Imagine arriving at Unity Christ Church for Sunday service, in a Metro Mobility vehicle, in a wheelchair. If you do not have physical challenges that require a wheelchair, you are called upon to use your imagination. The first hurdle you may encounter is getting into the building. The doors are heavy and cannot be easily negotiated when sitting in a wheelchair. How nice it is if there are automatic door openers. Now imagine rolling oneself up the incline in our solar hallway. It is steeper than you think – going up takes considerable body strength to roll both you and the wheelchair up – and going down takes great coordination with the brakes. If you gain too much speed you are likely to run right through the glass doors! For this short area, if you don’t have an engine on your wheelchair, how nice it would be to have someone there to welcome you and assist you in this solar hallway.

Now you get to the sanctuary doors and hopefully they are open. If not, you could spend some time trying to squeeze yourself through the door using one hand to open the door and the other to roll through with your wheelchair. Once again, having someone there to open the door would be very nice. Without help, you might be a little tired by the time you finally get into the sanctuary. And then, where do you sit? Hopefully, the ushers have moved some chairs aside so that you can feel a part of the congregation, not set aside.

Maybe you decide to get some refreshments in Friendship Hall, drink some coffee, and then, OMG you have to use the restroom. Depending on the size of your wheelchair, that could be an impossibility. At the present time, both men and women in wheelchairs attempt to use the larger stall in the women’s bathroom. It is too small for a wheelchair, so the door to the stall has to be left open. Therefore, someone has to stand outside the main bathroom door and ask others to wait, or else you will be sitting on the pot in plain view for all to see. Maybe you’ll decide to skip the bathroom and leave the church early in order to find someplace else that has a bathroom equipped to deal with wheelchairs. Or maybe you’ll decide to stay home and just not attempt the challenges at Unity Christ Church at all.

That is just one scenario and there are many others for those with hearing challenges, vision challenges, or the unseen challenges that create hypersensitivity to lights and smells. We pride ourselves on being inclusive and welcoming here at Unity Christ Church . . . . and yet . . . . how many times does our building, our manner, our approach to people with accessibility challenges, send a different message?

 

 

It came to our attention over a year ago, that we were not accessibility friendly. Our awareness was raised, and we immediately installed automatic door openers for outside doors – one on each floor. Then in the fall of last year our congregation raised money for our “home improvement fund”, with the goal of a new air conditioner and accessibility. The new air conditioner was purchased and installed, leaving us with several thousand dollars for accessibility.

Once we realized how unfriendly our church can be for those with accessibility challenges, the board stepped up and created an Accessibility Committee with the purpose of determining how to become more accessible. Chaired by Sarah Cox and seven others, this committee conducted 33 interviews with congregants regarding accessibility challenges.

The results brought several things to our attention. First, we identified some relatively easy things to do, which we’ve either done already or are working on. They include the following.

1. We added another automatic door on the front East entrance. Now, both front door entrances have automatic openers and the main back door on the second floor as well.

2. We put a wheelchair by the front east entrance for use by those who have difficulty walking the incline in the solar walkway.

3. The lighting on both of our stairways has been significantly increased to create better visibility.

4. When we resurfaced our parking lot, we added two new permanent handicapped parking spaces. In addition, we have made nine additional parking spaces “handicapped” on Sundays only. Amazingly, they are all used during both Sunday services.

5. We have plans to provide headphones and volume control for Sunday services, for those with hearing challenges. That is currently in process.

6. Every Sunday we offer large print bulletins, distributed by our ushers.

7. The Board has approved an ASL interpreter for eight classes, as well as for Sunday Service, the Healing Service, the Men’s Group, the Women’s Group and the Men’s Retreat.

8. And – very exciting – we have created a new ministry entitled IAM which is an acronym for Inclusion and Accessibility Ministry. The leader of this ministry is Levi Dokken. Their purpose is to continue to increase awareness and expand our consciousness as a congregation regarding inclusivity.

RESTROOMS & ELEVATOR

The Accessibility Committee determined, that without question, there is a serious need for accessible bathrooms, preferably one on each floor. The committee interviewed and recommended an architectural firm that could help us with the design and placement of these bathrooms, The Cuningham Group. The current proposal is to have a new bathroom on the first floor at the back of the bookstore and a new bathroom on the second floor, adjacent to the bathroom on the west side.

We also need an elevator or lift to move us from floor to floor, but that is a very expensive project. The Board felt it would be best if we did an overall architectural feasibility plan first, because several questions came up.

• Is an elevator the only option?
• Where would we put an elevator?
• What space would it take away?
• Can we add on to our building?
• Can we eliminate the steps up and down from our offices?
• How can we accommodate growth in the best way?

Lots of questions. So the Board decided that our first step is to have our architectural firm work with an ad hoc committee to do an overall feasibility plan – before we tackle the elevator. This feasibility study is really important and we hope that you will give serious consideration to serving on that committee.

FUND RAISING

Beginning October 30th, we started a fund raising program for two primary purposes:

1. Design and construct two ADA accessible bathrooms – one on each floor. This is a blessing for all of us, because two additional bathrooms can be very nice during those popular events with lots of people!

2. Conduct a feasibility study that answers all the questions before we raise money for an elevator or lift. This type of project has been recommended many times before, and we are now ready to start!

We are currently estimating $90,000 needed for the design of two bathrooms, the construction of the two bathrooms, rebuilding whatever is displaced by the two bathrooms, and the feasibility study. The good news is that due to the tremendous generosity of this congregation, we already have $20,000 in our accessibility fund!!! Plus each Board member has made a personal contribution, collectively totaling another $5,000!

Therefore, the invitation to you, everyone in our spiritual community, is to raise $65,000. This is OVER AND ABOVE normal ordinary giving. We can do this! This spiritual community is amazing! And most importantly, we all hold in our hearts that …

“WHEREVER YOU ARE ON YOUR SPIRITUAL JOURNEY YOU ARE WELCOME HERE!”

To make that true for everyone, including those who are accessibility challenged, please step forward and help us raise this money so that anyone in a wheelchair can feel comfortable going to the bathroom here at Unity Christ Church.

Plans will be available for you to see at our Town Hall meeting on November 13th at 1:00 in the Sanctuary. Also, our architect, Brian Tempas from Cuningham Group will be present to answer questions about the bathrooms and our feasibility study.

If you have questions now and want to address our Board Members, please send a message to Board@UnityChristChurch.org.

And, if you are willing to step up right now and give of your treasure to our accessibility project, please send a check payable to Unity Christ Church marked for “Accessibility Fund”.  Or, donate below through PayPal.

THANK YOU for your generosity!! And thank you for helping us become inclusive and welcoming to some who may not have felt welcomed in the past, due to our building limitations. You make a difference. Every donation will make a difference! Thank you!

Many blessings!

Jeff Kaiserman, Board President
Rev. Pat Williamson, Senior Minister