Morningside UMC in Salem, OR is a congregation that takes seriously the charge to be welcoming and accessible.  The building is at ground level, though the upper level is accessible only by wheeling or driving up the hill and entering an upper door. Measures taken in the past include shortening two pews in the center of sanctuary seating and installing an induction loop assistive listening system.  The church just obtained an accessible photocopier with a moveable control panel which can be tilted down for use by someone seated in a wheelchair.  The trustees are remodeling an upper floor restroom into a unisex accessible one.  They are also planning to use a bequest to improve building access with an automatic door opener.

The 300 member congregation has a 10-12 member Disabilities Connections Committee that meets regularly to troubleshoot access issues.   They plan and lead the annual Disabilities Awareness Sunday worship service and designed a six-week children's Sunday school unit on disability awareness.  Current committee goals include finding ways to better include children with disabilities in church programming.  They are working to ensure that words projected on the worship screen are easy to read both in terms of font and contrast.  They also plan to provide more awareness training for greeters and ushers.   

The church offers a monthly Parents' Night Out event which is open to and utilized by families with children of all abilities.  The church's welcome statement intentionally states that "Because we are followers of Christ we welcome all, including, but not limited to, persons of every race, nationality, age, gender, social condition, ability, marital status,..."  An example of their recognition of abilities is hiring a talented choir director who is very involved in leadership of many church ministries and happens to have a significant hearing loss. 

This church graciously agreed to an accessibility audit to have outside eyes point out potential next steps to take.  The chancel, which rises 19" above the sanctuary floor, is not accessible.  Members have tried unsuccessfully to envision where a 19' ramp could be built.  However, there is side door access from a storage area which is large enough for installation of a platform lift.  This access route would require elimination of a triangular platform at the back of the chancel, but no substantial remodeling.  At the opposite side of the chancel the choir seating platform could be modified to allow for wheelchair seating.  The podium is too high for a child or a reader using a wheelchair, but could be supplemented by a wooden music stand. 

The church has a lower coat rack that can be reached by children and people using wheelchairs, but it is used as a storage rack.  Clearing this rack and switching the order of the racks would be a sign of welcome.  Signage directing people to the sanctuary, accessible restroom, and other building areas would eliminate unnecessary steps for visitors with limited mobility or endurance.  The upper level entrance bridge railing needs repair so that a foot or wheel does slip off the edge.

Another focus should be the church website.  The site does not state that the facilities are accessible, and the welcome statement comes after a very long string of church photos.  The photos do not have alternate labeling so someone using a screen reader would have no access to the content, and would have trouble negotiating the site.  Most of the links for more information are to pdf files, with no alternative format available for persons using screen readers.  In addition to using information from the Web accessibility article in the November VOICE newsletter, the church should seek specific training for the webmaster.

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Trustees can be effective partners in improving church accessibility, so make sure that someone with an interest in accessibility is on your board of trustees.

 
Did you know that: "every board of trustees... shall conduct or cause to be conducted an annual accessibility audit of their buildings, grounds, and facilities to discover and identify what physical, architectural, and communication barriers exist that impede the full participation of persons with disabilities and shall make plans and determine priorities of the elimination of all such barriers."? (See ¶ 2532, 2008 Book of Discipline of the United Methodist Church.)  If your church has an Access or Disability Awareness committee, members can train the trustees in how to complete the audit, or offer to do the project jointly. 

 
Further, "If any local church desires to build a new church, a new educational building, or a new parsonage, purchase a church, educational building, or parsonage or remodel an existing church, an existing educational building or an existing parsonage, where the cost of the remodeling will exceed 25% of the value of the existing structure or require mortgage financing, then the local church shall first ... analyze the needs of the church and community ...and develop an accessibility plan including chancel areas." (¶ 2543)  The trustees and building committee in your church may not be aware of these guidelines, so get involved at the outset of any building project.

The Trustees at Morningside UMC see their job as making building improvements that will benefit everyone.  When someone points out a problem they address the need as soon as possible. For instance, they replaced difficult to manipulate restroom door knobs with lever handles and removed automatic door closers that do not meet ADA guidelines.  One member who uses a wheelchair related that the pew cuts were completed during the week after her first visit to the church and ready the following Sunday. The trustees are considering a suggestion box as another way to find out what is needed.  Accessibility improvements are not voted on because they are not considered optional, but rather prioritized and accomplished as soon as plans and funding can be arranged.  Their Dream Project List is developed in communication with the Disabilities Connections committee, and the strong working relationship between the committees is a model other churches may want to emulate.

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Many churches trying to bridge differences in elevation, e.g. from the sanctuary floor to the chancel, limit their exploration to elevators and ramps.  A platform lift may be a viable and affordable option, especially when there is limited space and the rise is short.  There are two primary types of platform lifts. 

 
A vertical platform lift moves straight up for a maximum of 14 feet and three exits. The exits can be in a different direction at each stop.  The lift can be enclosed but that is not required for a rise up to 60".  Some are attached to the outside of a building and look like small elevators, while many are indoors.  Most are permanently installed, but portable lifts that are rolled into place (e.g. when stage or sound booth access is needed) can be useful if there are several places where a lift might be needed.

 
An incline platform lift travels up and down a flight of stairs, typically moving along on a special railing mounted on the wall.  Both indoor and outdoor versions are available.  Some styles fold against the wall when not in use so the stairs are useable; others remain in place, ready for immediate use.

Lifts differ from elevators in their size: most hold only one person in a wheelchair and one attendant.  This means that the wheelchair user may have to back into or out of the lift. Lifts are operated manually, usually by pressing a button while the unit moves.  The size allows use in smaller spaces than an elevator would require.  Platform lifts are for limited use situations, while elevators are designed for frequent use by many people.  Lifts are considerably cheaper.  A 19" platform lift to the chancel at Morningside in Salem should not cost more than $15,000, including installation.  Another decision needed is whether the lift will be locked when not in use.  If kept locked with no key immediately available, then the lift does not provide actual access. 

 
Berry Memorial UMC in Chicago installed an incline platform lift in 2007, partly paid by grant funding from the Retirement Research Foundation (see Resources for more information). The total cost was approximately $43,000 for a lift that provides access up to the sanctuary level and down to the ground floor level.  They chose a style with a fold-down seat so that people not using wheelchairs can benefit as well.  The church discovered that obtaining a permit can be a lengthy process; in their case they were required to add an additional fire exit before the city would issue a permit.  They advise pursuing the permitting process before submitting a grant application.

 
The Dalles First UMC, a small town congregation in Oregon, installed a vertical lift in 2009.  The goal was for parishioners to access the fellowship hall, up half a flight from the main sanctuary level.  The lift also descends to the basement church school level where the restrooms are located.  The cost for the enclosed lift was approximately $45,000.  They have been pleased with the lift, but suggest ensuring that the battery is checked during routine maintenance visits.  Their lift was out of service due to a dead battery that hadn't been maintained.  They also found that annual inspections can be expensive and need to be budgeted for.  The church is delighted that community groups are eager to use the building now that it is accessible.

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