How do I start this conversation?

[heliotrope]

I'm actively involved in ministry at my church. However, in the last few months, I'm starting to notice a serious problem. As mentioned in a previous post, while I still walk fairly well, I'm having a hard time standing still. My legs start to collapse.

The traditional approach is to force people out of ministry when they can't stand for extended periods. (Please note, this church has almost a 0% disability rate, so they're used to elderly and frail, not young and disabled). I'm already having comments made that it might be "too much" for me.

My MS is a fairly "open" secret at the church. I don't make a big deal out of it, but pretty much everyone is aware. Because of that, I'm wondering if it might be worth challenging the status quo. Some of the ministries are a challenge if you can't stand - but others (reading) really shouldn't require anything complicated to change.

But how do I even begin this conversation? The church itself is ADA accessible (although the altar area is not). Not a workplace, so those accommodation rules don't apply.

[thelegendlc]

ADA does not legally apply

The ADA regulations do not apply to religious organizations. However, most churches do voluntaraly comply. I think all you can do is visit with the "powers that be" and see if they will agree with your requests .

[heliotrope]

Thanks - My question is less about requests for accommodation than about how to change the culture. I have something to hold on to, so falling isn't a huge issue.

[KatieAgain]

Thanks - My question is less about requests for accommodation than about how to change the culture. I have something to hold on to, so falling isn't a huge issue.

You really can't change the culture of a Church. What I would do is approach the Minister and let them know you have difficulty standing for long periods of time and what can be done to assist you. The answer to that question will give you better insight.

It could be no one is going to care that you sit when necessary. Problem solved. If they do, I would be asking myself do I really want to be a member of that particular church.

BTW...I too can not stand for long periods of time. 10-15 minutes max...then I need a chair. I can walk for about 20 minutes before I need an assistive device such as a walking stick or rollater.

[heliotrope]

Thanks. Believe it or not, the church has truly never had this discussion with someone who is not frail (previous arguments have been based on the "they'll fall and then sue us" mentality). I guess I'm not explaining myself very well - I think I'm looking for ideas on how to bring it up and explain what someone with a disability needs.

[jreagan70]

Hi heliotrope:

I have to ditto the post by katieAgain.

You really can't change the culture of a Church. What I would do is approach the Minister and let them know you have difficulty standing for long periods of time and what can be done to assist you. The answer to that question will give you better insight.

It could be no one is going to care that you sit when necessary. Problem solved. If they do, I would be asking myself do I really want to be a member of that particular church.

As the late Sam Kinison pointed out, a big part of preaching is entertainment under the guise of ministry. If the traditional approach requires that part of a minister's entertainment of the congregation is the ability to stand for long periods of time, then you aren't going to change that culture. Hence the comments that it might be "too much" for me.

I agree: You can't change the culture of a church. What you can do is find out how deeply embedded their beliefs are by asking to be able to sit sometimes, since the message is supposed to be more important than the medium.

So ditto, you can ask if you can sit sometimes. If not, I would be asking myself why I want to be a member of a church that puts entertainment value above the message.

[heliotrope]

Thank you every one. My issue isn't standing for long periods - it's truly standing still (not able to rotate/shift). My denomination has very ritualized and standardized roles for the ministers, so changing the role does require a discussion of how to make it more acceptable for everyone. Apparently there's no easy way to tackle that. I appreciate your comments.