans. Emma Craufurd. New York: Harper and Row, 1973. "Tu has venido a la orilla" ("You Have Come Down to the Lakeshore"). 173 TNCH Wuellner, Flora Slosson. Prayer, Stress, and Our Inner Wounds. Nashville, Tenn.: Upper Room, 1985. Women's Mosaic Series 2002 UCC Women's Resource Margaret (Peg) Slater, Editor

Written by Patricia Williams-Long Franklin Invocation Wonderful and generous God, you created us in your image. Thank you. Help us to live into your hopes and trust. Help us to be somebody in your image even when we are ordinary people going about our lives. Help us in the time of trial and in the times of joy and all the in-between times. We ask in the name of Jesus. Amen. 1 CHRONICLES 4:9, 10 THE NAME JABEZ MEANS pain or sorrow. Is it just possible that he was less than perfect in appearance, presentation, or had some other form of "disability"? During the times of Jabez, names were representative of the "man" and hopes and aspirations of the parent for the child. You've no doubt heard of the boy named Sue? Now, here is the boy named Pain, for Jabez was born in sorrow. To label someone as Pain or Sorrow is to attach some form of stigma, an unseen shackle. Was I born in pain? At the age of two, my grandmother dyed my hair with coffee grinds because I had "ugly white folks red hair," the color of corn silk. She loved me and, to this day, I love her. My mother supported me but could not protect me during years when I needed her most. She did the best with what she had, which in this lifetime has to be enough. I was the "stepchild" in every sense of the word from the day of birth. If not the step grandchild, then the child with the stepfather, step aunts, step cousins, never really belonging. Years of feeling like a "nobody," something unacceptable, outside the norm, was survivable only by creating a world within a world, the place I lived. I created myself strong. January 1988, an automobile accident left me unable to work. Two years and a myriad of doctors later, I was finally diagnosed with something called fibromyalgia and reflex sympathetic dystrophy. Did not matter what the cause, I was an achiever, and I would beat this thing. I spent years in different pain management, traditional and nontraditional therapy programs, refusing to learn about the diseases or read any insurance policies, because nothing would impede my mind-set of being healed and returning to the career I'd worked so hard to acquire. This was my independence and self worth. If you can truly claim independence, then work, vacation, romance, lifestyle, and so on, are all subordinate. Losing was not in my comprehension; after all, I had obtained a B.S. degree in 2 1/2 years, graduated with honors, was recruited by top CPA firms, become a successful businesswoman and, best of all, raised, with God's help, a beautiful person in the form of a son. I did not physically recover! My world came crashing in on me. No more work, golf, tennis, sitting, and walking at will, independence was gone. Worse yet, I now had to leave my world established in childhood, the one that trusted God and Christ and relied solely on me. I now had to allow others inside my inner being and had to learn to stop playing and living with the real world but actually to live within it. I had to learn to discard and forgive all the childhood traumas. This was accomplished by allowing others to really see and help me. I had to learn that accepting help does not always carry a debt of one's soul. I learned to really feel and express love and grief, not just think it. There was now a recognizable difference. I learned to grieve the death of my pre-accident life as well as that of my daughter a quarter century before. I learned that my imaginary, childhood developed friend Sheila, whose name I called in times of trouble, not knowing why, was God. When my independence as I knew it was taken, I thought my life was not worth living. What else could be worse? Well, my brother, who was really my best friend, and my mother's deaths were after my injury and, thank God, that the inevitable occurrences were during my mental recovery. It was during this time, so-called dying time, spent with my brother and mother, that I experienced and shared the love and understanding of both. Yes, lives have been taken. Three of those lives, mother, brother, and daughter, have been relocated and the other, mine, has been renewed through the love of God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit. No, it is not the life I planned, prepared for, and wanted. It is life! Two people during my early adulthood told me the same thing-"God's got plans for you. God has snatched you away from death's door many times. God has definite plans for you:' Well God, here I am, I'll do whatever you desire. Most times, I do not look disabled-no crutches or a wheelchair. Now, I bed rest several hours per day; some days I don't function at all, and the pain never ever ceases. Commitments are always tentative, based on the functioning of my body, mind, vision, and pain level. I look for the blessings that I now consider an entitlement. God has blessed me along God's path. I am a "somebody," a child of God who has time to hear the word. When I was a child, step-grandfather used to sing a song in church: "Keep that mote out of your eye and I'll try to keep it out of mine" (the only words I can remember). The mote removal is an achievable, ongoing struggle; we need only be perceptive. Appropriately, I need only look around and see the manifestation of the Jabez prayer. I was blessed by the birth of a grandson, a loving son, and the finding of new friends willing to accept my limitations along with theirs. I've learned who I am and the expansive capabilities of love. l say I have been blessed indeed. My borders have been expanded beyond the ability to write and the awarding of a scholarship for a degree in biblical studies, resulting from "writing" an essay in competition. I've been able to hear the emissary of God speak to me and provide comfort. I wrote and read my first published composition, an obituary and poem for my brother. My brother is now a member of God's heavenly orchestra. I heard the music and accepted the consolation. Ronnie is forever with me, and my mother with both of us. I have a family, friends, a home, acquaintances, fellow Christians, and the Holy Trinity. I am blessed indeed! Suggested Hymns "Glory, Glory Hallelujah" 2 TNCH "Bless God, O My Soul" 549 TNCH Reflection Questions 1. There is a message here in the scripture. In the midst of naming the members of the family of Judah, the authors of Chronicles felt the need to tell us about Jabez in verses nine and ten, and then it's back to naming the family members. Jabez is not spoken of again. Why do you think he warranted such a diversion? 2. What role do negative thoughts and names play in your day-to-day life? Try this exercise. On a piece of paper, folded in half, think of and write down one word that describes the worst events of your day. Now, on the bottom half, think of and write down one word that describes the best events of your day. Open the page, look at both words and decide which one you want to describe you and why. Find a Bible verse(s) that supports and provides supplement to your "you;" for example, Psalm 121. 3. Have you spent time with you? Try using imagery: Turn on some music, some without the distracting interruptions of a disc jockey, sit or lie down, now think of something or a picture that you like. Go there in your mind. If you practice this, you will be able to do it quicker. You may find it to be very relaxing and can be beneficial in stress and pain relief and/or just spending time with God. 4. What does it mean to be "a child of God"? a person with disabilities? someone in pain? Women's Mosaic Series 2002 UCC Women's Resource Margaret (Peg) Slater, Editor

