Contributed by Lee Vorderer
One of the issues facing cities and towns across the country is how to provide equal access to its services for all its citizens.
For people with disabilities, these issues range from physical access – can I get into the bank or the voting booth? – to language issues – is there large print signage or interpretation for people who are deaf? – to issues around support – is there someone who is trained to help a child with a physical disability make the most of Town celebrations?
These concerns affect places where people gather to share common interests. Churches face these and more as they consider ways to make what they offer truly available to everyone who is interested in taking part.
First Parish Church in Bedford was chosen this past summer to be one of nine Unitarian Universalist congregations across the country to field test a pilot program designed by the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) to assist congregations in thinking about, planning for, and taking steps to achieve access to all its services and supports for anyone interested in taking part in them.
The congregation is forming a small committee to spearhead the field test, which will include workshops, special services, occasional church wide meetings, activities in religious education and efforts around outreach and general physical access. First Parish is calling this work Access for ALL, because the church sees some of the concerns focusing more broadly than disability to include issues around aging, people for whom English is not their primary language, and access to information.
Irene Gravina and Lee Vorderer are chairing the committee, and with assistance from staff at the UUA and many interested people in the First Parish community, they look forward to learning about what needs doing and how to go about taking action to make First Parish as welcoming as it can be to anyone who chooses to be part of it.
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