Annual Conference Materials
As Annual Conferences meet in person in 2023, the Disability Ministries Committee of the UMC is resuming our practice of sending our newest and recently revised documents for potential use at your disability display table. They may be of interest for the conference committee webpage as well.
Please note that we have added an Honorable Mention category/score to the Annual Accessibility Audit for United Methodist Churches. The Audit has been updated to include this level which is aimed at churches that are not accessible but still doing everything they can to be inclusive and disability-friendly. Please switch to this version of the Audit at your earliest convenience. The audit items remain unchanged, so the old audits can be accepted as well.
- DMC brochure, PDF
- Update on the Accessible and Disability-Friendly Badge for Churches, PDF
- Updated accessibility audit, Word
- Updated accessibility audit text only, Word
- Disability Empowerment, Word or PDF
- Safer Sanctuaries, Word or PDF
- God created all living things good: a litany for Disability Awareness Sunday, Word or PDF
- Able Privilege, Word or PDF
- Event Accessibility Planning and Set-up Checklist, Word or PDF
- Understanding Sensory Processing Differences, Word or PDF
- Creating Safe Sensory Spaces in Your Church, Word or PDF
- Making Sensory Items for Your Church, Word or PDF
Getting Started with Disability Ministries
The Disability Ministries committee believes all people, including those with disabilities, are created in God’s image and have sacred worth. We believe that it is vital to the body of Christ to celebrate the spiritual gifts of people with disabilities and incorporate them into the life of the church. Through advocacy, education, and empowerment, we strive to fully include people with disabilities in worship, missions, leadership and ministry – throughout the United Methodist Church. We invite individuals and local congregations to join us in this vital ministry– Rev. Eric Pridmore
To get started as this Disability Ministries resource website:
- Use the drop-down menu tabs at the top of this page (hover for sub-pages).
- Use the search feature to locate worship resources, seed grant funds, success stories, Sunday school ideas.
- Read our introductory Disability Ministries Brochure (pdf) to the variety of services and ministries that exist.
- Or visit Frequently Asked Questions on Disability Awareness Sunday or how to use DMC resources.
- Follow links to United Methodist-associated ministries for comprehensive Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Mental Health, Older Adults, the Association of Ministers with Disabilities General Commission on Religion and Race information, including video and audio media.
And look at this! Some people came in, carrying a paralyzed man in a chair. They wanted to bring him to Jesus, but they were not able to find a way in because of the crowd. So they went up onto the roof and let him and his chair down through it!
— Luke 5:18
