Friday, May 27, 2016

News from UM Association of Ministers with Disabilities, 5/27/16

Deque Systems accessibility course is free to people with disabilities
http://www.disabled-world.com/disability/education/postsecondary/deque.php

New issue of Disability History Association newsletter
http://dishist.org/newsletter.htm

Report on 2016 GC disability-related petitions
http://www.umdisabledministers.org/resource/16pet.html

How to change the world
http://www.rudermanfoundation.org/blog/article/how-to-change-the-world-a-brief-story-of-tom

National Alliance for Suicide Prevention, report on changes needed (PDF)
http://actionallianceforsuicideprevention.org/sites/actionallianceforsuicideprevention.org/files/CrisisNow.pdf



--
UMAMD logo with the UM Cross and Flame and several disability symbols
This newsletter is generally issued weekly by the
United Methodist Association of Ministers with Disabilities,
a caucus of the United Methodist Church.

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Friday, May 20, 2016

News from UM Association of Ministers with Disabilities, 5/20/16

     UM Disability blog: Accommodating
http://umdisability.blogspot.com/2016/05/accommodating-diane-mettam.html

What to do if you think a coworker (or friend) is struggling with depression
http://time.com/money/4313511/coworker-struggling-depression/

Why working with a disability is hard -- advocacy area!
http://www.freewheelintravel.org/working-with-a-disability/

What about pastors in recovery?
http://network.crcna.org/pastors/what-about-pastors-recovery

Words and stigma
http://blog.samhsa.gov/2016/05/16/words-matter/#.Vz3ONZErLIU

Sign language and medical procedures
http://hearinghealthmatters.org/hearinginternational/2016/sign-language-medical-procedures/

Disability advocacy news:
Wheelchair repairs: http://www.newmobility.com/2016/05/broken-wheelchair-fixed/



--
UMAMD logo with the UM Cross and Flame and several disability symbols
This newsletter is generally issued weekly by the
United Methodist Association of Ministers with Disabilities,
a caucus of the United Methodist Church.

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Visit us on the web or Facebook

Monday, May 16, 2016

Accommodating -- Diane Mettam

Some twenty years ago I was blessed to accompany my husband to Baltimore on a business trip.  While he was in meetings, I wandered the city.  Baltimore is a wonderful place for Methodists to explore.  It is the site of many important locations in the story of American Methodism. 

Mt.Vernon Place UMC is built on the site of the Howard mansion.  Mrs. Howard was the daughter of Francis Scott Key, who wrote the lyrics to The Star Spangled Banner, and the church itself is a prime example of Victorian Gothic architecture, conceived as a “cathedral of Methodism” when it was built in 1872.

Old Otterbein Church was established in 1771 by a German Evangelical Reformed Church congregation, which lent the chapel to Joseph Philmore to organize the Lovely Lane Meeting House congregation.  Francis Asbury convinced Phillip William Otterbein to accept the pastorate at Baltimore in 1774, where he remained for the rest of his life.  Asbury preached many times at Otterbein’s church. In time Otterbein and Martin Boehm formed the United Brethren in Christ Church.  (In time the Evangelical United Brethren would join with the Methodist Church USA to form the United Methodist Church.)  The current building was erected in 1785 and is the oldest in continuous use in Baltimore.

Lovely Lane Methodist Church is known as the “mother church of American Methodism” because it was here that the Christmas Conference of 1784 was held organizing the Methodist Episcopal Church, and ordaining Francis Asbury and Thomas Coke as its first Bishops.  The current sanctuary was designed by Stanford White and completed in 1884.  When I visited in 1996 the building was undergoing needed repairs, and a fundraising campaign was underway.  I see from the church’s webpage that the renovations continue. 

I took particular delight in the museum at Lovely Lane.  It was in the basement, and featured a variety of interesting items, including the kneeling bench at which Francis Asbury prayed, many historical documents, portraits, a “parson’s wallet” (empty, of course), and a can of Welch’s grape juice.  It was the grape juice that intrigued me. 

The lovely lady who gave me my tour told me the story of Welch’s grape juice, how it had been developed by Thomas Welch, who developed a process to pasteurize grape juice so it could be used during the Eucharist in lieu of wine.  As I thought about that this morning, I realized it was a fine case of accommodation.  Not only was it in line with Wesley’s admonitions against "manufacturing, buying, selling, or using intoxicating liquors,” it was an accommodation to those whose substance abuse problems would place them in an untenable position when it came to participating in the sacrament. 

Drinking unfermented juice accommodated their need to abstain, without marking them as somehow separate or different.  That isn’t always possible, but accommodation and inclusion should always be our goal. It’s already our tradition.

 But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind.  Luke 14:13*

(Like many of you, I am cringing at the words “crippled” and “lame.”  But I researched the verse through many different translations, and those are the words.  We are more mindful of the terms we use for disabilities today.)

Prayer concerns:
   Our team and supporters at General Conference
   for General Conference itself, that all can meet in true “holy conferencing” and put aside personal agendas to work for God’s glory


Dear God, Thank you that you have taught us to care for one another, and to make the road straight, the load lighter, and the day joyful.  Through your Son Jesus Christ you have granted us the assurance of eternal life and the knowledge that we are never alone.  We are grateful. Help us remember that you welcomed and loved us in all our imperfections, and help us to do the same.  Amen.