In God's Image A Service of Installation Material Needed A space that is accessible to everyone, even if you are not aware that anyone needs accessible space. A table, or smaller tables, that everyone can gather around. Two white paper placemats should be at each place, if refreshments are to be served ... just set the table with the placemats stacked. Pens to write with (if you use markers, make sure they are not toxic, crayons would be better ... less odorous). Gathering Music "We Gather Together" 421 TNCH Litany Leader: We gather here at this welcome table to worship and thank God. People: Thank you, Loving One, for creating us in your image. Leader: We gather so that all of us may offer our gifts to you. People: Our gifts vary, O Loving One, but they are yours. We will work together to serve you in this place. Leader: We gather around this/these tables, God's table, just as we are, made in your image, beautiful women, all. People: We thank you for your trust in us to live into our image. All we bring to this table is yours. Amen. Offering Take one of your place mats. Look at and recognize that everyone is invited to God's table. Also, be aware that to set the table requires work. Today, we are installing new leaders to help set the table in this place. Take a pen or crayon and write (some may need assistance here): What you will do to make this church welcome and accessible to all people. What you will do to assist your new leadership in the coming year. 1 What you will do for yourself to honor your gifts and abilities? Reading Genesis 1:26-31 God is pleased with what God has done in creation. God has also charged us with much. Today, we call those who will take leadership in this to come forward to be installed. Leader: We give thanks for you and your leadership. We give thanks for your faithfulness, your love of God and congregation, and the hope you bring to us. People: We thank you, God, for sending us these leaders. Leader: Having prayerfully considered the responsibilities of this ministry, are you prepared to use your gifts in service to the church and Newly Elected Officers: Yes, with God's help. Leader: With God's help, we can live into our image and gather our differing gifts. We can use these gifts to make this open and welcoming to all. We can enrich this congregation by modeling what it is to understand that all people are created in God's image and have a place at God's table. We will be learners, risk-takers, and faithful followers of Christ. People: We will indeed. Leader: People of faith, let us affirm our commitment to our newly elected officers. (Gather all the place mats in a basket and bring them to the new officers). Please accept these as part of our promises. Let us make a joyful noise in our officers' honor (clap, sing. etc.). Closing Music "Won't You Let Me Be Your Servant?" 539 TNCH WE102 Designed and printed by United Church Resources, Local Church Ministries Women's Mosaic Series 2002 UCC Women's Resource Margaret (Peg) Slater, Editor

