Giving Tuesday 2025 Follow-up

Volume 15 , No. 6

Set up for Dinner Church in Arizona - see story below!

Greetings in Christ! 

Your contributions for Giving Tuesday and throughout the year help make our United Methodist churches accessible places where disabled and non-disabled people can together find true community and belonging. 

While changing attitudes and practices does not cost anything, updating church buildings for wheelchair and mobility device access can be expensive. The most frequent queries we receive inquire about grants and funding available for accessibility modifications. 

We would love to offer seed grants to many more churches than we currently award. However, since we receive no apportionment funding, grants can only be given with your support. 

Thank you for your gifts to churches in need of support so they more closely resemble the full body of Christ! 

This newsletter issue showcases the types of projects for which the Disability Ministries Committee has awarded grants this year. There is a common thread of making congregations more welcoming! Note that the indented paragraphs are excerpts from the grant applications. The churches also supplied the photos. We hope these stories will inspire you to consider similar projects in your own ministries and facilities. 

Blessings,

Deaconess Lynn Swedberg, editor

Disability Awareness in Africa

Improving Access through

Technology

Alternative Worship Services

DONATE to the DMC



Disability Ministries Committee of the UMC

UM Association of Ministers with Disabilities

UM Committee on Deaf and Hard of Hearing Ministries 

Subscribe to our newsletter

Newsletter archive

Over the years we have been impressed by the disability theology reflected in grant applications from African congregations. With the help of our African DMC members and our Garrett Theological Seminary intern from Zimbabwe, we hope to gather contextually relevant materials from these churches to expand our web-based resources, and to offer them in both English and French.

This year two Kenyan churches requested funds to provide disability awareness training and work for integration of disabled persons

into church leadership.  East Africa Central Conference

graphic by Ben Ward, UMCom

Mt Zion UMC (Kenya-Ethiopia Conference) will implement

“Diversity in Leadership: Empowering Disabled Voices in Ministry” with goals of:

Bringing disabled persons into leadership. Despite the rich gifts and perspectives that disabled persons bring to the body of Christ, systemic barriers, lack of awareness, and limited mentorship opportunities hinder their full participation in church leadership. This project... seeks to address this pressing need by implementing a mentorship program that ... fosters a culture of diversity and representation within decision-making processes.

Creating a welcoming and accessible church environment for everyone… This includes ongoing assessments of our physical spaces to ensure compliance with accessibility standards, the implementation of assistive technologies, and the promotion of inclusive practices in all church programming. 

Providing workshops and training sessions ... that will feature guest speakers and panel discussions with successful leaders who have disabilities themselves, sharing their experiences and strategies for overcoming barriers. Emphasis will be placed on fostering community connections and building a sense of belonging among participants. … Grant funds will cover … training materials, workshop logistics, mentoring resources… and outreach activities including accessible promotional materials ...

Gitimbine UMC (Kenya - Ethiopia Conference) proposed the following: 

Inclusive Programming: We will develop and promote new program initiatives that are specifically tailored for individuals with disabilities and their families. This includes adaptive worship services, educational workshops on disability awareness for the broader congregation, and social events that foster interaction and inclusion among all members.

Training and Resources: We will provide training for our staff, volunteers, and congregation members on best practices for inclusivity and sensitivity toward individuals with disabilities. This training will also cover how to communicate effectively and provide necessary accommodations. We will collaborate with local disability advocacy organizations to ensure that the training is comprehensive and relevant.

Outreach and Awareness Campaigns: To promote our initiatives and engage the wider community, we will launch outreach campaigns that include informational materials, community events, and social media promotions. These materials will help create a welcoming atmosphere that invites participation from individuals with disabilities and their families.

Increasing Participation through Accessibility Modifications and Technology

Many grant requests are for accessibility modifications. Some requests are for high-tech devices, others for low-tech equipment such as restroom grab bars.

As automatic door openers become more affordable, we have helped fund several installations each grant cycle. If your church is considering obtaining a door opener, check out our new handout: Accessibility Tip: Automatic Door Openers on our website.

This year, St. Andrew’s UMC (Indiana conference) proposed the following as part of a larger accessibility project:

Install one automatic door opener leading from the existing accessibility ramp into the sanctuary chancel area/stage. Provide easier access to the sanctuary chancel area/stage for people using a mobility device. Our congregation is looking to be more inviting to people of all abilities, young and old. We currently have one young church member who uses a mobility device and will be attending confirmation classes next year. We want him, and others, to have minimal restriction to participate in scripture reading, etc., on the stage. 

Stevensville UMC (Mountain Sky conference) plans to install automatic door openers on the heavy fire doors at the accessible church entrance (shown held open with a rock) and for an ADA compliant restroom. 

The addition of the door openers make the building much more welcoming for anyone needing assistance accessing it, thereby helping us to live into our values. The building is used for community events during the year including Red Cross blood drives and weekly Al-Anon mtgs. Our fellowship space is used by the community for hosted events on a regular basis. These events include ... Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts, a ham radio operators club, arts and crafts fairs, weddings, and funerals.

Lack of access between floors is a common barrier in older buildings. Minburn UMC (Iowa conference) is the only church in a small town and serves as a community center. They need to replace a 35+ year old malfunctioning lift with a newer model so parishioners and visitors can access the basement and second-floor worship and meeting spaces. They will install a shaftway vertical platform lift, similar to the one pictured to the left. While it resembles an elevator, it is actually an enclosed lift.

