The Disability Concerns Team works to improve accessibility at St. Matthew’s for persons with disabilities. It is concerned with removing attitudinal, programmatic, and communication barriers, as well as architectural barriers.

Early on, the team briefed delegates and obtained St. Matthew’s support at the diocesan convention for a resolution by the Diocesan Program Group on Disability Concerns, to affirm that group’s vision of full inclusion in our diocesan churches of all persons with disabilities. (That resolution was passed at the diocesan convention in October 2008.)

The Disability Concerns Team has surveyed the congregation, and provided the vestry with a comprehensive report on areas that need attention to make the church building and grounds fully accessible, architecturally. The team communicated the need to obtain and provide additional special format worship materials for persons with vision loss. These were subsequently acquired and are available to those who wish to use them. The Disability Concerns Team has conducted several disability awareness sessions for adults, and one for young children. The latter featured a demonstration with a service dog and a disabled vet, viewing of Kids Just Want to Have Fun, an award winning video promoting understanding and acceptance of children with various disabilities, and the use of coloring sheets with pictures of children with disabilities in a church setting.

The team remains ready to supply drawings, photos, advice and detailed and specific guidelines from national faith- based sources when it becomes more feasible for St. Matthew’s to undertake major architectural accessibility measures.

At times, two or more members of the Disability Concerns Team will be working with  working with the Diocesan Program Group on Disability Concerns. A part of our 2011 activities is helping on Saturday March 5, at a Children's Ministry Summit @ All Saints', Phoenix, with a display on disability-related materials for children. Disability awareness resources, materials on inclusion strategies and age appropriate activities, along with information on being a friend to a child with a disability are a part of that display.

For more information, or to join the team, contact Dr. Charlotte Shepard, rwchshepard@yahoo.com