Creating Inclusive Spaces
Creating Inclusive Spaces
by Jeanne Davies
Often disability inclusion is simple. When we are attentive to the relationships with people in our congregation, we can make accommodations that do not require a committee nor a lot of money. At Shalom Mennonite Church in Indianapolis, an autistic young may lost his place in worship when a visitor sat where he was used to sitting. His grandmother, Jeanne Smucker, shared this story with us.
“When we talk about things that a congregation can do to be inclusive, I am thankful for Shalom Mennonite Church in Indianapolis. Yes, we have an elevator, an ADA restroom, assistive devices for hearing impaired people, interpreters when we have Deaf attendees, and large print Bibles and bulletins. But I also think of the very simple thing that was done to include my autistic grandson, Caleb. He is used to always sitting in one certain pew. One Sunday visitors, unknowingly, sat there. He was visibly distressed. Noticing that, the worship commission got ‘reserved’ signs to put on both ends of ‘his’ pew. Something so simple but so significant in letting him know that he counts!”
In our congregations, we don’t need to have big programs to help people feel like they belong. We only need to live out our Anabaptist values of community and mutual care, honoring the worth of each person who is present. Sometimes that involves an expensive project but often it is simply being aware and attentive to one another.
Many thanks to Jeanne Smucker for sharing this story with us, with Caleb’s permission. Do you have a story of inclusion or belonging to share? We’d love to hear from you and share it with others.
Jeanne Davies is Executive Director of Anabaptist Disabilities Network.
