A “Culture of Belonging” at Springdale Church

“Will my sister be accepted?” Debbie Hicks asked herself this question every time she considered visiting a church. Debbie’s sister, Anita, has a developmental disability and going to church was always a challenge. Then one day a newspaper ad caught Debbie’s attention. The ad announced Access Sunday at Springdale Presbyterian Church in Louisville, Kentucky. Debbie didn’t hesitate. She said, “Let’s go!” Any anxiety Debbie experienced was allayed immediately because “Anita was accepted right off the bat.”

On their first Communion Sunday, Debbie did not allow Anita to take the bread and wine. She describes Anita’s reaction as “furious.” Anita demanded to know why she was not included. Debbie explained that she had not been baptized. Anita insisted that Debbie call Pastor Whit Malone immediately. The next day Debbie e-mailed Whit and they began to prepare Anita for the sacrament.

On the Sunday of Anita’s baptism, members of the congregation smiled through tears as she went forward. Debbie had “practiced” with Anita and had planned to go forward with her, but Anita let Debbie know that she was to stay in her pew!  Debbie says, “It was her show!” 

Springdale became “home” to both Debbie and Anita. Debbie’s family responsibilities do not end with Anita; their mother lives in an assisted living facility. Women from the congregation have organized to give Debbie time away, time for self-care. Anita attends a daycare program and during a recent break, church women cared for Anita so that Debbie could go to work. As for Anita, Debbie says, “She has her own fan club!”

Milton Tyree, Consultant on Developmental Disabilities for The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and an elder at Springdale, describes the church’s supportive ministry as being very flexible. The kind of support given depends upon the needs of the individual or of the family. Assistance may be as diverse as financial help, help with a move, or finding ways to include people with disabilities in the life of the church.

Springdale celebrated their fifth Access Sunday in 2006. Each Sunday was planned by a committee of persons who are knowledgeable about disability concerns. Pastor Whit Malone and Associate Pastor Jean Davidson play an important part in the planning process. Jean Davidson preached at the 2006 service. Other services have featured guest preachers: Kathy Bolduc, Tim Estes, Milton Tyree, and Elizabeth Hinson-Hasty. Planners have used resources from the Access Sunday Packet and from the National Organization on Disability. The story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman in John 4 was the text for Milton’s sermon. In “A Case of Mistaken Identity,” he pointed out that just as Jesus was not recognized by people he encountered, we do not recognize people with disabilities as the persons they are. “We see only the disability, not the real person.”

Milt describes Access Sunday as a paradox because the goal is to “celebrate something you want to be typical.” Access Sunday, according to Milt, “punctuates” what the church attempts to do every Sunday. “Worship is a part of everyday life and not just an add-on.”  Between Access Sundays and its supportive ministry, Milt and others at Springdale are working to create a “culture of belonging.” That culture is transforming and enriching lives for many, including Debbie and Anita Hicks, Milton Tyree, Jean Davidson and Whit Malone.

- by the Rev. Bebe Baldwin, PDC Vice Moderator, Minneapolis, Minnesota