Disability Awareness Sunday is a special Sunday dedicated to empowering people with disabilities and helping to raise awareness about the disability community. According to The Book of Discipline, every conference is encouraged to celebrate Disability Awareness Sunday on a date of their choosing. For the last three years, our conference has celebrated Disability Awareness Sunday on the second Sunday of October.
According to the CDC, 61 million adults in the United States live with a disability, which means one out of four adults in the US have some type of disability. Statistically, it is highly probable that your church already includes members who have a disability. Many disabilities are invisible. Any person can become disabled at any point in their life. As our congregations continue to age, we will have many more church members experience some form of disability during their lifetime.
One of the biggest ways you can help is by taking a special collection toward Advance #3021054. The Susquehanna Disability Ministries Task Force does not have a budget. Instead, we ask that all donations be made to The Disability Ministries Committee (DMC) of the United Methodist Church. DMC serves the entire global connection of the UMC and they provide grants to help United Methodist churches and congregations empower people with disabilities.
In the past, grants have been used to:
- Create church entry ramps, lifts, and elevators
- Provide Sensory equipment and toys for children’s play areas
- Help reimburse costs related to auditing churches for accessibility and helping them become more accessible
- Provide accessible materials for church programs for people with disabilities
- Maintain a website full of great resources for worship leaders and congregations
Help others today with your donation to Advance #3021054.
More Ideas for Disability Awareness Sunday
- Open your pulpit to a person with a disability. On Disability Awareness Sunday (or any time of year!) consider opening your pulpit to a person with a disability. Invite them to preach, lead a prayer, give a personal testimony, or read scripture. People with disabilities bring many unique gifts and graces to the body of Christ.
- Ask before you touch! If a person with a disability joins you for worship, be respectful of their personal space. Do not talk to or pet a guide dog that is working or touch a person’s wheelchair without asking.
- Little changes make a big difference. Consider having a few large print bulletins (size 14pt Arial or larger) every Sunday. Make large print hymnals and Bibles available. Always use a microphone when speaking and consider having a hearing loop installed (or perhaps apply to DMC for a grant to get a hearing loop)
- Remember that it is possible to have a disability and still live a full and meaningful life. Sadly, throughout history, having a disability has been viewed as a stigma. In the United Methodist Church, we are working to change that. Let’s use Disability Awareness Sunday to empower our laity, advocate for the needs of our church members who are disabled and educate others about the disability community.
Worship Resources for Disability Awareness Sunday
You can find all types of resources to help you plan your church’s Disability Awareness Sunday at UMCDMC.org/worship. There you can find a suggested order of worship, prayers, litanies, printable sample bulletins, suggested scripture readings, and more.
Want to stay up to date with our conference’s Disability Ministry Task Force? Check out our website at disabilityUMC.org.
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About the Author: Rev. Rebecca L. Holland, Div. OSL is honored to serve as the chair of communications for the Disability Ministries Committee of the United Methodist Church. She is also the chair of the Disability Ministries Task Force of the Susquehanna Conference and the author of “The United Methodist Church and Disability.” Her latest book “Hope for the Broken” is currently available from Touch Point Press.
