resolution

Accessibility Grants for Churches

2016 Book of Resolutions, #3001

Whereas, it is essential that The United Methodist Church as a denomination find a way to assist local churches to find grant money to assist them in becoming more accessible by removing architectural barriers; and

Whereas, our denomination establishes many programs around specific groups of people, whether they be ethnic groups or age-targeted groups; and

Whereas, each of the groups that the church claims an interest in and sets priorities for includes persons with disabilities. There are more than one billion people living with disabilities in the world, of which 56 million live in the United States, according to United Nations data. The United Nations recently focused on the issue of disability by calling for institutions to become more accessible; and

Whereas, the Book of Discipline calls the Church to inclusiveness, and states: “A further mark of inclusiveness is the setting of church activities in facilities accessible to persons with disabilities;” and

Whereas, since 2000, more than 140 churches in the United States have received grants to help them increase their accessibility;

Therefore be it resolved, that The United Methodist Church set aside funds to again provide accessibility grants to churches in the annual conferences, and that the program be administered from within the General Board of Global Ministries.

ADOPTED 2000
READOPTED 2008
AMENDED AND READOPTED 2016
RESOLUTION #3001, 2008, 2012 BOOK OF RESOLUTIONS
RESOLUTION #44, 2004 BOOK OF RESOLUTIONS
RESOLUTION #38, 2000 BOOK OF RESOLUTIONS

See Social Principles, ¶ 162I.

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