Disability Awareness Sunday 2023

Disability Awareness Sunday is quickly approaching! It's celebrated on October 8 in all RCA churches and on October 15 in all CRC churches. As such, it's time to start planning. Here are some ideas to help you as you plan worship for Disability Awareness Sunday:

• Many churches have already ordered bulletin inserts but if they are needed they are attached below in English, Korean and Spanish. Print full screen to make them large print.
• Evaluate your church's progress at becoming fully accessible by reading the 30 Indicators of a Anti-ableist, Fully Accessible Church
• Include people with disabilities in the worship planning process.
• Incorporate liturgy, prayers, and/or songs related to disability (see liturgical resource attached below).
• Start printing large print bulletins if you're not already doing so. Start with a small number and communicate that they are available. If they're all used, print more the following week.
• Make or buy worship ribbons and egg shakers and remind your church community that some worship God with singing, some with instruments, and some with movement.
• Share one of these short videos during your worship service
  • 5 stages of disability attitudes
  • Psalm 139
  • The Apostles Creed
  • Carried to the Table
• Create a fidget basket and communicate that fidget aids are available for anyone who would find them helpful.
• Focus on accessibility and disability during the adult education hour. Bring in someone to speak from the community, or host a panel of people with disabilities. Don't forget to use a microphone.
• Purchase noise-cancelling headphones and communicate that they are available for people who would find them helpful.
• Ask people with disabilities what their gifts are and ask how they'd like to be involved. Maybe Jen would love to serve in the nursery. Frank would like to join the prayer chain list. D'vonte would like to read scripture. Sheila likes to be behind the scenes washing dishes after potlucks.
• Invite someone with a disability to share a story or testimony.
• Consider ways to make communion more accessible.
• Take an offering to financially support Thrive's disability and accessibility work or RCA Disability Concerns.