Inclusion and Universal Design for Worship
Corporate, intergenerational worship can be designed from the start to include people with a wide range of abilities and disabilities, gifts and limitations.
Examples of “universal design” approaches in worship services might include any of the following:
- gluten free bread at the celebration of the Lord’s Supper
- use of the phrase “please rise, in body or in spirit”
- use of large-size font and/or availability of printed orders of service for use on devices
- availability of sign language upon request
- use of printed orders of service which supports those who worship best with a predictable schedule to follow
- monitoring of the overall volume of projected sound to support those who process sounds differently or who may be using sound amplification devices
- flexible seating and ramps to worship spaces
- loop system for those with hearing devices
- planned multisensory options to best engage each participants, such as availability of hand tools for those who listen best when their hands are active
- and more
Once these kinds of universal design elements are in place, many more people can find a home in worship, and the benefits often extend to people who may not identify a need for assistance.