02 Jul 2004

CHICAGO—Sheridan Lutheran Church, Lincoln, Neb., is the recipient of the 2004 Accessibility Award given annually to a congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. According to an ELCA news release the award is given to a church that demonstrates care and concern for people who are physically and mentally disabled.

Sheridan reportedly displayed innovative practices in building accessibility, programs and shared ministry to meet special needs, and overall hospitality.

"The Accessibility Award is important for two reasons," said the Rev. Lisa T. Cleaver, director for disability ministries, ELCA Division for Church in Society. "First, it brings awareness to ELCA's congregations about the need to be totally accessible and inclusive of all people who are differently-abled. Second, it provides examples of some of the excellent work that is being done in the area of disability ministries."

In addition, three other congregations were cited with honorable mentions. They are First Lutheran Church, Topeka, Kan.; Grace Lutheran Church, Hartford, Conn.; and St. Michael's Lutheran Church, Philadelphia, Pa.

At Sheridan Lutheran Church, members and visitors will find special parking for people who are disabled, a wheelchair accessible entrance and rest rooms, and special hearing devices, said Cheri R. Peterson, the congregation's share care, older adult and health ministries coordinator. Large screens are in the worship center for easy viewing, signers are provided regularly for those with hearing impairments, pews have been removed or reduced in size to accommodate wheelchairs, and an automatic door-opener has been installed to provide accessibility to the building, Peterson wrote in the congregation's application.

Sheridan has maintained a ministry to serve hearing-impaired people for 25 years, she said. Recently it obtained a church bus with a wheelchair lift, she reported. It also provides people who assist people at home.

"We have a trained group of volunteers who will go into homes and install home safety improvements as needed to allow persons to remain in their own homes as long as possible," Peterson said.

The program — CHERISH (Churches Helping Elderly Reside in Safe Homes) — is funded in part with a grant from Immanuel Health Systems of Nebraska, affiliated with the ELCA Nebraska Synod, Omaha.

Sheridan maintains a "lending stockpile" of home health aids. "We encourage members to donate no-longer-needed health equipment such as walkers, wheelchairs, crutches and bath aids, and then [we] lend this equipment to others in need," Peterson said.

"We have purchased a new wheelchair, walker with a seat, cane and other aids for lending." The congregation has three wheelchairs available for worshippers to use.

Hospitality volunteers and ushers have been educated to help them as they greet people with various disabilities, Peterson said.

The church also formed a gardening group to plant flowers for people who visit homes or provide care to others to take as gifts. And the church organizes events to include the disabled in activities. But Peterson wants to do more.

"Our members need to do more for our church to reach out to the disabled," Peterson said. "We learn so much from them about our own faith walks, and learn to look at life from a different perspective."