Ten Easy Ways to Make Your Church or Synagogue or Mosque More Inclusive

1. Include children, youth and adults with disabilities in Liturgy as an altar server, Eucharistic minister, lector, cantor, usher, musician, etc.
2. Form a well-rounded committee on inclusion to increase meaningful participation for persons with disabilities.*
3. Hold focus groups or conduct a church survey to personalize church needs and to prioritize improvements.*
4. Train ushers and lay leaders as role models to include and welcome persons with disabilities and their families.*
5. Make prayers and petitions more inclusive of persons with disabilities.*
6. Place an 'inclusion box' in the church with paper and pencils for church members to easily express suggestions for better inclusion.
7. Use large print prayer books, missals and bulletins (such as 14-point type.)
8. Provide a sign-language interpreter at a regular Liturgy time.
9. Audio tape or print large-print homilies and promote them in the bulletin.
10. Include a person who uses a wheelchair, walker or crutches or a family member on the committee for planning renovations or additions to the church.

*Contact Pathways Awareness Foundation for helpful information.

123 North Wacker Drive

Chicago, Illinois 60606

phone - 800-955-2445

fax - 312-701-3038

Check the Pathways Awareness Foundation website for additional resources Pathways Awareness Foundation

Last Updated: 3-2-2006