Reprinted from The Other Side Written by Nancy Eiesland I have been part of several congregations whose practice of receiving Eucharist includes filing to the front of the sanctuary and kneeling at the communion rail. Often, because I am either in a wheelchair or using crutches, an usher alerts me that I need not go forward for the Eucharist. Instead, I am offered the sacrament at my seat after everyone else has been served. The congregation is trying to accommodate my presence in the service. They are undoubtedly trying to be conscientious and inclusive in their own way. But in effect, they are transforming Eucharist from a corporate experience to a solitary one for me, from a sacralization of Christ's broken body to a stigmatization of my disabled body. I am hardly alone. For many people with disabilities, the Eucharist--which should be the ultimate sacrament of unity of believers--is a ritual of exclusion and degradation. Access to this celebration of the body is restricted because of architectural barriers, ritual practices, demeaning body aesthetics, unreflective speech, and bodily reactions. The Eucharist becomes a dreaded and humiliating remembrance that in the church we are trespassers in an able-bodied dominion. For many disabled persons, the church has been a "city on a hill"--physically inaccessible and socially inhospitable. This Eucharistic exclusion is symbolic of a larger crisis. Sadly, rather than offering empowerment, the church has more often supported societal structures and attitudes that have treated people with disabilities as objects of pity and paternalism. The primary problem for the church is not how to "accommodate" disabled persons. The problem is a disabling theology that functionally denies inclusion and justice for many of God's children. Much of church theology and practice--including the Bible itself--has often been dangerous for persons with disabilities. The prejudice, hostility, and suspicion toward people with disabilities cannot be dismissed simply as relics of an unenlightened past. Christians today continue to interpret Scripture and spin theologies that reinforce negative stereotypes, support social and environmental segregation, and mask the lived realities of people with disabilities. On those occasions when denominations and congregations make progress in asserting and implementing accessibility, it usually happens through a subtle but powerful paternalism of the able-bodied church, liberally "welcoming" those of us with disabilities. Even some of the best denominational statements articulating a theology of access still speak in the voice of the able-bodied community, advocating for persons with disabilities but not allowing our own voices, stories, and embodied experiences to be central. The growing and dynamic disability rights movement in this country and around the world is raising crucial cultural and moral questions not simply about the meaning of disability, but the very meaning of embodied experience, human dignity, social justice, and community. It is a ripe moment for the Christian church to reflect on its own core values and traditions and allow the emergence of a theology of disability, with liberating meaning and power for all of us. The first task in developing a liberating theology of disability is to identify and confront the key aspects of the church's disabling theology, beginning with its biblical roots. A common theme in the Hebrew Scriptures is the conflation of physical disability and "impurity." The "holiness code" of Leviticus 17-26 communicates a strong message that physical disability is a distortion of the divine image and an inherent desecration of all things holy. Bodily unwholeness is "unclean" and needs to be kept at the periphery of the community. Leviticus 21:18-20 prohibits anyone "blind or lame, or one who has a mutilated face or a limb too long, or one who has a broken foot or a broken hand, or a hunchback, or a dwarf, or a man with a blemish in his eyes" from priestly activities or entering the most holy place in the temple. These and similar passages have historically been used to warrant barring persons with disabilities from positions of ecclesiastical visibility and authority. Although the specific physical standards of such passages may not be retained as criteria for today's religious leadership, the implicit theology persists in church actions and attitudes. As recently as 1986, the General Conference of the American Lutheran Church declared that people with "significant" physical or mental disabilities would be barred from ordained ministry. New Testament texts have also been read to support a link between sin and disability. Several Gospel narratives and even Jesus' own statements are ambiguous, sometimes upholding and sometimes discounting such linkage. Luke's account of the man with paralysis who is lowered through the roof of the house where Jesus is speaking has often been interpreted as a story of heroic helpers and a crippled sinner (5:18-26). Jesus' own words--"Which is easier, to say, 'Your sins are forgiven you,' or to say, 'Stand up and walk'?" (5:23)--suggest some association between forgiveness and healing. In John's story of the man by the pool of Bethesda (5:5-16), Jesus follows his healing with an apparent affirmation of the link between sin and disability when he tells him, "Do not sin anymore, so that nothing worse happens to you" (5:14). In John 9:1-3, however, Jesus offers a very different perspective. When his disciples ask whether the man's blindness is the result of his or his parents' sins, Jesus answers: "Neither this man nor his parents sinned; he was born blind so that God's works might be revealed in him." A different but equally troublesome biblical theme is the ideal of virtuous suffering. In passages such as Paul's account of the "thorn in the flesh" (2 Cor. 12:7-10), righteous submission to divine testing is upheld as a praiseworthy disposition for Christian disciples. Likewise, early interpretations of Job and the story of Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31) purported that physical impairments were a sign of divine election by which the righteous were purified and perfected through painful trials. Disability is seen as a temporary affliction that must be endured to gain heavenly rewards. While more subtle, this theology of virtuous suffering has been no less dangerous. It has encouraged persons with disabilities to acquiesce to social barriers as a sign of obedience to God, and to internalize second-class status inside and outside the church. The biblical theme of charitable giving has had equivocal outcomes for people with disabilities. In ancient societies, almsgiving provided a vital means of survival for people deemed outcasts or who were without the means to provide for themselves. Yet as many of the biblical prophets proclaimed, the people of God forgot that such offerings were the rightful stipends of those who were socially or physically prevented from economic productivity; instead they pushed aside the needy and refused to establish justice "at the gate" (Amos 5:12-15). Hence the system of charity, which had always included a requirement of justice, soon failed to accord dignity or even adequate provision. From its inception, the Christian community has always acknowledged a special responsibility and mission to marginalized persons, including those who are physically unable to provide for themselves (Acts 6:1-6). Furthermore, several New Testament passages link the notion of charity to healing. In the account of the disabled man at the Beautiful Gate (Acts 3:1-10), Peter and John responded to a request for donations with miraculous action. As in this case, healings often restored the person not only to an able-bodied state, but also to social participation and religious inclusion. Subsequent church practice often lost sight of this broader vision. Historically, church-based charities have provided humane care, medical advances, and indispensable financial support. Yet this has often resulted in segregating people with disabilities from the Christian community rather than restoring them to social and religious participation. While engaging in individualistic charity and healing, the Christian church has neglected the social and political needs of people with disabilities, failing to place as central emphases political engagement and social inclusion. Our task is not simply one of correcting some faulty texts or even of building greater architectural access. The Christian church must develop a theology of disability, emerging from the lives and even the bodies of those with disabilities. Such a theology must not be construed as a "special-interest" perspective, but rather an integral part of reflection on Christian life. We must come to see disability neither as a symptom of sin nor an opportunity for virtuous suffering or charitable action. The Christian community as a whole must open itself to the gifts of persons with disabilities, who, like other minority groups, call the church to repentance and transformation. Much of my life I waited for a mighty revelation of God. I did experience an epiphany, but it bore little resemblance to the God I was expecting or the God of my dreams. Growing up with a disability, I could not accept the traditional interpretations of disability that I heard in prayers, in Sunday school, and in sermons. "You are special in God's eyes," I was often told, "that's why you were given this painful disability." Or, "Don't worry about your suffering now--in heaven you will be made whole." This confused me. My disability had taught me who I am and who God is. What would it mean to be without this knowledge? Would I be absolutely unknown to myself in heaven, and perhaps even unknown to God? I was assured that God gave me a disability to develop my character. But by age six or seven, I was convinced that I had enough character to last a lifetime. My family frequented faith healers with me in tow. I was never healed. People asked about my hidden sins, but they must have been so well hidden that even I misplaced them. The theology that I heard was inadequate to my experience. In my teen years, I became actively involved in the disability rights movement--joining persons around the globe who were struggling for basic human rights for the now approximately 650 million persons with disabilities worldwide. Through this movement I came to understand why those of us with disabilities have such depreciated views of ourselves and lack genuine convictions of personal worth. I began to see the "problem" not within my body or the bodies of other people with disabilities, but with the societies that have made us outcasts and treated us in demeaning and exclusionary ways. I helped organize sit-ins to achieve access to public transit and public facilities and to promote human and civil-rights legislation. For a long time, I experienced a significant rift between my activism and my faith. My activism filled me with a passion for social change that would acknowledge our full value as human beings. But my theological and spiritual questions remained unanswered: What is the meaning of my disability? The movement offered me opportunities to work for change that were unavailable in the church, but my faith gave a spiritual fulfillment that I could not find in the movement. Yet I also had to name the ways in which Christian communities participated in our silencing. Within the church, often other people with disabilities were uninterested in political and activist matters. Many activists, meanwhile, saw religion as damaging or at least irrelevant to their work. I felt spiritually estranged from God. My return to intimacy with God began at an Atlanta rehabilitation hospital for persons with spinal cord injuries. A chaplain asked me to lead a Bible study with several residents. One afternoon after a long and frustrating day, I shared with the group my own doubts about God's care for me. I asked them how they would know if God was with them and understood their experience. After a long silence, a young African-American man said, "If God was in a sip-puff, maybe He would understand." I was overwhelmed by this image: God in a sip-puff wheelchair, the kind used by many quadriplegics that enables them to maneuver the chair by blowing and sucking on a straw-like device. Not an omnipotent, self-sufficient God, but neither a pitiable, suffering servant. This was an image of God as a survivor, as one of those whom society would label "not feasible," "unemployable," with "questionable quality of life." Several weeks later, I was reading in Luke's Gospel about an appearance of the resurrected Jesus (24:36-39). The focus of this passage is really on his followers, who are alone and depressed. Jesus says to them, "Why are you frightened, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? Look at my hands and my feet; see that it is I myself. Touch me and see." This wasn't exactly God in a sip-puff, but here was the resurrected Christ making good on the promise that God would be with us, embodied, as we are--disabled and divine. In this passage, I recognized a part of my hidden history as a Christian. The foundation of Christian theology is the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Yet seldom is the resurrected Christ recognized as a deity whose hands, feet, and side bear the marks of profound physical impairment. This was my epiphany. The resurrected Christ is a disabled God--one who understood the experience of the others in my Bible study in the rehab center, as well as my own. Encountering this disabled God became for me the source of a "liberation theology" of disability. Jesus Christ, as a living symbol of the disabled God, shares in the human condition; he experiences in his embodiment all our vulnerability and flaws. In emptying himself of divinity, Jesus enters the arena of human limitation, even helplessness. Jesus' own body is wounded and scarred, disfigured and distorted. In his ministry, Jesus builds community and experiences human solidarity with those who are disabled, socially stigmatized, and denied their full human dignity and capacity. Jesus Christ the disabled God is consistent with many images of Jesus in solidarity with all those who have struggled to maintain the integrity and dignity of their bodies in the face of injustice and bodily degradation. Jesus Christ the disabled God repudiates the conception of disability as a consequence of sin. Our bodies participate in the image of God, not in spite of our impairments and contingencies but through them. For many people whose disabilities keep them from participating fully in the church or from feeling full-bodied acceptance by Christ, accepting the disabled God may enable reconciliation with their own bodies and Christ's body, the church. Hence, disability not only does not contradict the human-divine integrity, it becomes a new model of wholeness and a symbol of solidarity. The disabled God is a survivor. In our society, "survivor" is contaminated with notions of victimization, radical individualism, and alienation, as well as with an ethos of virtuous suffering. In contrast to that cultural icon, the image of survivor evoked here is that of a simple, unself-pitying, honest body, for whom the limits of power are palpable but not tragic. The disabled God embodies the ability to see clearly the complexity and the "mixed blessing" of life and bodies, without living in despair. This revelation is of a Godwho is for us, one who celebrates joy and experiences pain not separately in time or space, but simultaneously. The disabled God is a God for whom interdependence is a necessary condition for life; a fact of both justice and survival. The disabled God embodies practical interdependence, not simply willing to be interrelated from a position of power, but depending on it from a position of need. For many people with disabilities, mutual care is a matter of survival. To posit a Jesus Christ who needs care and mutuality as essential to human-divine survival debunks the myth of individualism and hierarchical orders in which transcendence means breaking free of encumbrances and needing nobody. This disabled God makes possible a renewal of hope for people with disabilities and others who care. This symbol offers us a liberating realism that accepts our bodily limitations as part of the truth of being human. At the same time, this hope pushes us toward social and interpersonal transformation, toward a justice of access and mutuality that is free from barriers that exclude, constrain, and humiliate us. It situates our hope in the reality of our existence as ones with dignity and integrity. It affirms that our nonconventional bodies, which oftentimes dissatisfy and fail us, are worth the living. People with disabilities are part of the sacramental body of Christ in the church. So it is painful and tragic that the bodily practice of the ritual of Eucharist, as I described, often serves to stigmatize and exclude those with nonconventional bodies. The Eucharist is a remembrance of a broken body--and a celebration of the miraculous liberation that wells up from that broken body. The church--made up of all of us--is beautiful and broken, impaired but powerful, complex and gifted. It is this body, the church, which incarnates the disabled God for our world. It is this body which is called to follow in the liberating ways of Jesus Christ the disabled God, who embodied a commitment to justice, and who challenged all structures, social codes, and rituals of degradation that deny the full personhood of marginalized people. This liberating mission is only possible when sisters and brothers with disabilities are integral to the life of the community--when our voices are heard, our experiences honored, and our gifts allowed to flourish. Current Issue | Printable Article From The Other Side Online, © 2002 The Other Side, September-October 2002, Vol. 38, No. 5. ©2002 The Other Side 300 West Apsley, Philadelphia, PA 19144 (800) 700-9280 Fax: (215) 849-3755 Posted with Nancy's permission.

