Accessibility Task Force Concerns
A long-time member stops attending church because she can't hear the service or manage the background noise of coffee hour. A man who served for years on the Board and the Facilities Management Committee can't attend a friend's memorial service in the 2nd floor chapel or a political discussion group in the basement library. For the past 10 years he, who once jumped fences, has been unable to manage the stairs. One of our social butterflies would love to continue with the church community but hasn't the lung power to navigate our ramp. How many such stories do you know? How many such losses have you felt? Do their silent voices echo in your ear, create an unwelcome chill as you drink your cup of java? Where do you guess these situations leave the members with disabilities in relation to the larger church?
Losing our members to death is an inevitable aspect of our very mortal lives. But losing creative minds, vital spirits and creative energy to the barriers of disability is both unnecessary and drains us of critical, vital, and creative energy.
FUSD has formed an Accessibility Task Force (TF) to identify and address the barriers we present to full participation by all our members. The TF held its first organizational meeting on November 13, 2005 and elected Jaime Fradera and Elizabeth Winslow to co-chair the group. Colleen Bryan, Stu Ferguson, Anne Hatcher, and Lori Jervis rounded out the group at the first meeting.
If you want to join the task force, jump in now! If you want to be added to the TF email distribution list, let us know. If you have an observation or a story about barriers to your participation that you'd like to see addressed, contact any of the TF members and they'll be glad to carry your gift to the larger group. Things won't change tomorrow, but starting today will hasten the day we can all feel welcome to work and worship together.
A compilation of the congregational concerns from the first survey is available on-line.