WEDNESDAY'S NEWS
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Report on Disability
guidelines
(from Elaine Whitehouse, Communications Dept, RCB)
The report of the Standing Committee of
the General Synod challenged Church of Ireland parishes to take all
reasonable steps to facilitate the participation of disabled people
in worship and parish life and told Synod members that this would
involve everything from access to buildings to print size in worship
material.
The Standing Committee, in conjunction
with the Representative Church Body, set up a working group last
year to bring forward an agreed policy statement and suggest a way
for the Church of Ireland to respond to the needs of disabled
people.
The statement voices the Church of
Ireland’s commitment to recognising the right of everyone to
participate fully in the life of the Church and to keeping policies
and practices under review in consultation with disabled members of
the Church and organisations representing disabled persons.
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Measures have already been taken to
facilitate the participation of disabled people in worship and
parish life. A Code of Good Practice governing access to churches
and parochial buildings for disabled people has been prepared and
was submitted to the Synod as part of the Representative Body’s
report.
Dr Peter Trimble of the Diocese of Down
asked Synod members what they thought about when considering the
issue of access for the disabled. He suggested a radically new
paradigm whereby the Church would see its calling as “making the
Gospel accessible and making resources readily available and easy to
use” for those with disabilities. Applauding the publication of the
new large print hymnal currently being distributed to parishes all
over Ireland, Dr Trimble hoped that more books would be printed if
demand exceeded supply. He also looked forward to seeing the new
prayer book published in accessible formats.
Meanwhile, the Central Communications
Board has prepared a set of guidelines relating to the production of
printed material for visually impaired people and is now in the
process of producing these guidelines for circulation to all
parishes.
Order forms for the large print hymnal
are available from Church House, Dublin.
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