This access guide is a comprehensive resource, enabling persons with disabilities to participate in the life of the church. Please share this with members of your denominations, organizations and networks. This document may be reproduced in any format. Identify the source by stating, “This Equal Access Guide was prepared by the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA Committee on Disabilities.” PDF Version COMMITTEE ON DISABILITIES National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA NCCCUSA COMMITTEE ON DISABILITIES Equal Access Guide  2004 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA Education and Leadership Ministries Commission Committee on Disabilities 475 Riverside Drive• Suite 812; New York, NY 10115 Phone 212.870.2267 • Fax 212.870.3112 About the NCCCUSA Committee on Disabilities: The committee is comprised of representatives from churches and organizations. Committee members have direct experience of disabilities. This access guide is a comprehensive resource, enabling persons with disabilities to participate in the life of the church. Please share this with members of your denominations, organizations and networks. Chief Editors: Linda Jean H. Larson, M.A.T. NCCCUSA Committee on Disabilities Contracted Staff The Reverend Garland F. Pierce, Associate Director NCCCUSA Education and Leadership Ministries Commission The Reverend Patrice L. Rosner, NCCCUSA Associate General Secretary for Education Director, Education and Leadership Ministries Commission All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by permission. INTRODUCTION TO ACCESS GUIDE The National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA Committee on Disabilities created this Equal Access Guide for Meetings, Conferences, Large Assemblies and Worship for use in planning your next meeting, conference, large assembly, or worship within your denomination or organization. Whenever and wherever we gather, it is the sincere hope that we all take heed of the mandate from the book of Isaiah, “enlarge the size of our tent” to include the entire Body of Christ in all our activities. (Isaiah 54:2) This book is a guide to accessibility that benefits all of us. We encourage you to use this guide when planning all activities. We realize that in this guide, we have set the ideal. We invite you to consider, “Does our invitation and planning have integrity? Are we inclusive of everyone who wishes to participate?” The outline of this book begins from the time you start to plan to the end of your meeting, conference, large assembly or worship and continues with an on-site walk through hotel and meeting facilities. It then addresses large assemblies, presenters, and worship and ends with a statement on etiquette. The final page acknowledges the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and its Accessibility Guide and the members of the NCCCUSA Committee on Disabilities who edited this guide. Use this guide often; use it well; and, may God bless your work. For further help, please contact the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA; Education and Leadership Ministries Commission; 475 Riverside Drive, Ste. 812; New York, NY 10115; phone: 212-870-2267; fax: (212) 870-3112; www.ncccusa.org/elmc. NCCCUSA Committee on Disabilities Table of Contents Introduction to the Guidelines iii National Council of Churches, USA Policy Statement on Disabilities, the Body of Christ and the Wholeness of Society 1 Getting Started 4 Registration Form 6 Accommodations Budget 7 Local Arrangements 9 On-site Walkthrough 10 Hotel Accommodations 13 Dining Facilities 15 Meeting Facilities 16 Large Assemblies 19 Worship 22 Presenters 23 Etiquette 24 Acknowledgements 26 National Council of Churches Policy Statement on Disabilities, the Body of Christ, and the Wholeness of Society “Indeed, the body does not consist of one member but of many” 1 Corinthians 12:14 One in five Americans lives with impairment that significantly limits one or more major life activities. Virtually everyone will live with a disability at some time in life. Concepts of justice for people with disabilities have evolved beyond paternalism toward the ideals of full participation and inclusion in all aspects of life. Disability rights and self-advocacy movements have emerged. At the national level, landmark laws such as the Rehabilitation Act, The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) seek to assure the same rights to people with disabilities that are guaranteed to all other people in our society. The religious community also has taken a number of initiatives. Beginning in 1958 and as recently as 1995, the NCCC has affirmed its belief in the dignity and worth of all people, including those of us with disabilities. Most NCCC member communions have issued statements calling for the full inclusion of people with disabilities in all aspects of church life. In spite of these efforts, attitudinal, communication, and architectural barriers remain. The church has served as a point of entry for marginalized individuals into the mainstream of society. Now the time has come for the NCCC to reaffirm and broaden its commitment to people with disabilities. This policy rests upon four theological principles: 1. All people are created in the image of God. Then God said, “Let us make humankind in our image...” Genesis 1:26 God creates all human beings in the divine image or likeness. This image is not a measurable characteristic or set of characteristics. God’s image is reflected uniquely in each person. 2. All people are called by God. “For we are what (God) has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life.” Ephesians 2:10 God calls all human beings to express the divine image through their unique characteristics. Each person’s characteristics, including disabilities, are inseparable and valuable features of the unique, indivisible person. 3. All people have spiritual gifts. “Now there are a varieties of gifts, but the same spirit” 1 Corinthians 12:4 God supplies all human beings with the unique gifts needed to obey the divine call. The gifts God has given each person are needed by all other people, and no one is dispensable or unnecessary. 4. All people are invited to participate in God’s ministry. “To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good” 1 Corinthians 12:7 God invites all human beings to rely on and to participate in the ministry of the church. God continually empowers each member of the Body of Christ to reflect the divine image in ways that will serve and benefit the church and the broader community. Implication In the light of these theological principles, it is the witness of the NCCC that all human beings, including those with disabilities, are entitled by God to the rights in church and society implied in the divine call. These rights include a life of dignity and respect such as access to education, health care, useful work, recreation, as well as the right to friendship, spiritual nurture, freedom and self-expression. The rights of each person, including people with disabilities, are equal to and balanced by the rights of others. We believe the human community in all its forms is accountable to God to protect these civil human rights. God requires the church to give spiritual and moral leadership to society in protecting these rights. The church must exercise its leadership by its public preaching and teaching, but even more by its example as an inclusive community of faith, using the gifts of all its members. “Now there are varieties of gifts but the same Spirit, and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord” 1 Corinthians 12: 4-5 Reference NCCCUSA Human Rights: The Fulfillment of Life in the Social Order (Adopted by the General Board, November 17, 1995) Approved by the NCCCUSA National Ministries Unit, May, 1997 Getting Started Four important items anyone serious about inclusion issues should keep in mind in planning a meeting, conference or large gathering. 1. CONSULT with people who have physical, sensory and mental disabilities. They are your best source for knowing the needs of the people who will be attending these meetings, conferences, large gatherings and worship. Also, consult with individuals who work with persons with disabilities. MOBILITY ISSUES: ramps to buildings and lectern, elevators, unisex public bathroom for persons with an attendant, accessible bathroom with roll-in shower, wheelchair accessible van or bus, tables that can accommodate a person in awheelchair, turn ratios in dining rooms, tables that accommodate a wheelchair user, work dog, volunteer assistants. DEAF COMMUNITY/HARD OF HEARING ISSUES: note taker, listening devices, real-time captioning, closed captioned TV, open captioned TV, sign language interpreter, TTY, material on CD-Rom, fire alarm with flash. VISION ISSUES: large print materials, Braille, material on audiotape, TV with audio descriptive voice, fire alarm with sound, work dog. CHEMICAL/ENVIRONMENTAL SENSITIVITY ISSUES: no fluorescent lights, use of refrigerator, fragrance free (filters on furnace and air conditioning units, no scented candles, soaps, detergents, cleansing supplies, air fresheners, facial tissues or potpourri). INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY ISSUES: buddies, workshop track, presentation addressing visual, audio and kinesthetic learning styles, express abstract concepts in a concrete manner, social activities, inclusion in worship and administrative functions. Also, consult with care providers. 2. SITE VISIT: Try to see the location through the eyes of persons with disabilities. Nothing will be as effective as envisioning the barriers that persons with disabilities could encounter at the event. Walk through the program both in your mind and physically. If more than one site is being used for an event, drive or walk the route between sites to make sure that no barriers have been overlooked. 3. REGISTRATION FORM: Make sure there is an area on the registration form to indicate accommodations that are needed. When accommodations are indicated, the registrant should be contacted by the event planner(s). 