In this episode of Connecting our Conversations, Rev. Dr. Shannan Vance-Ocampo speaks with Rev. Ben Bond (Faith Inclusion and Belonging Associate at RespectAbility) and our Communications Manager Katie Grosh, about disability and church communities. Ben shared tips about how to be more accessible and welcoming in your congregational communities, including giving visual descriptions, attending to a variety of physical and sensory needs, and shifting attitudes. Ben also gave a Disability 101 overview and gave context to the history of disability and the church. Katie shared her experience with leading a weekly zoom discussion group with Kearsarge Community Presbyterian Church, focused on the Justice Unbound series Disabling Lent: An Anti-Ableist Lenten Devotional. There was so much to talk about that a part 2 (focused on disability and theology) will be coming soon!

Links:

• RespectAbility's Faith, Inclusion, and Belonging page: https://www.respectability.org/faith-inclusion/
• Inclusive Congregations Guide: https://www.respectability.org/faith-inclusion/inclusive-congregations/
• Disabling Lent: An Anti-Ableist Lenten Devotional from Justice Unbound: https://justiceunbound.org/disablinglent/
• Presbyterians for Disability Concerns: https://presbyteriansfordisabilityconcerns.wordpress.com/
• The Institute of Theology and Disability (the conference June 17-20, 2024 will be held at Boston College!): https://faithanddisability.org/about-the-summer-institute/2024-institute-on-theology-and-disability/

A transcript of our episode today is available here.

Connecting our Conversations is hosted by the Presbytery of Southern New England, a regional governing body in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). This is our space for conversations that push the edges of our faith and help us deepen discipleship.