IT involves much more than just providing a wheelchair ramp into your church.

Our attitude towards people who have disabilities has changed over the past few decades - but there is still some way to go. That’s the view of the Diocese of Portsmouth’s disability working group.

It is sending resource packs out to parishes this autumn, designed to help us to think about the issues surrounding disability, what we can do to help, what we can learn from those people with disabilities within our congregations – and how to reach out to others.

It aims to find a contact for disability issues in each of our parishes, to visit PCCs and deanery synods and to offer preachers for Sunday services. Next year, the group will re-form as the disability issues support group, chaired by our diocesan disability adviser, the Rev Mary Tillman. She has performed this role since 1993, responding to requests from parishes or from individuals.

“I think we’ve made good progress on issues to do with access, but we still have some way to go as far as attitudes are concerned,” she said. “My role often involves giving advice to parishes on how those with disabilities can engage with worship. I also have a lot of contact with individuals around the diocese who have a disability.”

A typical example of her work was a situation where an individual in a wheelchair wanted to come to the Communion rail to receive the bread and wine. She preached at a morning service and discussed the issue with the whole congregation over lunch. Between them, they found a solution that satisfied everyone.

There are 8.5 million people living with disabilities in Britain today - one in seven of our population. Some disabilities are visible, such as having to use a wheelchair, or having a learning disability. Others are less visible, such as epilepsy, mental illness, HIV/Aids or a hearing impairment.

It’s important to remember that each person with a disability is an individual, with their own needs and emotions. Lumping groups of people together as ‘the disabled’ may not be helpful, as the needs, characters and personalities of those individuals may be vastly different.

Being disabled shouldn’t be a barrier to joining or leading our worship and church activities. Often it’s not the disability that holds people back so much as the other people’s perceptions of what they can or can't achieve.

Some may want to worship in their local churches, which means we have to be ready to welcome those in wheelchairs, those with sight or hearing impairments and those with learning disabilities. That means making sure our ‘loop’ system is working for those with hearing aids, ensuring there are large-print or Braille copies of hymn and prayer books, and making sure our church activities are open to all.

Some people may want to worship alongside others who share their disability. The Rev Robert Sanday, our chaplain among deaf people, leads regular services for the hard of hearing, using sign language as he leads the Eucharist. And the Rev Mary Tillman leads services for those with learning disabilities. The next one is a Harvest service at All Saints Church, Portsmouth, at 3pm on October 5. Perhaps we could help such services to take place?

Or some may want to help to lead our worship. Causeway Prospects is a Christian organisation for people with learning disabilities that has several groups in our diocese. The Petersfield group has helped to lead a carol service at St Mary’s, Liss. How might we provide opportunities for others to do so?

The Rev John Naudé, vicar of Church of the Good Shepherd, Crookhorn, and chairman of Churches for All said: “Disabled people are often seen as people who are recipient of our services or charity. Historically the Church has been instrumental in helping change some of society’s responses to disabled people. But in today’s culture, the church is a long way behind society.

“We often define those with disabilities by their medical condition and seek to ‘cure’ them through prayer or healing services.

“Or we see them as people who don’t have a great deal to offer the Body of Christ – maybe we ask them to pray rather than looking for other gifts they may have. There are disabled people who come to church seeking healing, but let us not be presumptuous as to assume what the healing is for.

“The biggest problem disabled people face is about attitudes. If I say I use a wheelchair or if I had epilepsy, people may make assumptions of what I can or cannot do and therefore possibly think twice about considering whether to give me an interview, let alone a job.

“Disabled people have a role to play in helping change our society, and indeed the Church. Disabled people contribute to the Body of Christ, bringing the unique gifts that God has given us, as disabled people. The Church is missing out on the huge contribution that disabled people can bring to God’s Church and the world.

“Rather than seeing the difficulties of making our churches more accessible, let’s see it as our mission to reach those who don’t hear the gospel because of the lack of access, or because of our poor attitudes.

“Disabled people need to hear that we are accepted and welcomed by our great and glorious God, a God who recognises that we are separated from him due to our sin, not our disability.”

The Rev Mary Tillman can be contacted at 3 Fareham Road, Gosport, PO13 0XL, 01329-220009 and 023-9286 5488. You can also visit the disability pages on our diocesan website on www.portsmouth.anglican.org, clicking on Diocesan Info > Diocese > Mission and Society > Disability.

Taken from the Pompey Chimes, the newspaper of the Church of England Diocese of Portsmouth. Used with permission.

Ten practical suggestions for each of our PCCs to consider:

1. Make outdoor church activities accessible to wheelchair users.

2. When biscuits are served, provide plain biscuits suitable for diabetics.

3. Provide some chairs with arms to help people stand up.

4. Check that your noticeboard has the correct disability welcome signs. 

5. Listen to people with disabilities, who can tell you of their needs.

6. Have an assortment of cups, mugs, beakers and straws so people can choose one they feel most comfortable with.

7. Always start a new toilet roll, as someone with the use of only one arm finds it impossible.

8. Take or send weekly news sheets to people with disabilities who are unable to attend church.

9. Sit when others stand if you are beside a person in a wheelchair.

10. Make sure your loop system is switched on, and that it has been recently serviced.