4. IDENTIFICATION OF EVENT PERSONNEL: Have a color-coded name badge system. Differentiate between hosts/hostesses, registration workers, volunteer aides, presenters, planning committee members, etc. *Keep in mind that all accommodations are considered on an as-needed basis. Registration Form When creating a registration form, consider asking the registrants to provide the following information: • Accommodations needed during flight • Accommodations needed to arrive at hotel/conference site • Accommodations needed to register at the hotel/conference • Accommodations needed during the meeting (note-taker, sign language interpreter, listening device, large-print, Braille, material on CD Rom/audiotape, TTY, ramp up to the lectern, no fluorescent lights, refrigerator, wheel-chair accessible bathroom, unisex bathroom, real time captioning, closed captioning, and audio descriptive) • Accommodations needed in the hotel room [refrigerator, TTY, fire alarm with sound, fragrance free (filters on furnace and air conditioning units, no scented candles, soaps, detergents, cleansing supplies, air fresheners, facial tissues or potpourri), wheelchair accessible bathroom, roll-in shower, no fluorescent lights, close captioned TV] • Dietary Restrictions • Chemical Sensitivities (no scented candles, soaps, detergents, cleansing products, air fresheners, facial tissues, or potpourri) • Accommodations needed for transportation to and from hotel, conference meeting, and different meeting rooms And, of course, the usual contact information so that the registrant can be contacted to discuss the meeting accommodations further: Name, Address, Email, Day Phone, Evening Phone Accommodations Budget FACILITY ACCOMMODATIONS: Determine to what extent the facility will be responsible for providing adequate wheelchairs, listening devices etc., as you project your accommodation needs for your meeting/assembly. FUNDING: There needs to be a budget within the organization or denomination responsible for this event. Monies can be sought through individuals, individual congregations, as a specific giving from Sunday school classes, youth groups, women’s organizations, foundations, etc. Often disability organizations or congregations will loan equipment free of charge (scooters, wheelchairs, wheelchair accessible vans). BUDGET ITEMS WHEELCHAIR AND SCOOTER RENTAL: Know which local disability organizations or congregations will loan equipment free of charge (scooters, wheelchairs, wheelchair accessible vans). SIGN-LANGUAGE INTERPRETERS: Provide funding for interpreters as needed. Use qualified, professional interpreters who are trained in the preferred communication style (sign language, exact sign, and cued speech). Use a local interpreters agency whenever possible. Interpreters are often available through your local community college or universities. There are adequate number of interpreters for worship, meetings, meals, and social events. SCHOLARSHIPS AND GRANTS: Budget for travel and hotel costs for an assistant as needed. Perhaps scholarships can be given. Budget for the unexpected, especially for traveling around the site(s). THE UNEXPECTED: For every person who provided early information of accommodation needs for traveling around the site there will be others who will request a wheelchair or scooter once they have arrived and traveled to and from meeting rooms, dining facilities, and hotel. Local Arrangements Form/appoint a local arrangements committee, made up of persons with diverse disabilities, to handle all accommodations. AIRLINES: Learn which airlines do the best job accommodating persons with disabilities. Assign someone to work with persons with disabilities on making travel arrangements (Airline, hotel arrangements, car rental, taxi, bus, and vans). ACCESSIBLE TAXI & VANS: Learn where and exactly how many wheel-chair accessible vans/taxis are available for use in the city where the event is held and what the cost is. Know the rental costs of accessible vans during the duration of the event. Know what special licensing might be needed to drive a van. LOCAL ACCESSIBLE SITES/LOCATIONS: Find/create a local booklet on accessible accommodations within the city and surrounding area where your event is being held. To defray costs of printing this booklet, seek advertising from local hotels, restaurants, theatres that are accessible. Also, have these copies as part of the packet of information that participants and presenters with disabilities receive. To help defray some of the costs of accommodation, have extra copies available for a donation for all participants. On-site Walk Through Outside PARKING lots at all buildings are well lit. PARKING STALLS are visibly marked and reserved for people with disabilities. Added accessible parking may be necessary. ACCESSIBLE ROUTE with curb cuts exists from the parking lot to the accessible entrance. ACCESSIBLE ENTRANCES are clearly marked by the international symbol of accessibility. RAMPS with a slope of no greater than 1” rise in 12’ and a width of no less than 36” are easily seen. Ramps are equipped with handrails. There are level landings at the top and bottom of the ramp. DOORWAYS have a clear opening of 32” or more. Doors are automatic or have levers or push handles. CORRIDORS are at least 36” wide; 60” wide is preferred if there is two-way traffic. Wall mounted objects do not project into accessible corridor. Inside COUNTER/REGISTRATION TABLE has a space that is wheelchair height (between 28“ and 34“off the floor). SIGNAGE is in Braille and large-print and is wheel-chair height. WATER FOUNTAINS, at least one water fountain on every floor in every building is wheelchair accessible. If not, a supply of paper cups is mounted next to the fountain. TELEPHONES are available in an accessible area of all buildings and are at an appropriate height for wheelchairs. Phones should have a volume control. TTY’s are also available in the same area. ELEVATORS, if more than one floor in any building is used, there must be an elevator or wheelchair lift available. ELEVATOR or LIFT CAB is large enough to accommodate a wheelchair. Call buttons and panel buttons should be within reach of a person in a wheelchair. They should also be in Braille. Elevators should have an audible signal. Directions for elevators, other equipment and locations throughout the building(s) are written in Braille and large print. STAIRS have handrails in all buildings. FIRE ALARMS are mounted to accommodate a person in a wheelchair. Alarms should have flashing lights as well as sound. Flashing lights may cause seizures. PUBLIC RESTROOMS, ideally, there is at least on wheelchair accessible bathroom on each floor of the buildings available to event participants. There are grab bars on each side of the accessible toilet. There is a turning space of at least 5’x5’ in the restroom stalls. The sink has 29” clearance from the floor to the bottom of the sink. Pipes are wrapped. Towel dispensers are no higher than 40” from the floor. EXITS with ramps are available in case of fire. EVENT WITH MULTIPLE SITES: When more than one building is being used for an event, accessible transportation between sites needs to be arranged. Transportation within each building should be arranged (scooters, wheelchairs, volunteers to assist). Include personal assistants and interpreters for the estimated number of participants. Provide grants for these two categories if the cost is prohibitive for the participant. Include their registration fees with the registration fees of the person they are assisting or provide the assistant with reduced fees. Hotel Accommodations *Refer to pages 11 & 12. Check Signage* Check Corridors* Check Doorways* Check Ramps* Check Fire Alarms* Check Phones, TTYs* Are work dogs are welcome? (They should not be refused. It’s the law that dogs must be allowed). Dog runs are available in the hotel and convention center/meeting site (or an area near an outside entrance at both sites). Mobility Issues Check ice machines Accessible laundry facilities, workout facilities, pool, or sauna Check accessible bathrooms*, including roll in shower/transfer accessible bathtub Accessible electrical outlets and closet rods are at an appropriate height in guest rooms Check for adequate turn around space* Hearing/Deaf Issues Check televisions for closed captioning, especially if the television provides information such as food menus, schedules, airplane flights, etc. Rooms are equipped with beds, which vibrate, visual alarms and indicators. TTY available in room. Vision Issues Are there any TVs that have audio description availability? Familiarize participants who have a vision loss or who are blind with the site by explaining the layout and walking through the hotel and their room with them. Chemical Sensitivity Issues Check rooms for environmental sensitivity* No fluorescent lights Dietary Issues Check with food service to insure that dietary restrictions are accommodated Check to see if rooms can have a refrigerator. If not, where can medications be stored? Intellectual Disability Issues Clear and simple signs for directions and use of facility Need information about dining times Provide wake-up calls *Refer to pages 11 & 12. Dining Facilities Check signage* Check corridors* Check doorways* Check ramps* Check fire alarms* Check drinking fountains* Check phones, TTYs* Check accessible bathrooms* Check elevators* Check counter height for wheelchair accessibility.* Check turn around space.* Check table height.* Avoid buffet lines or provide assistance with carrying food. Check menu displays for large print/Braille, or have someone available to read the menu to a participant. Allow working dogs in the facility. Check before every meal that all dietary needs have been met. Be aware of food allergies, for example, gluten, corn, milk, nuts. Ask the participant how arrangements can be made to answer his or her needs. Have a sign language interpreter available. *Refer to pages 12 & 13. Meeting Facilities Welcome each attendee. Do not put anyone on the spot. At the same time, ensure assistance is available. Design exhibits so that they may be touched or heard. Leave adequate wheelchair space to maneuver around and through the exhibits. Check signage* Check corridors* Check doorways* Check ramps* Check fire alarms* Check drinking fountains* Check phones, TTYs* Check accessible bathrooms* Check elevators* Check registration desk height* Check for chemical sensitivities* Check for fluorescent lighting* Presenters’ Materials Have all materials in alternative formats. Have photocopies of transparencies or slides available upon request. Written materials should be available in Braille, on CD-Rom, audiotape or large print on request. Video materials should have close or open captioning as well as audio descriptive. If audio description is not available, have a qualified volunteer do it. If captioning is not available, have a printed script available. Slides are completely legible, with large print (16 point in black on off-white paper) and sharp, contrasting colors. There is adequate time for the audience to read the visual aids. All materials are delivered orally as well as in written form. *Refer to pages 12 & 13. Hearing/Deaf Issues Use one interpreter if the meeting will last less than one and a half hours. Use two interpreters when the meeting lasts longer than one and a half hours. Place the interpreter as close to the speaker as possible. When there are multiple speakers sitting at a table, place the interpreter across