I met recently with Win Charles, a member of Saint Barnabas on the Desert, Scottsdale whom I confirmed this year.
Win approached me about restarting the Disability Concerns Committee in the Diocese of Arizona. I wholeheartedly endorse the idea, and she and I discussed several areas that such a committee could work on physical accessibility, technological accessibility, and a wide range of other issues.
Here is a brief introduction from Win:
My name is Win Charles. I have a physical disability, Cerebral Palsy. My home church is Saint Barnabas on the Desert in Scottsdale Arizona. A little background about me and why I’m doing what I’m doing with the Episcopal Church. I was housebound in Aspen Colorado in Covid. Before that, I had a part-time job as a teacher.
God put on my heart to make churches more handicapped accessible But my true gift is going to be teaching those who are homebound and bed bound and especially hospital bound how to go to church via technology so that they have some sense of hope as they go through the trials and tribulations of being in the hospital or being stuck at home and having the loss of the sense of community as friends and loved ones go to church.
I hope you are willing to help people with disabilities. Enjoy the aspect of church in the Episcopal denomination and I hope you will be willing to work right alongside me as we bang the drum for the disabled to make the Episcopal church denomination a better place for all, including those with disabilities, whether mental, physical, or psychological.
If you are interested in joining us in this work, please send an email to Serrena Fuentes at serrena@azdiocese.org so that we can have an initial meeting to see who will join us in this ministry.
One comment on “Renewing the Disability Concerns Committee”
This is a wonderful idea and one with a new focus. As a person with multiple disabilities, I was a member of this group before the pandemic under the leadership of Charlotte Shephard and Leanne Murrillo during the time Bishop Kirk Smith was Bishop of Arizona,
During the pandemic, I became very aware of the need for our churches to be acoustically correct to make this group virtually successful. I know that several of our churches do not meet this criteria.
The Conference room and Attwood Hall in Trinity Cathedral echo so badly that it made having Bible Study in the Conference Room held via Zoom completely incomprehensible to those of us who attempted to attend Bible Study from home.
All Saints in Phoenix also comes to mind. The last time several years ago I attended church services there, I had difficulty understanding what was being said as my hearing aids picked up every little sound that bounced off the walls and ceilings equally well.
Making services available to people virtually is a magnificent idea; making sure it is done from a place that makes the experience comprehensible and enlightening is obligatory.