‘Inclusion is not difficult’

Jackie Macadam meets a mission pioneer helping churches become more inclusive for people with disabilities.

IS IT the end cut off a pew so a wheelchair can be part of the congregation? Is it a ramp beside the main steps leading to the church? How does YOUR church welcome people with disabilities into it?

Katrona Templeton, a Mission Pioneer based in South West Presbytery, has been working to enhance the church experience of people with disabilities with her ‘Reachout’ Project.

“I grew up in Kilmarnock and my family and I attended Howard Saint Andrews church,” she says. “One of my earliest memories is accompanying my great aunt to the Blind Bowling club, where she volunteered. I was captivated by a card that had the braille alphabet on it and I enjoyed feeling the dots to form words.

“During my childhood, I missed out on some stages of speech development, which made it difficult for me to pronounce certain sounds. When I started school, phonics was used to teach spelling, which made it even more challenging for me to read out loud and spell correctly. Unfortunately, these difficulties persisted throughout my school years.

“It wasn’t until I completed my joint honours degree in Astronomy and Applied Mathematics and began studying for my PGCE that I was diagnosed with dyslexia. In my early 30s I started having nocturnal seizures and was diagnosed with epilepsy. Then, after the birth of my second child, I was also diagnosed with autism.”

“ Individuals with disabilities can actively contribute to the church rather than solely receiving support from it. With proper assistance and motivation, they possess the ability to serve just like anyone else.

Katrona’s experiences as a youngster with an undiagnosed condition have given her some insight into the problems some people with disabilities might face at a typical church service.

“As a child, attending church, I found some aspects of it challenging to cope with, such as the loud organ music, the handshakes and hugs of sharing the peace, and having to sit still without fidgeting. However, I always enjoyed the consistency and sense of familiarity it provided. At this point, I didn’t know I was autistic and would wonder why I seemed to be experiencing church in a different way from everyone else.”

Katrona has heard of many problems that people with disabilities sometimes face in a church. “There’s a misunderstanding of what it is like to have a disability, especially if you have been born with it or acquired it at a young age. Some people do not realise that the disability is part of who you are, of how God made you.

“During my work I have talked to various people with disabilities and their experiences in church. Some of the stories I have heard are:

• A person with epilepsy being asked what she had done to allow the devil inside her.

• A visually impaired person being turned away from a church or being told she could go in, but if her guide dog made any noise, she would have to leave.

• A wheelchair user who, during a prayer meeting, was told that the group would pray for him to walk. He has been a wheelchair user all his life and felt that it was part of his identity, and that the group did not accept him the way God had made him.

• An individual with a permanent condition felt they could no longer attend church because they were constantly being prayed for to be cured. This made them feel as though their lack of healing was a disappointment to the church.

• A church stated that since not one member of the congregation had any sort of disability, they were not interested in disability inclusion.” She concludes: “It’s quite shocking” But Katrona says it’s not all bad news – and some churches are doing sterling work in adapting to people with disabilities in their congregation.

“It is inspiring to see how certain churches not only accept individuals with disabilities but also empower them to utilise their God-given talents for the betterment of the congregation. These efforts range from involving them in the greeting committee to providing encouragement and assistance for their participation in the service.

“Inclusive Church holds its annual conference on Disability and Church, where a space is held for people with disabilities to gather and to resource each other and the church. It is a brilliant conference, which is led by people with disabilities, a place where Tourette’s tics, stories about stoma bags and the difficulties faced by people with disabilities are not hidden but brought out in the open, discussed, laughed about and commiserated.”

Katrona’s project, Reachout Together, in Kilmarnock, aims to facilitate the complete participation of individuals with disabilities in all aspects of church life, such as worship, service, and fellowship. The project is split into three strands - Reachout Inclusion – Education and opening discussion within churches to raise awareness of what disability inclusion means in practice.

Reachout Everyone – Reaching out to our wider communities to show disabled people of all ages and their families that churches genuinely extend a welcome to all people.

This includes community events such as Easter Egg hunts and craft days specifically designed for people with disabilities, a youth group in collaboration with the local additional needs school, and disability awareness sessions for students enrolled in relevant courses at the local college.

Reachout In God – Providing opportunities for non-traditional worship formats for people who are best served by alternative settings and styles of worship. This includes organising alternative services where individuals with disabilities are encouraged to take an active role, and a Lent study where drawings and doodling were used instead of words to reflect on the time leading up to Easter.

I asked Katrona how churches could better include their disabled members.

“One way to promote inclusion within your church is by appointing individuals or a group to serve as advocates,” she says. “Their primary role is to acknowledge and value the unique needs and abilities of people with disabilities and guide others in doing the same. These advocates can assist in developing an inclusive policy and ensuring its implementation. They can also provide support and referral to resources for people with disabilities and their families.

“Remember, inclusion is not difficult, it just takes some thought.

“ Don’t hesitate to communicate with individuals with disabilities. If you have a question or wish to offer assistance, please direct it towards the individual rather than the person accompanying them. You may make mistakes with the terminology, and if you do, apologise. When discussing their disability, follow their lead wherever to use person-first language. For instance, if someone identifies as autistic, use that terminology instead of saying “a person with autism” and vice versa. It’s important to respect everyone’s preferences.

“It’s important to truly listen to individuals with disabilities and not assume we know what they need. Instead, we should ask them how we can make them feel included and valued as a part of our church community. Each person knows their own limitations and abilities best, so we should avoid making prejudgments. Additionally, it’s important to remember that someone’s capabilities can vary from day to day.

“Take a moment to reflect on how you can become more inclusive. It’s not always about making big changes like building ramps, but rather making smaller adjustments such as providing large print hymn books or notifying individuals of upcoming bible verses. Even something as simple as choosing a more accessible typeface can make a significant difference for individuals with disabilities and those without.

“Individuals with disabilities can actively contribute to the church rather than solely receiving support from it. With proper assistance and motivation, they possess the ability to serve just like anyone else.”