from the person(s) who is (are) deaf or hard of hearing. Seat participants using a Sign Language interpreter near the front. The interpreter is in an area that can be easily seen by the participants who are deaf. Limit to twenty minutes the time an interpreter must interpret. Then have a five-minute break. When two interpreters are used, rotate every twenty minutes. Use real time captioning. Use a good quality sound system. Make necessary adjustments to the sound system for those participants who use it. Make available listening devices for participants who are hard of hearing for all meetings. Eliminate background noise to the greatest extent possible. Mobility Issues Tabletop height is between 28” and 34” above the floor, 32” width. There is seating space with extra legroom for people with crutches, walkers, braces or casts. Adequate space for wheelchairs at conference tables is provided. This space should be in the same location as other participants. Adequate space for work dogs is provided. Vision Issues All meeting rooms are well lighted with adjustable lighting. Offer to help participants with vision loss or those who request it, find a seat. Have a staff member or volunteer available to take notes during the presentation, allowing the participant to focus on the speaker and interpreter. Have a staff member or volunteer available to sit with the participant and describe the presentations, if the participant requests it. Intellectual Disability Issues Encourage all the workshops/events to express the abstract as concretely as possible. Use language that is easily understood by all. Use methods that enable audio, visual and kinesthetic learning. Large Assemblies Design exhibits so that they may be touched or heard. Leave adequate wheelchair space to maneuver around and through the exhibits. Check signage* Check corridors* Check doorways* Check ramps* Check fire alarms* Check drinking fountains* Check phones, TTYs* Check accessible bathrooms* Check elevators* Check registration desk height* Check for chemical sensitivities* Check for fluorescent lighting* Materials: Have all materials in alternative formats. Have photocopies of transparencies or slides available upon request. Written materials should be available in Braille, on CD-Rom, audiotape or large print (16 point, in black on off-white paper) on request. Video materials should have closed or open captioning as well as audio descriptive. If audio description is not available, have a qualified volunteer do it. If captioning is not available, have a printed script available. Slides: Slides are completely legible, with large print and sharp, contrasting colors. There is adequate time for the audience to read the visual aids. All materials are delivered orally as well as in written form. *Refer to pages 12 & 13. Sign Language Interpreters Use one interpreter if the meeting will last less than one and a half hours. Use two interpreters when the meeting lasts longer than one and a half hours. Place the interpreter as close to the speaker as possible. When there are multiple speakers sitting at a table, place the interpreter across from the person(s) who is (are) deaf or hard of hearing. Seat participants using a Sign Language interpreter near the front. The interpreter is in an area that can be easily seen by the participants who are deaf. Limit to twenty minutes the time an interpreter must interpret. Then have a five-minute break. When two interpreters are used, rotate every twenty minutes. Captioning Use real time captioning. Sound A good quality sound system is being used. Necessary adjustments are made to the sound system for those participants who use it. Listening devices are available for participants who are hard of hearing for all large assemblies. Background noise is eliminated to the greatest extent possible. Lighting All meeting rooms are well lighted with adjustable lighting. Seating Tabletop height is between 28” and 34” above the floor. There is seating space with extra legroom for people with crutches, walkers, braces or casts. Adequate space for wheelchairs at conference tables is provided.* This space should be in the same location as other participants. Adequate space for work dogs is provided. Other Accommodations Offer to help participants with vision loss or who request it find a seat. Have a staff member or volunteer available to take notes during the presentation, allowing the participant to focus on the speaker and interpreter. Have a staff member or volunteer available to sit with the participant and describe the presentations, if the participant requests it. * Refer to pages 12 & 13. Worship Identify the focal point of your worship. Make certain that worship leaders are easily seen and recognized by participants. Make certain that there are no distractions to the focal point (i.e. flags/other decorations). Insure that the service is easy to follow. Make programs, hymns, etc. available in large print, Braille, on audiotape. Make volunteers available to sit and offer assistance to those who need it during the service. Plan for wheelchair space throughout. Check to see that the aisles are wide enough for wheelchairs, walkers, etc. Check for appropriate lighting. Have a good sound system. Make certain there is seating throughout for those who use listening devices. Use real time captioning. Reserve space for those who need a sign language interpreter. Consider your invitation to persons to stand or sit during certain parts of the service. Consider offering grape juice as well as wine for communion if this is appropriate to your context. Consider if flowers or incense will be used that may be a barrier for persons with chemical sensitivities. Likewise, if deemed appropriate and necessary, encourage persons not to wear perfumes or use scents or offer a fragrance free area as an alternative to those needing it. Be aware and attentive to the needs of those who are leading the worship. Presenters Check for the accommodations of presenters with disabilities. Start with registration, walk-through, hotel accommodations, meeting rooms, and large assemblies. Other accommodations may include a reverse interpreter, an orientation and mobility specialist, or guide for a person with limited vision as well as a volunteer/staff to assist in transporting materials that the presenter has. Presenters need to plan ahead of time to have available copies of the presentation on CD-Rom, audiotape, in Braille or large print, slides in the proper format, printed copies for sign language interpreters, videos with close caption and audio descriptive, and real time captioning. Print size should be 16 point, in black on off-white paper. Displays need to have adequate room for wheelchairs. They also should be something that is visual, touchable and audible. Presenters should keep in mind that participants learn visually, audibly and kinesthetically. These three learning styles should be an integral part of the presentation. Express abstract concepts in concrete ways. Use language that is easily understood by all. Have a time for participant response. Etiquette Remember: A person with a disability is an individual like anyone else. Each situation is unique. First, ask the person if and what help is needed. Offer to help, but do not insist on helping. Ask how to help and what to do. Guidelines Persons with vision loss or Persons who are Blind Identify yourself when you approach the person. Don’t touch a person with a visual impairment without warning (unless it is an emergency). Ask the person if help is needed and how you can best help. Don’t assume the person cannot see you. Never touch or distract a guide dog unless you have permission. Speak in a normal tone of voice. Tell anyone what you are doing before you open a door. Don’t walk away without saying good-bye to the person. Don’t leave the person in the middle of a room. Ask where the person would like to go. If you take the person to a chair, or guide him or her to a wall or door, explain to the person where he or she is. Persons who are Deaf or hard of hearing Be certain you have the person’s attention before speaking. If the person is not facing you, use a gentle tap on the shoulder. Don’t yell or exaggerate your speech. Look at the person, not at an interpreter. If spoken communication is difficult, try using a paper and pencil or pen. Look directly at the person. Don’t cover your mouth with anything. Even moustaches and beards may be an impediment. Don’t touch or distract a hearing ear dog. Be patient. Rephrase information if necessary. Persons with physical disabilities Don’t assume the person has an intellectual disability. Speak directly to the person, not to an attendant. Ask IF and HOW you can be of help. Do not assume anything. If possible, sit so you are at eye level to talk with the person. If assisting someone in a wheelchair to go up or down a curb, ask if the person prefers to go forward or backward. Don’t move crutches, walkers, canes or wheelchairs out of reach without permission. If moved with permission, do not leave until you return them to the person or arrange for their return. Respect the person’s personal space by not leaning on a wheelchair. Do not distract a working dog. Persons are not confined to a wheelchair. Wheelchairs provide freedom and access. Use the term “wheelchair user”. Persons with speech disabilities Don’t assume the person has an intellectual disability. Don’t pretend you’ve understood if you haven’t. Do ask the person to repeat what you don’t understand. Ask questions that can be answered by “yes” or “no”. Give your whole, unhurried attention. Be patient. A person’s speech may be slow or difficult, but it is worth waiting for what that person has to say. Persons with intellectual disabilities Use simple words and short sentences. Give one piece of information at a time, and repeat if needed. Be polite and patient. Do not treat an adult like a child. Don’t make assumptions about what anyone can or cannot do. Acknowledgements The National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA Committee on Disabilities wishes to extend our grateful thanks to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America for allowing us to use the ELCA Accessibility Guide: Planning an Accessible Meeting as our guide to creating this booklet. We especially recognize the work of Rev. Lisa Cleaver, Director for Disability Ministries and Deaf Ministry, Division for Church in Society, ELCA. Special thanks go to members of the NCCCUSA Committee on Disabilities who helped to edit this booklet. For further help, please contact the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA; Education and Leadership Ministries Commission; 475 Riverside Drive, Ste. 812; New York, NY 10115; phone: 212-870-2267; fax: (212) 870-3112; www.ncccusa.org/elmc.

