[Faith-talk] Research on how churches help or hinder visually-impaired people in congregational worship

[Linda Mentink]

Hi all,

I got this from another list, and thought I'd pass it on here. This 
is the reason we started the National Association of the Blind in 
Communities of Faith.

Read on.

Blessings,

Linda

From: Elizabeth Drury (She spoke at the NFB of Virginia Greater 
Springfield Chapter meeting in April). If you are able to 
participate, please contact Elizabeth directly.

I am working on an article to submit to a magazine about how churches 
help or hinder visually-impaired people in congregational worship. 
Although I am an assertive and engaged church volunteer, I have 
sometimes felt isolated when churches project all text onto overhead 
screens with no effort to provide assistance to people who cannot see 
(I have low vision). Some churches know that increasing numbers of 
elderly members, for example, are unable to see, but they choose not 
to provide printed materials, to increase the font size, or to make 
any other accommodation. Other churches appro ach needs and solutions 
with cheerful ease. My guess is that most churches have not really 
thought about the problem.

I have lately come to believe that writing to a magazine(s) for a 
church-attending audience may be helpful. I spoke last summer to a 
Christian ophthalmologist in Chicago, and he was astonished that he 
himself had not even considered the needs of people with low vision 
in his own church. He encouraged me to pursue this topic in a more formal way.

Perhaps there are people within this network who would be interested 
in writing to me about their experiences. Joy told me that her church 
used to email the texts to her in advance of Sunday services. This is 
the type of helpful information I'd love to hear, along with 
sentiments, frustrations, opinions, solutions, etc. If people would 
rather phone, that would be fine, too, but email helps me to stay 
organized amid the hustle and bustle of a house full of kids. I have 
a hard time finding quiet moments to call, but I'm happy to do 
whatever makes it easiest for people to participate.

Please do communicate that this interest should not make anyone feel 
obligated to participate in any way. People with stories and 
experiences to tell will likely feel eager to share, and others 
should not feel pressured. Hopefully, the outcome will help pastors 
and church leaders to understand the problem and to feel motivated to 
make the slight changes necessary.

My contact information: email 
<mailto:thedrurys%40verizon.net>thedrurys at verizon.net or call me at 
(626) 676-0352.

Thank you Elizabeth Drury