Disability Ministries
Celebrate Disability Awareness Sunday
Choose any Sunday in July to help your congregation recognize and celebrate disability as part of God’s diverse creation.
Watch and Learn
Watch recorded webinars on disability inclusion from the Center for Leadership Excellence.
Explore Resources
Access connectional resources to strengthen disability ministry in your congregation.
What is an Accessibility Audit?
An accessibility audit is an review of a church’s building, grounds, and facilities to identify physical, architectural, or communication barriers that may limit full participation. An annual audit is required by the Book of Discipline (¶2533.6) and helps congregations identify practical steps to improve accessibility.
Who Completes the Audit?
The board of trustees is responsible for the audit, but is encouraged to include people with disabilities, family members, and professionals with relevant expertise, such as builders, architects, or rehabilitation specialists.
What Support is Available?
The UMC Disability Ministries Committee offers a fillable PDF audit, step-by-step guidelines, small accessibility grants, and a variety of resources to help congregations address accessibility concerns effectively.
Celebrate Disability Awareness Sunday
Disability Awareness Sunday is a celebration of the gifts and graces of people with disabilities and a call to deepen our commitment to full inclusion of persons with disabilities (Book of Discipline ¶265.4).
The United Methodist Disability Ministries Committee offers a full set of ready-to-use worship materials—an order of worship, liturgies, songs, a children’s message, and more—to help congregations plan a meaningful service.
The NC Conference invites congregations to choose any Sunday in July to celebrate Disability Awareness Sunday. Because July is also Disability Pride Month, it provides a particularly fitting opportunity to honor disability as part of God’s diverse creation.
For churches in a pastoral transition, these resources also make it easy to plan a laity-led service early in the month.
Watch and Learn
When the NC Conference Disability Ministries committee concluded its work, the Center for Leadership Excellence picked up the mantle. Since 2022, we have offered regular webinars to equip churches in creating inclusive, welcoming spaces for people of all abilities, providing practical strategies, inspiration, and tools for disability ministries in faith communities.
Accessibility as Hospitality
Four NC Conference clergy and laity share stories and perspectives on improving accessibility in churches of all sizes and contexts. This panel offers inspiration for contextual solutions, highlighting how thoughtful accessibility improvements strengthen ministry for the whole congregation. Recorded February 3, 2026.
View Allergen Free Bread Recipe→
View Photos of Sensory Walls & Accessible Playground→
Designing Disability Ministry
Sarah Flannery combines storytelling and research to equip leaders of children’s and youth ministries with practical strategies to create ministry environments that are truly inclusive of all physical and mental abilities. Recorded October 7, 2025.
Respite Care for All: Care Ministries for Your Community
Daphne Johnson offers a practical model for creating respite ministries, showing how churches can become places of hope and community for families affected by dementia. Recorded October 15, 2024.
“A Letter to My Pastor”
Lester Ruth offers a personal reflection of what he would want from his pastor in worship should he be diagnosed with dementia. Following the letter, Ruth reviews of Dementia-Friendly Worship: A Multifaith Handbook for Chaplains, Clergy, and Faith Communities. Published October 8, 2024.
Dementia Through the Lens of Grace
Bishop Kenneth Carter highlights the unique contributions people living with dementia bring to discipleship and the church’s mission, showing how congregations can welcome and support them in ways that inspire renewal and transformation. Recorded October 1, 2024.
Behavior 101: Understanding Human Behavior in Faith Settings
Joy Van Staalduinen introduces behavioral analysis and shares strategies for preventing harmful behaviors in ways that reflect the compassionate practices Jesus modeled in his ministry. Recorded August 29, 2023.
Ableism in the Church
Melinda Baber explores how ableism shows up in congregations and offers practical steps for cultivating communities where all are genuinely welcomed. Recorded August 22, 2023.
Accessibility Audits and Becoming a Place that Welcomes All
Lynn Swedberg from the UM Disability Ministries Committee shares tools and tips to complete the scorable Annual Accessibility Audit for United Methodist churches. Recorded August 15, 2023.
The Church Responds to Mental Health: FaithNet
Annie Schmidt and Penny Carlo from the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) share how congregations can create ministries and inclusive spaces that are welcoming to persons and families living with mental illness. Recorded March 21, 2021.
Explore Disability Ministry Resources
We have a variety of resources across the United Methodist connection to help congregations and leaders engage in disability ministry. Below are some key places to start, including a few ecumenical partners with excellent resources.
Be sure to also check out the Disability Ministries Pathfinder, for resources available to borrow for free from NC Conference Media Center.
UM Disability Ministries Committee Resources
The Disability Ministries Committee provides guidance, tools, and support specifically for UMC congregations, including:
GCORR Resources
The General Commission on Religion and Race (GCORR), the denominational body that houses the Disability Ministries Committee, offers resources focused on awareness, learning, and foundational understanding:
- Book Study, My Body is Not a Prayer Request by Amy Kenny
- Do’s and Don’ts for the Disability Ally
- What Is Ableism?, from the “What Is” series, including concise definitions, examples, and biblical/theological foundations.
Ecumenical Partners
Organizations outside the UMC offering practical resources:
- Disability Ministry Network – An ecumenical group. Their resource page includes guides for ideas for multi-sensory worship.
- Faith Inclusion Network