Reflections from a Different Journey Edited by Stanley D. Klein, Ph.D. and John D. Kemp Reviewed by Linda Jean H. Larson, M. A. T. Coordinator, Committee on Disabilities, National Council of Churches USA What Adults with Disabilities Wish All Parents Knew, Reflections from a Different Journey is a must read for anyone disabled or non. It is excellent for anyone who is exploring disability for the first time as well as those well versed in the area of disability. Its greatest asset is the openness that comes across by all the writers. In the introduction to the book, the essayists are introduced to the reader as “...ordinary, accomplished individuals-they are not superstars” (pg. xvi) on a different journey. This frames the conversation that takes place within the book. One gift that What Adults with Disabilities Wish All Parents Knew, Reflections from a Different Journey offers is an openness that touches one with humor, anger, reflection, sadness, pain, and “aha” moments where I learned something new or where I felt connected for the first time because the writer spoke of my own experience. Although it touched upon spirituality, I was left wanting more in this area. A second gift is the approach that the editors took in focusing on the voices of adults with disabilities as they pass on their life experience. This is truly a remarkable perspective because, “our disability culture is transmitted from one of us to another, peer to peer” (pg. 197). No other culture is passed on this way. This is what gives the book its integrity and uniqueness. There is a diversity of disability (i.e. visible disabilities, sensory loss, physical disabilities and invisible disabilities such as autoimmune conditions, mental illness, autism) as well as a diversity of occupation, age, education, male and female voices throughout the book. This is well thought out except for the diversity of culture, which may have been included but not specifically stated. The complexity of living life with a disability is well brought out by introducing such topics as institutionalization, labeling, special education-good and bad, human reaction of oppression and fear, from personal stories. There are five sections in What Adults with Disabilities Wish All Parents Knew, Reflections from a Different Journey, each with a series of short essays around a specific topic. They are, “Love and Accept Me as I Am“, “Parental Expectations”, “Sexuality”, “Education About Disability”, and “Afterword: Disability Culture”. This is an excellent way to edit the book. The reader can read straight through or pick and choose essays for perusal. This is very inviting.

