Following the excitement around the Paris Paralympics 2024, a charity encourages churches around the world to participate in Disability Awareness Week. From September 15 to 22, Through the Roof (TTR), which supports disabled people, is organizing informative events online with the theme of ‘Journey with Jesus’.
The Rev. Helen Cameron, President of Churches Together in England, head of the Methodist Conference and Moderator of the Free Churches Group, will be the preacher for the worship service launching the week at 3pm BST on Sept. 15, viewable online.
Cameron will also feature in daily videos throughout the week, speaking about the "ABC" of church disability inclusion: access, belonging and commission. UCB Radio in the UK, at the same time, is hosting audio testimonies from disabled people each day of the awareness week, exploring the challenges of having disabilities in church and general life.
Cameron, who is passionate about disability inclusion in churches, issued a reminder that the Great Commission was intended “to all and for all.”
"If we fail to recognise the call of all disciples, and commission only the able-bodied, then we've abandoned the gospel," Cameron said. "Those living with disabilities, visible or invisible, need to experience justice, equality and access, as others do."
TTR has asked all churches to “reach out and meet with disabled people in their community” during the week, according to a press statement.
“This could be through organized church events or through individuals inviting a disabled person they know to meet for a coffee to get to know them.”
TTR pointed out that disabled people were included in God’s great banquet, referring to the parable by Jesus in Luke 14:21b and 23: Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.... Then the master told his servant, Go out to the roads and country lanes and compel them to come in, so that my house will be full.
However, the charity highlighted barriers that disabled people still struggle with on their journey to be fully included. Accessing church buildings was not the only issue, “there are lots of invisible barriers too.” These obstacles relate to social attitude barriers by others, according to the press statement.
An annual disability and activity survey by Activity Alliance 2023 - 2024, together with Sport England’s Active Lives Adult Survey, confirmed that disabled people still encounter obstacles in enjoying as normal a life as possible. 76 percent of disabled people surveyed expressed a desire to be more active in their lives. IFF Research sought opinions from 2,320 people, disabled and non-disabled, for the survey between October and November 2023.
Only 43 percent of disabled people stated they have the chance to be as active as they desire. This compares to 69 percent of non-disabled people. Disabled women are “more likely to feel the disparity in perceived opportunity compared to disabled men (39% v 48%).”
The survey also showed that 38% of disabled people fear optimizing opportunities to be more active because of fears about much-needed benefits being taken from them. Of those saying loneliness was an issue, 66 percent said being more active could help.
“Disabled people are significantly less likely to report high satisfaction with their life, happiness and feelings of worthwhileness compared to non-disabled people,” said the survey report.
Through the Roof has set up a ‘Roofbreakers’ project to help local churches break down these barriers. This involves disability champions speaking up for disabled people so they can be fully involved and participate in church life.
The Rev. Andrew Miles is one of the ‘roofbreakers’ helping others. He was living in Brazil in 2014 when a drunk driver drove into the back of his car. Despite an 11-hour operation on his back and medical care, Miles has to use a wheelchair.
In a YouTube video for TTR, Miles spoke about how faith helped in such trials. He referred to Jesus saying to his disciples, “Let us cross to the other side” of the Sea of Galilee, as noted in Mark 4:35. However, Miles pointed out that the Lord never said there wouldn’t be a storm, He only pointed out the direction of getting to the far shore.
“When we give our lives to Jesus, when we invite him into our lives, that is what he says to us: ‘Let us cross to the other side.’ We start on this amazing journey across the sea, if you like, the journey of life with him. And our destiny is set.”
Miles recalled that when Jesus told his disciples they were to cross to the other side of the sea with him, there were no arguments or negotiations. For the simple reason that Jesus was and is the Christ, and when the Son of God says something, it happens.
“When we are on our journey with Jesus, he said, ‘I will be with you to the end of time’ and ‘I will never leave you or forsake you’ but he didn’t say there wouldn’t be a storm.
“Sometimes storms blow up in our lives. And sometimes things aren’t easy but God is always with us, God is always within us and God is not finished with any of us yet. There is a purpose and plan for each one of us to be a blessing to other people.”
Churches can order free TTR resources packs for the Disability Awareness Week here.
