Often, homebound members would prefer to attend church in person but cannot do so due to the design of the worship building or a practice/custom of the congregation that inadvertently affects the homebound member’s health or safety. Rather than ask for special treatment, such as a practice or building design change, they remove themselves from in-person attendance or seek a place to worship that better matches their needs.
Encouraging Homebound to Ask for Accommodation
Instead of assuming the church won’t provide the accommodation, why don’t they come forward and ask for what they need? Unfortunately, many special needs and medically challenged individuals have faced rejection for their requests in the past from those who they thought would help them – school systems, family, work, and even the health care system often fail to provide accommodations needed because they are unique to the individual. In addition, many illnesses and injuries are invisible to the observer. Therefore, the person asking for the exception appears to be just like everyone else, pretending to need something special. As a result, their requests fall on deaf ears due to the resistance and skepticism of those they approach for help. The easier we make it for them to ask, the more likely it will be that they will come back to church.
Possible Accommodations and Needs Served
Special Needs – There are as many special needs as special conditions, and I could not begin to list them here. My recommendation is to post on your website and in your bulletin something like this:
We welcome everyone at _____________. If you need unique mental or physical accommodation to help you in your worship experience, please contact __________ at ___________ 24 hours before your arrival to allow us time to arrange for your accommodation. We wish to make your worship experience with us a blessed one.
Below are some special considerations to help make those with everyday physical needs more comfortable.
Need | Possible Accommodation Needed |
Powerchair Access | · Power wheelchairs need a lot of room to turn around and maneuver. They are wider than manual wheelchairs, so their door frames need to be wider. Therefore, they need wider entrance doors and pathways. · Ramps and smooth “lip ramps” overall step elevations of greater than ½ inch or more. · Automatic door openers or someone available to open doors at all entrances and restroom areas. It is challenging, if not impossible, to drive a powerchair, open a heavy door simultaneously, and then try to keep it open enough to go through without breaking glass. |
Immobility | · Family-style or unisex restrooms are necessary for members of the opposite sex to help spouses, parents, and caregivers assist the opposite sex in the bathroom without needing to close a male or female bathroom while they go in together. · Indented area to park wheelchairs so they don’t stick out in the aisles · More expansive knee space for walkers to sit in front of individuals. · Provide a pew entrance without a side enclosure so it is easier to slide in/out rather than over the enclosure. · Provide an elevator that can accommodate a scooter or wheelchair with a caregiver pushing it. If not an option, hold an alternate service or television option on the ground floor. · Attach handrails throughout the building and strategically place chairs for rest breaks. · Offer valet service to mobility-challenged people with walkers and accessibility equipment to assist them in getting in and out of the building since rarely are there enough disability parking places. |
Immunocompromised or High Risk for Infection | · Especially during respiratory virus season, many who want to attend church cannot do so because they are at high risk of catching respiratory viruses if they sit with the rest of the congregation. Coughing and sneezing church members expel their viruses into the air. The virus can travel in any direction that the air circuit is flowing up to six feet or more. Assign a secluded room with a closed-circuit television to provide for their safety. A separate room allows them to spread out more and reduce cross-contamination. · Promote participation in activities through Facetime or other interactive means. · Remote services |
Hearing Impairment | · Amplification equipment in pews · Sign language interpreters · Closed caption on all media, · Provide written materials |
Blind or sight-impaired | · Braille materials, · Print reader in the library, · Text to audio apps for materials · Large print materials, · Magnifier sheet/glass for pews, · Audiobooks |
Anxiety | · They may be unable to sit close to others and need to move across the room or under a desk or table. · May need to stem (if autistic, they need to move to release their anxiety – bouncing balls, twirling objects, making mouth noises) · Change of clothing due to soiling or accompanied to the restroom |
Ways to Decrease the Spread of Germs
Most diseases spread through physical contact with contaminated objects. Therefore, an awareness of where and how physical touch occurs most often in your services can help reduce the risk of infection while in worship services.
- Provide hand sanitizer or hand wipes.
- Spray down commonly used Bibles and fans after service.
- Offer disposable gloves to shake hands for those with weak immune systems.
- Keep trash cans available for tissue disposal.
- Provide masks for those who wish to use them.
- Provide Communion in individual servings.
- Provide individually wrapped servings of food at gatherings.
- Encourage those who are sick to stay home, including the ministers.
- Ask cleaning staff to use a 10:1 bleach disinfectant or something as effective that kills viruses.
Safety Instructions
Help members and visitors know in advance how to help protect others. Post an announcement at the entrance.
We offer each of you a warm welcome to …… Thank you for worshiping with us. To keep all our family members healthy, we do not shake hands, hug, or kiss in greeting due to the potential spread of infections. We do not wish to offend anyone with this practice, so I am explaining our reasoning and asking for your indulgence to benefit our immunocompromised and high-risk members. We greet each other with an elbow bump (picture) for their safety.
In addition, we offer two rooms with televised services. Room x is for anyone wishing to limit close exposure to others due to health risks, and Room Y is for those concerned they have been exposed during the past week and do not wish to expose others. Masks must be worn in room Y, and hands must be sanitized before and after leaving the room.
The elevator is located …….. If you have difficulty hearing our sermon, mention that you need ——– as you enter the sanctuary, and someone will assist you likewise if you need a larger print bulletin.
Thank you in advance for your help protecting our church members and visitors who have health risks and wish to attend church services.
