Sunday March 6 is Disabilities Awareness Sunday as set by our Annual Conference. This Sunday calls us as a church to celebrate the gifts and graces of persons with disabilities as is stated in paragraph 265 of the Book of Discipline. As we think on this Sunday, we are reminded that disabilities are both seen and unseen and come in a variety of degrees and sizes.

It is fitting that March 6 is also the First Sunday in Lent. As we prepare to enter the Lenten season, we are called to repentance and reflection of who we are, where we have been and whose we are and where God is leading us in the future. I cannot think of a better time to be looking at how we have either embraced/included persons with disabilities or not. As we take the time to lift those persons and what they can bring to our places of worship and ministry beyond, we can assess how the role they can and should play in all of this as we move forward.

An effective way to start is by looking and taking the Accessibility Assessment put out by the church. This allows churches to see where things have gone well and where changes need to be made. This resource, along with many other resources, including those for celebrating Disabilities Awareness Sunday, can be found on the conference website, www.wvumc.org, under the Change the World tab at the top of the homepage. Another valuable resource is the United Methodist Church Disabilities Ministries Committee website, www.umcdmc.org. You will find many things to use in general and for celebrating Disabilities Awareness. As we do with many subjects, if you Google Disabilities Awareness, you will get a plethora of information.

So, I invite to make your churches and folks aware and celebrate this special Sunday.

Blessings,
Pastor Michael Ludle
Chair, WVUMC Disability Ministries Committee  

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