Creating a Task Force on Disability Issues/ Inclusion Committee

A Task Force on Disability Issues can be a major catalyst for a congregation to take seriously the call for the church to be a “house of prayer for all people” — in this instance, persons who have a disability and their families. 

As approximately 19 percent of any given population has some type of disabling condition, attention to the issues that cause barriers to participation can affect more congregational members than we are typically aware of. It is likely that the needs of at least some of these individuals have been overlooked or not seriously considered. It may also be the case that some members who have a disabling condition may not have wanted to bring attention to barriers to their participation and have quietly chosen to either not participate or endured hardship in order to participate. 

It is probable that even recognized needs within the congregation, might go unattended to without a team giving attention to these issues on an ongoing basis. 

How to Form a Task Force

1.  Seek the support and authorization from the appropriate governing board of your church. 

2.  Communicate the importance of this Task Force by asking your pastor to sign a letter inviting members to serve. A general announcement of the formation of the Task Force could be included in your church bulletin or newsletter to identify those persons you might not readily think as having an interest or experience in this area.

3.  Invite as Task Force members:

• People with various types of disabilities
• Family members of persons with disabilities
• Pastor/church staff
• Professional in some disability-related field (i.e. special education teacher, physical therapist, occupational therapist)
• Church leaders (someone with influence in making church policy, someone involved on the property committee, children’s ministry)
• Other interested persons — especially those with skills in hospitality

Once you have outlined the mission and goals of your Task Force, you may want to ask additional people to join the team (i.e. someone with skills in writing, someone with experience in fundraising). Many other individuals will be engaged in the implementation of various projects undertaken by your team, but will not be part of the broader, ongoing work of the Task Force. 

Hold an initial exploratory meeting

• Begin with prayer and a meditation/devotional.
• Have an agenda, but let your discussion evolve.
• Ask each participant to “tell their story” — what is their interest, how have they been touched by disability?
• Discuss experiences within the congregation that may be creating barriers for people with disabilities and their families. Barriers may be physical, attitudinal, relational or may revolve around issues of awareness. Don’t attempt to create an extensive list at this point, but instead to lay a foundation for the type of work the Task Force will be engaging in and why it is so important.
• Brainstorm some overall ideas of what this team sees as their mission.
• Ask for a commitment to be a contributing and active member of the Task Force for approximately three years. Appoint a facilitator for the team if one has not already been identified. 

Possible agenda items

• Begin each meeting with prayer and a meditation, perhaps using liturgies that could be incorporated into a worship services (at some future point), and Scriptures that ground your work in the call of God.
• Use each meeting to broaden the team’s awareness and education of issues related to disability and ministry. This might include reading books or articles, watching videos/DVDs, skimming various resources, etc.
• The following articles/video might be helpful to discuss in beginning your deliberations together as a Task Force and help in shaping your role and future endeavors.
  • “The Accessible Church,” by the Massachusetts and Rhode Island Council of Churches,
  • “A Church of All and for All,” by the World Council of Churches Central Committee
  • “Believing, Belonging and Becoming,” an 11-minute video highlighting the stories of four people who have been meaningfully included in the life of their faith communities. See how faith communities have formed worship support circles, fostered one-to-one relationships and committed resources to promote inclusion. Video includes brief discussion guide. $10 purchase from Bill Gaventa at the Elizabeth Boggs Center on Developmental Disabilities. Call (732) 718-5875 or send an email.
• Conduct a congregational audit of accessibility and disability inclusion. The results of this audit set the agenda for most of your Task Force meetings and will guide your priorities and implementation plans. Download the audit.
• Look at the theological underpinnings for including people with disabilities in the life of the church. Examine the moral dilemma present when a congregation excludes or does not seek out those with disabilities. How can we create a true sense of belonging within the faith community?
• Identify members of your congregation (including children) who have a disabling condition and note the general nature of their disability.
• Gather persons with disabilities in the church to learn first-hand about their experience with the church and what the church could do to make it a more welcoming and inclusive community. Ensure that these individuals are always given primary “voice” in your Task Force deliberations — don’t assume what they want or will best meet their needs — ask and involve them in shaping the plans.
• Conduct a congregational audit of accessibility and disability inclusion. The results of this audit set the agenda for most of your Task Force meetings and will guide your priorities and implementation plans.
• Identify short-term, long-term and long-rage plans.
• Start with items which will have the greatest impact on the current
  members of your congregation who have a disability and their family. 
  • What things can be implemented easily and do not cost money?   
  • Present your recommendations to your church’s governing body for  their authorization to proceed (and for necessary funding).
  • Strive to involve others in the implementation of your plans so that this is a congregation-wide effort (motivated or perhaps directed by your  Task Force).
• Research resources from your denomination, the greater church and your local community to help with the implementation of your plans.
• Ask your congregation’s governing body to make a commitment to disability ministry.  This could be one written by your Task Force and connected directly to the mission statement of your church. Another approach would be to adopt the three-point commitment developed by the “Accessible Congregations Campaign” of the Interfaith Initiative, American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD). 
• Discern what resources are available through your denomination. Some denominations have a Disability Concerns or Inclusion Office or Committee that can be of assistance to your congregational efforts.
  • If your denomination has a disability policy or study materials, make that an agenda item for your Task Force.
• Meet with various ministry areas (worship, Christian Education/Religious Education, family ministries, fellowship, ushers and greeters) to help them understand issues which may affect individuals with disabilities, and assist them in strategizing ways to address these issues.
• Increase your congregation’s awareness and commitment to welcoming people with disabilities.
• Learn more about the various conditions and illnesses present among members of the congregation. As appropriate, and if given permission by the person with a disability and their family member, share this information with appropriate church leaders (pastor, Christian Education/Religious Education teacher).
• Meet personally with key leaders of your congregation both informally and formally to explain why outreach to and inclusion of persons with disabilities is an important mission of the church. Keep them informed of the issues that your team is working on and insights gained. This networking will help in gaining their support and involvement in implementing the goals of the Task Force.
• Include a statement (or more) on your church’s Web site (and other modes of church publicity) about your commitment to disability inclusion.
• Strategize about fund raising for projects you wish to undertake. See if your denomination has any resources for those projects. Engage your congregation (including high school youth group, women’s and men’s groups) to take on the fundraising for a specific project.
• Savor and celebrate the achievements of your congregation frequently and express gratitude to those who participate with you in bring about those achievements.

This resource was compiled by the Rev. Donna Whitmore while serving as Chaplain at Bridge Ministries. Donna is immediate past moderator of Presbyterians for Disability Concerns (PDC).