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Keith Dow explains how universal design can make church ministries more welcoming and accessible for all members. He explores practical ways to include people with disabilities in worship, leadership, and community life. This training event highlights belonging and mutual support as key to a truly inclusive church.
Many of you will be familiar with Cara Milne of M-Powered Planning, workshop leader at the Life to the Full Conference and author of Building Community: Practical Ways to Build Inclusive Communities for People Who Are Vulnerable. On September 22nd, 2017 Cara will be facilitating a training specifically related to the context of church ministry, in connection with CRC/RCA Disability Concerns. This training will be held in Grand Rapids, MI, and you can find much more information along with registration info at this link.
Here is a brief overview from the Disability Concerns Network site:
Explaining universal design
Church, Belonging, and Community: People who use wheelchairs aren’t the only ones who benefit from curb cuts. So do parents with strollers, young children, bicyclists, and delivery workers. Curb cuts are one example of “universal design”—a way of designing buildings, environments, programs, and events to benefit as many people as possible. When churches utilize universal design principles in planning—whether for discipleship, worship, community engagement, leadership development, or facilities—they create ministries where everyone can belong and participate.
About the training session
Training leader Cara Milne will give practical information and support so that faith communities can learn to implement a universal design for creating a generous community of welcome and supporting an atmosphere of belonging.
About the Author:
Keith Dow:
Keith Dow lives near Ottawa, serving as Manager of Organizational and Spiritual Life with Karis Disability Services. He holds his PhD in caregiving ethics from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. He is the author of Formed Together: Mystery, Narrative, and Virtue in Christian Caregiving (Baylor, 2021). Keith Dow is a credentialed Pastor with BIC Canada for his role with Karis Disability Services, where he supports the spiritual health of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and equips churches to be more accessible and hospitable.
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Keith Dow explains how universal design can make church ministries more welcoming and accessible for all members. He explores practical ways to include people with disabilities in worship, leadership, and community life. This training event highlights belonging and mutual support as key to a truly inclusive church.
Many of you will be familiar with Cara Milne of M-Powered Planning, workshop leader at the Life to the Full Conference and author of Building Community: Practical Ways to Build Inclusive Communities for People Who Are Vulnerable. On September 22nd, 2017 Cara will be facilitating a training specifically related to the context of church ministry, in connection with CRC/RCA Disability Concerns. This training will be held in Grand Rapids, MI, and you can find much more information along with registration info at this link.
Here is a brief overview from the Disability Concerns Network site:
Explaining universal design
Church, Belonging, and Community: People who use wheelchairs aren’t the only ones who benefit from curb cuts. So do parents with strollers, young children, bicyclists, and delivery workers. Curb cuts are one example of “universal design”—a way of designing buildings, environments, programs, and events to benefit as many people as possible. When churches utilize universal design principles in planning—whether for discipleship, worship, community engagement, leadership development, or facilities—they create ministries where everyone can belong and participate.
About the training session
Training leader Cara Milne will give practical information and support so that faith communities can learn to implement a universal design for creating a generous community of welcome and supporting an atmosphere of belonging.