“Love and Accept Me as I Am”

There is an essay by Gregor Wolbring, “Parents Without Prejudice“, that speaks to a timely and sensitive topic and that is a “disability rights approach within the field of bioethics” (pg. 20). Rather than basing life and death decisions in the field of bioethics on a medical role model of disability which views disability as something that needs to be fixed and an individual concern, individuals within the disability community are calling for a paradigm that honestly speaks to the negative values society has about disability and the institutionalization of those values. I smile at the comment made by Mark Enston in his essay, “Take Me as I am (pg. 29), “People expect people with disabilities to be humble, conservative, thankful, and, worst of all, mega do-gooders. How boring!”

“Parental Expectations”

This section I find to be very reflective. In “The Rules of the “Game“”, Jeff Moyer writes, “Acceptance is a requirement for happiness, ...a deep, openhanded and openhearted acceptance” (pg. 47). In “Giving our Children Roots and Wings“, Barbara Ranmaraine speaks of her learned experience both as a child with a disability and a parent of a child with a disability, “Love sets us free; pity imprisons us” (pg. 123). She also cautions, “Hopes for the future are an important part of growing up and a life without dreams is impoverished” (pg. 124).

“Sexuality”

Few books offer the opportunity for persons with disabilities to be seen as sexual beings. In, “Relational Realism“, Jennifer Malatesta speaks to the heart of the issue, “If people with disabilities are led to believe that they cannot expect loving relationships, they may become willing to accept emotional, verbal, or physical abuse as a twisted legacy” (pg. 133). Persons with disabilities are twice as likely to be abused as the non-disabled. Yet is clear that “Each and every person is worthy of love, and no physical, emotional, or mental disability should preclude it”( pg. 135).

“Education About Disability”

Although this section is about educating oneself about disability, I found two articles that I feel are MUST read for all educators, most especially for those in the regular classroom. They are, “Twice Exceptional“, by Kassiane A. Sibley, a must read for educators and, a very moving essay, and “Learning Was Always Hard for Me“, by Damaris A. Mills, which offers practical advice for an inclusive classroom.

“Afterword: Disability Culture” By John D. Kemp

So, what is disability culture? John Kemp states this succinctly; “we are connected as a culture because of shared indignities inflicted upon us by poor architectural planning and design and by others’ stereotypically negative assumptions about us. We are also connected by the frustration and anger that well up once in a while when we tire of dealing with prostheses, scooters, and sores-and that makes us search for understanding by someone who has been where we find ourselves” (pg. 197). Many discount that there truly is a disability culture. By definition, shared experience, that which binds us together, is culture. This concept is where the book leaves us to reflect. This is how is should and needs to be. Kemp also leaves us with one inspiring thought by Carol Gill, Department of Disability and Human Development, College of Applied Health Sciences at the University of Illinois. People with disabilities have a heightened acceptance of human differences...People with disabilities consider interdependence an essential aspect of our lives. People with disabilities use humor-the ability to find something absurdly hilarious in almost anything, however dire-without it becoming self-deprecatory. People with disabilities have an ability, acquired over time living with our disabilities, to read others’ attitudes and conflicts in order to sort out, fill in the gaps, and grasp the latent meaning in contradictory social messages. Enjoy, peruse, and reflect. We are all on different journeys. What Adults with Disabilities Wish All Parents Knew, Reflections from a Different Journey poignantly and aptly describes mine, along with 54 million others in this country. I urge you to read this engaging book. -------------------------- Order this book from www.disabilitiesbooks.com Reposted from NCC Home Page

Designing for People with Partial Sight and Color Deficiencies by Aries Arditi, PhD This web page contains three basic guidelines for making effective color choices that work for nearly everyone. Following the guidelines are explanations of the three perceptual attributes of color -- hue, lightness and saturation -- as they are used by vision scientists. To read full article go to

ACCESS SUNDAY "Not everybody has a minister like Diana," said 13-year-old Scott Pigsley of Lincoln, NE. "Things like this tell other wheelchair-users we won't banish you from our church." "This" was Northeast UCC's calling an interim minister with post-polio syndrome. "This" meant rearranging chancel space to accept a replacement ramp that honors the decade-old Americans with Disabilities Act code of no more than one inch of height per foot of run. It frees Scott, who has spina bifida, to light candles with friends. It invites Diana Coberly into the chancel. Five General Synod Disabilities Ministries Resolutions since 1977, including "The Calling of Clergy with Disabilities" (1999 GS), have nudged older churches to erase physical and attitudinal barriers. Robert Wandel, UCC Fellowship of Architects moderator said, "The issue of opening chancels goes beyond voluntary compliance with public access laws to how churches design for inclusion. Inclusion is a Christian question for churches to address." Creative changes at 140-member First Congregational of Alameda tamed eleven levels of the California landmark without disturbing its integrity. Century-old St. Mary's UCC in Westminster, MD, converted a closet to bypass a step, rail, three-step chancel. As at Northeast, trustee Bill Enright's ramp for the wedding of a wheelchair-using member parallels the right chancel arm of Central Congregational in Dallas. "A ramp is an up-front commitment," Minnesota minister Robert Baggott said. "The deeper commitment is accessibility of the soul." Rather than underscore differences that remind temporarily able-bodied persons of their vulnerability, he said a ramp strengthens human connections. "A congregation sees your disability, so we make changes to create a space physically possible for you. We look beyond your challenge to celebrate what is possible with you." God saw beyond Moses' disabilities to call him to lead. Moses' rebuttal, "O my Lord, please send someone else," once couched most churches' response when asked to consider physically-challenged clergy. Now, some hear God's promise, "Go, I will teach you what you shall do....You shall serve" (Exodus 4:1-13). Ongoing commitment to social justice defines the United Church of Gainesville, FL. An informed accessibility committee was key to the architecturally integrated ramp that sheaths its three, broad chancel steps. "This middle class congregation struggles to balance budget," said Pastor Larry Reimer, "yet meets access needs members bring." The 220-member Lazarus UCC, Lineboro, MD, wanted to incorporate five bell and voice choirs into its 1908-built chancel. After six years, the committee overcame seating, faulty underpinning, and flexible-use obstacles to generate a unique, three-level area that offers wheelchair-using families abundant space for reading Scripture or ringing choir bells. Member gifts plus a Development Commission Grant from the Catoctin Association funded the renovation. The aim of calling clergy with disabilities, said Coberly, is to reap the benefits of the minister's abilities. "The change which allows persons with disabilities to participate fully in the life of a church happens only once it is in people's hearts." A minister with disabilities who has served UCC churches since 1969, the Rev. Dr. Dallas Brauninger is a Nebraska Conference Disabilities Ministries Task Force member.

By Ellen Trief and Raquel Feeney The transition from high school to college is a significant turning point in a student's life, and this easy-to-read guide gives students the tools they need to select and apply to college and move forward with skill and confidence. To read more about this publication, visit www.afb.org

This guide provides tips on what to look for if you want your meeting to be fully accessible to all people. Go to .

Written by Jo Lambert. It is not generally understood or addressed by our society that people with disabilities experience more grief and loss on an almost daily basis than the general public. Much of the grief and loss for the person with a disability is the same as that for the person without a disability. However, the person with a disability has the added dynamic of a daily reminder—the disability itself. . . . Read at Access Press, Originally from Life After Loss by Kathy Sherer, Ph.D. (From the University of Texas, Counseling and Mental Health Center). Updated in 2005

Refer in particular to Chapter 1 Terms for God Chapter 2 Other Religious Terms Chapter 3 Emerging Terms and Bias-Free Usage Chapter 4 Trademarks and Brand Names Chapter 5 Alphabetized Word List See entire style sheet at From ELCA Publishing Standards Manual copyright (c) 2003 Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Reproduced by permission of Augsburg Fortress.

This Manual for Congregations from Bethesda Lutheran Homes and Services is an 80-page resource for congregations planning the development of disability ministries. The construction-theme manual contains chapters on developing a vision, recruiting leadership and volunteers, community evangelism/marketing, teacher training and a "toolbox" of assessments, evaluations forms and other helpful items. See http://www.blhs.org/resources/spiritualResources/catalog/item.asp?item=Building%20a%20Developmental%20Disability%20Ministry%3A%20A%20Manual%20for%20Congregations.