As people of faith, we are blessed with the wonders and challenges of living in close community with one another. We do this in small group studies, on the various ministries of the church, and in our sanctuary every Sunday. So, it only follows that we need to be thoughtful about all the needs of community members to have as equal participation as possible in our common life together. Jesus really modeled and mandated inclusion when speaking to the pharisees and sharing the words of Isaiah which read:
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” – Luke 4:18
Note that Jesus was modeling radical inclusion and stating it is his mission to liberate people and bring justice to their situations. He said all this while speaking to church leaders and they got so angry - they even threw him out! Christians have long struggled to be fully inclusive, to be fully welcoming, and to know how to and choose to work for the rights of all people.
A variety of committees have gathered feedback from church members, pastors, and observed practices from other church communities in considering how we need to improve our sanctuary’s accessibility. The goal is that this space will be more functional and offer more equitable access for those with varying levels of physical abilities.
Thus, you may have noticed that there are some changes taking place in our sanctuary.
The most obvious change is the addition of a new, beautiful, and rock-solid railing leading up to the podium microphone. There’s also permanent black tape around the chancel on each step as the coloration of the flooring makes seeing the steps difficult. The hearing loop was recently updated. In the back you will notice our first “Wheelchair Accessible” sign. More chairs will be removed at the entry, creating spaces for wheelchairs. Lastly, a portion of a set of pews close to the front will also be removed. This will give people with assisted mobility devices the option to sit up front and not block an aisle.
It’s small steps, but they are important steps for us to take. Jesus models for us a life that is wildly inclusive and asks us to create a community where equality and justice are offered to all the members of His body. So let us embrace these changes as a sign of our growth in understanding one another, and in turn, understanding the passionate desire to liberate as modeled in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Pastor Nick