For those of you not familiar with the variety of lifts that churches can consider when an elevator is not feasible, we have compiled the new information sheet: Accessibility Tip: Lifts - Affordable Elevator Alternatives. Please note that we do not recommend or fund stairway chair lifts which are not ADA compliant because the user must leave their wheelchair behind and transfer to the lift chair. Instead, enclosed vertical lifts, vertical platform lifts, and inclined platform lifts are all possibilities to overcome the obstacle of stairs for various building configurations. 

St. John’s on the Lake UMC (Florida conference) is a welcoming congregation that realizes that the lack of accessible restrooms hinders their outreach efforts and ministries. As Step one of their “Friendly Building” plan, they will renovate two of their restrooms to meet ADA standards. The one shown here has typical barriers: no access to the sinks and stalls without grab bars.

As we increase our programming and outreach in the community, we cannot proclaim "all are welcome" if we do not have facilities that welcome people of all dis/abilities. This project seeks to align our facility with our vision of being an inclusive and welcoming church. 

Step two is to increase signage to help direct people around the campus. Step three is to secure pew chairs with armrests. Step four is to install edge markings and handrails along the staircase leading to the balcony.. Step five is to install a permanent ramp to our back patio.

Offering Joyful Worship Experiences for All

A number of United Methodist congregations offer alternative worship services to meet the needs of persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities who are not comfortable in traditional worship services. These services are typically held monthly at a time other than Sunday morning. They aim to supplement, not replace, traditional worship. Inclusive worship allows multiple participants to take an active part in worship leadership. 

Such services are places that affirm joyous noise, e.g., shaking a tambourine, calling out excitedly, or getting up and dancing. They may not be a good fit for everyone, especially for persons who are sensitive to noise.

This year, three grant applications reflected this type of outreach ministry.

First UMC of Mechanicsburg (Susquehanna Conference) follows the Rejoicing Spirits model, as do five other UMC congregations. (See host church list.)

Rejoicing Spirits is a proven and successful model that is easy for churches to replicate in their own communities. It uses creative worship, intentional community partnerships, fellowship, education and inclusion to provide people with intellectual and developmental disabilities with the opportunity to explore and experience faith. Quote source.



The church applied for funds for lightweight wheeled bases for the banners used during worship (see photo above) and for “a portable, professional advertising retractable banner for use at church functions and when attending local disability fairs ... and community events.” This will allow them to reach out to families in their area who may be looking for a welcoming place to worship.

Elkhart New Hope UMC (Indiana Conference) hosts a monthly worship service called Jehovah Jireh Disability Ministry. The quote to the right is from their website. Leaders discovered that families and participants were interested in having a vacation Bible School designed for their needs and interests.  The application states:

We currently worship between 40-100 monthly at our Jireh Disability Worship Service. There are few "on ramps" to our current Jireh Ministry, so we do not get many visitors. This VBS would serve as an event to bring attention to an already established ministry in this community and provide a way to meet other families, individuals and group homes that may be searching for such a service.

The grant will be used to purchase VBS curriculum additions and permissions, t-shirts for attendees, food for meals, supplies for crafts, games, and activities ... and to purchase ads and promotional supplies.

We have many members that have disabled adult children, all of whom attend regularly on Sunday mornings and at our monthly Jireh event. Our hope is that this VBS event will draw persons from the community toward our inclusive church so that families and individuals can find camaraderie and community within our congregation. 

Santa Cruz Valley UMC (Desert Southwest Conference) plans to relaunch a monthly Dinner Church that was interrupted by COVID. This service is one aspect of their ministry with adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities. They also host an adult day care facility and a weekly volunteering and recreation ministry.

This grant will be used to help expand the new monthly Dinner Church to reach more people and also have dinner catered. We have a partnership with our local Food Bank and will use this grant to cover the cost to cater the meal to us at cost. We will also use grant funds to purchase craft and activity supplies.

The money we receive from this grant will directly benefit the people already participating in these programs/ministries, as they use our space now, attend church events and Bible study, as well as attend worship with us. We also hope to reach new people in our community. Our current program reaches 24-30 people per month, but we hope to grow to accommodate 50 people.

Participants working on a craft as part of Dinner Church

Almost ready to serve the meal at Dinner Church

While the Disability Ministries Committee strongly recommends that congregations provide inclusive worship and ministries to the extent feasible, these churches demonstrate that there is a place for targeted programs as well. Who in your community could benefit from a fellowship program, additional worship option, or a Sunday School class where they would feel at home and fully able to participate?

In addition to grants, your support of the Disability Ministries Committee funds:

• publication of this newsletter 6 times a year (three general and three mental health issues).
• development of our comprehensive DMC website with its many resources on accessibility, engagement and communication with disabled persons, worship, and much more.
• creation of an anti-ableism curriculum.
• coordinated work with UM agencies and conferences on providing accommodations for ministerial candidates with disabilities.
• consultation with conferences and local churches on establishing disability ministry committees.
• assistance to conferences in reviewing accessibility audits and implementing the Accessible and Disability-Friendly Church badge program.
• staffing a booth at denomination-wide events such as the upcoming UWF Assembly 2026 to spread awareness of our resources.
• stipends for part-time (less than 1/4 time) disability and communication consultants.

Please consider a personal year-end gift, encourage your congregation to make a donation, or request that we be included in your annual conference budget!

Blessings this Advent season, at Christmas, and in the New Year from the Disability Ministries Committee of the United Methodist Church!

P.S. We love to hear from you, e.g., about your ministries, your ideas for newsletter topics, questions you may have, and resources you would like to see. Email us at information@umcdmc.org.