Educate to Transform > Mission Study > Disabilities

The Church and People with Disabilities

Unlike other categories of human experience, disability crosses all lines of gender, orientation, ethnicity, socioeconomic position, age, and culture. People with typical bodies can be thought of as temporarily able-bodied because disabilities can happen at any time to anyone. The intent of these mission studies is to promote awareness, inclusion, accessibility and advocacy for people with disabilities — including youth and children.

New Resource!

Download this PowerPoint resource
to guide your group on providing acessibility to all.

United Methodist Women Receives Award at Disabilities Conference

View Disabilities Study resources on our e-store

Download the free Leader's Guide in English

Descargar la guía del líder

인도자 지침서 다운로드

Algunos Recursos sobre la Iglesia y la Discapacidad

더 읽을 자료들

About the Book

The Church and People with Disabilities: Awareness, Accessibility, and Advocacy intends to build awareness in the church regarding issues around disability, to call the church to provide full accessibility to services and opportunities, and to promote advocacy for justice for people with disabilities. This book will encourage you to identify ways that your church can do more to open the floodgate to inclusion and equality.

Purchase information: Get The Church and People with Disabilities from the e-store

Purchase information: Get The Church and People with Disabilities for Kindle on Amazon.com

Disabilities and Our Response:
A Study for Youth

This is a transformative resource for young people regarding attitudes and responses toward persons with disabilities. The underpinnings of this curriculum acknowledge all as children of God, each created in God’s image but unique. Each person brings different abilities and disabilities to the community. In God’s kindom, everyone has a place. Youth will develop a new understanding of persons with disabilities.
Purchase information: Get Disabilities and Our Response: A Study for Youth from the e-store

Welcoming Persons with Disabilities into Our Lives: A Study for Children

This curriculum uses the symbol of a jigsaw puzzle as a basis for exploring disabilities. The lessons and activities offered here dispel myths and fear and lead to better understanding and inclusion of all persons. As participants put the pieces of this study together, they will develop a new understanding of persons with disabilities.
Purchase information: Get Welcoming Persons with Disabilities into Our Lives: A Study for Children from the e-store

Resources on Disability and Accessibility

Pinterest: We're collecting resources and stories to educate each other to be better friends with, and advocates for disabled persons.
How To Become Batman: on npr.org
This NPR podcast examines the effect of expectations on the people around us, including the story of a blind man who says expectations have helped him see.

Accessibility for Facilities and Programs

Congregational Accessibility Network: http://www.accessibilitynetwork.net
NCC Committee on Disabilities, “Equal Access Guide for Meetings, Conferences, Large Assemblies, and Worship” http://www.ncccusa.org/elmc/disabilitiesmanual.html
United States Access Board, Buildings & Sites:
http://www.access-board.gov/guidelines-and-standards/buildings-and-sites

Disability Awareness and Accommodations

Mitchum, Naomi, Special Needs: http://naomimitchum.com/special-needs
Snow, Kathie, Disability is Natural: http://www.disabilityisnatural.com

Mental Health

Mental Health Ministries: http://www.mentalhealthministries.net
Faith and Mental Health:
http://www.umc.org/news-and-media/faith-and-mental-health
Pathways to Promise – Ministry and Mental Illness: http://www.pathways2promise.org

United Methodist Programs and Sites

United Methodist Disability Programs Overview: http://www.umdisability.org
United Methodist Association of Ministers with Disabilities: http://www.umdisabledministers.org
United Methodist Committee on Deaf and Hard of Hearing Ministries: http://www.umcdhm.org
United Methodist Committee on DisAbility Ministries: http://www.umdisabilityministries.org
Disability organizations http://www.umdisabilityministries.org/links/org.html
Other denominations’ disability ministries: http://www.umdisabilityministries.org/links/fbpara.html
Parachurch organizations: http://www.umdisabilityministries.org/links/fbother.html
The Voice of the United Methodist Disability Connection, newsletter archives: http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs017/1104745249463/archive/1105342717839.html

Statistics and General Information

Disabled World, “Disability Information” http://www.disabled-world.com
Kessler Foundation/ NOD, “The ADA, 20 Years Later” survey on disability http://www.2010disabilitysurveys.org/pdfs/surveyresults.pdf

Now Available:

New Supplementary Materials

The Church and People with Disabilities: Supplement (English)
La Iglesia y las Personas con Discapacidades: Suplemento
교회와 장애인 사역: 보충자료

In English
en Español
In Korean

Leader's Guide: English
Descargar la guía del líder
인도자 지침서 다운로드

Algunos Recursos sobre la Iglesia y la Discapacidad
더 읽을 자료들

Resources from Assembly 2014

Dis-Ability: Practicing Inclusion
Does your congregational make-up reflect recent studies indicating that one in five of us has a disability? Are people with visible and hidden disabilities active in leadership roles and fully integrated into the life of your church?

A Place for All

This documentary on DVD explores the courageous stories of persons with disabilities as they succeed in making their faith communities truly inclusive. Lively interviews with leaders of different faith groups are featured.
$25.00 through umwmissionresources.org

Accessible Icon:

Help members and the public think differently about those with disabilities. Use this updated symbol in your communications, at events and in the church parking lot.

Be My Eyes - helping blind see from Be My Eyes on Vimeo.

Be the eyes for a blind person in need of help remotely through a live video connection if you are sighted or be assisted by the network of sighted users if you are blind. Be My Eyes is all about contributing to and benefiting from small acts of kindness, so hop on board and get involved!
Lean more at bemyeyes.org