Friday, May 13, 2016

News from UM disability, 5/13/16

     General Conference app includes ASL
http://www.umc.org/who-we-are/general-conference-2016-mobile-app

UM Disability blog: accessible lodging
http://umdisability.blogspot.com/2016/05/lodging-and-access-diane-mettam.html

Mental Health Cops:
http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2014/08/19/338895262/mental-health-cops-help-reweave-social-safety-net-in-san-antonio
And the rest of the story:
http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2014/08/21/342161294/mental-health-meets-moneyball-in-san-antonio

Black Disabled Woman Syllabus, a good list:
http://rampyourvoice.com/2016/05/05/black-disabled-woman-syllabus-compilation/

Why people with disabilities (and others) are often ambivalent about attention:
https://stephenkuusisto.com/2016/04/27/the-upside-ambassador-guide-dog-club/

Advocacy:
information and comment on proposal to ban shock therapy
https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2016/04/25/2016-09433/banned-devices-proposal-to-ban-electrical-stimulation-devices-used-to-treat-self-injurious-or
people of faith ask candidates to address disability concerns
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/muslimahnextdoor/2016/05/people-of-faith-encourage-presidential-candidates-to-address-disability-concerns/



--
UMAMD logo with the UM Cross and Flame and several disability symbols
This newsletter is generally issued weekly by the
United Methodist Association of Ministers with Disabilities,
a caucus of the United Methodist Church.

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Visit us on the web or Facebook

Saturday, May 7, 2016

Lodging and access -- Diane Mettam

When we lived in Bishop we celebrated a night of Las Posadas every year at our church.  For those of you not familiar with Las Posadas, it is a remembrance of Joseph and Mary’s search of lodging on their way to Bethlehem.  In the traditional Las Posadas, the journey is celebrated over nine nights, with the Pedir Posada (seeking lodging) being sung back and forth between people representing the peregrinos (pilgrims) and the posaderos (innkeepers).

The peregrinos ask for lodging, telling the posadero how long they have traveled, and that their wife is soon to give birth.  The posadero tells them that there is no room, and that they will have to move on.  Finally, the peregrinos tell the posadero that have a they are traveling with Mary, the queen of Heaven, and the posadero bids them enter.  Inside everyone gathers for prayer, songs, and a party.  The children have a piƱata, and everyone enjoys a wonderful meal. 

I’m telling you about Las Posadas not because Christmas is coming, but because Mary and Joseph found lodging.  It wasn’t the best lodging, as you will recall, but someone opened a door.  Last fall our brother Howard Guetherman brought up the subject of hotel rooms.  He shared his problems trying to find an accessible room on the ground floor, and wondered how many of us had similar problems finding rooms that suited our needs.  Wouldn’t it be wonderful, he thought, if we could get hotels more interested in making hotel rooms more accessible and welcoming?

I recently learned of a new website that gives us a chance to rate hotel rooms based on their accessibility.  https://www.brettapproved.com is a site established by wheeler Brett Eising, who left his job in corporate America to start brettapproved because he believes that everyone, regardless of any given disability or mobility challenge, deserves to travel confidently.  The site lets users review and rate hotels, restaurants and entertainments venues.  While brettapproved is in its infancy, and reviews are slim in many areas, your participation will help us all.  You can sign up to be a participant at the website.  Guidelines for reviews are listed at https://www.brettapproved.com/faq.  I have signed up and can’t wait to find more accommodating lodgings when I travel. 
elevator with sign: in case of fire do not use elevator, use stairs

I think that as brettapproved grows, hotels and restaurants will start to pay attention.  Communicating with hotels and restaurants directly, as Howard did with the hotel over his inappropriate room on the third floor (how to get a wheelchair and user safely down to the ground floor in case of a fire?) is also important, being sure to do so calmly and respectfully. 

Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it.  Hebrews 13:2


Dear Lord, We thank you for the new resources that you put before us to help one another as we search for a home away from home.  Help us to educate each other, and the places where we stay, to be more welcoming and accommodating.  Amen.

Friday, May 6, 2016

UM Disability news, 5/6/16

 Churchgoers, Mental Health, and Pastors
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-briggs/is-your-congregation-a-cl_b_9791248.html

Wait-until-we-need-it doesn't work:
http://davehingsburger.blogspot.com/2016/05/early.html

Firefighters learn some ASL
http://www.firerescue1.com/Firefighter-Training/articles/86984018-Ohio-firefighters-get-lesson-in-American-Sign-Language/

Disability discrimination increases:
http://blogs.hrhero.com/diversity/2016/03/20/retaliation-discrimination-and-harassment-persist-disability-bias-charges-increase/

New blog from a UM pastor, posting about an interesting interaction:
https://crippastor.wordpress.com/2016/04/05/it-just-doesnt-matter/

White House conference on rights of parents with disabilities
recording: https://www.whitehouse.gov/photos-and-video/video/2016/05/05/forum-civil-rights-parents-disabilities
report: http://www.ncd.gov/publications/2012/Sep272012

Biblical healing stories:
http://newsacred.org/2016/05/marlon-brando-and-the-problem-with-biblical-healings/




Disability Advocacy

Wounded Warrior Project Petition on IVF funding for injured veterans
https://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/action-center

NAMI stigma-free pledge
http://www.nami.org/stigmafree

Talking points on GC disability petitions
http://www.umdisabledministers.org/resource/16pet.html





--
UMAMD logo with the UM Cross and Flame and several disability symbols
This newsletter is generally issued weekly by the
United Methodist Association of Ministers with Disabilities,
a caucus of the United Methodist Church.

Click here to join this e-mail list.
Visit us on the web or Facebook