Accessible to All
1 Peter 4:8-11
The UCC at 50 Series Part 2
May 13, 2007
Rev. Nancy Pfaltzgraf
In the late 1970's, I spent a vacation week at the Chautauqua Institute in New
York. It was a wonderful blend of family fun, education and inspiration. But the
most memorable event was a forum held in an outdoor pavilion. The speaker was
Rev. Harold Wilke. Since I had never heard of Rev. Wilke, I have no idea what
prompted me to attend. But I am so grateful I did. Now, in truth there are only
two things I remember about that afternoon. One was a story he told about a
time when, as a young boy, he was trying to get dressed. "Getting dressed was
not an easy thing for me," Rev. Wilke said. "But mother insisted I was old enough
to do it myself. I remember getting more and more frustrated and upset that my
mother wouldn't come and help me. Evidently mom's friend was also getting
upset because she finally shouted at my mother saying 'Why don't you do
something to help that boy?'"
"With tears running down her face, my mother responded, 'I am doing
something to help him.'"
1 Peter 4:8-11
The UCC at 50 Series Part 2
May 13, 2007
Rev. Nancy Pfaltzgraf
In the late 1970's, I spent a vacation week at the Chautauqua Institute in New
York. It was a wonderful blend of family fun, education and inspiration. But the
most memorable event was a forum held in an outdoor pavilion. The speaker was
Rev. Harold Wilke. Since I had never heard of Rev. Wilke, I have no idea what
prompted me to attend. But I am so grateful I did. Now, in truth there are only
two things I remember about that afternoon. One was a story he told about a
time when, as a young boy, he was trying to get dressed. "Getting dressed was
not an easy thing for me," Rev. Wilke said. "But mother insisted I was old enough
to do it myself. I remember getting more and more frustrated and upset that my
mother wouldn't come and help me. Evidently mom's friend was also getting
upset because she finally shouted at my mother saying 'Why don't you do
something to help that boy?'"
"With tears running down her face, my mother responded, 'I am doing
something to help him.'"
You see, Harold Wilke was born with no arms. But thanks to the amazing
courage and fierce love of his mother, that fact never became a handicap. It was
merely an opportunity to develop different abilities. "My mother raised me to
believe I could do anything my heart desired," he said, "I just might have to do it
differently!"
The second thing I remember about that afternoon was what Rev. Wilke did
when the wind began to blow his notes around. Without missing a beat he simply
swung one leg up placing his foot on the podium to hold his papers, as
nonchalantly as I might reach out my hand, and he continued to talk, all the while
standing on one foot.
What I didn't know until I was preparing for this sermon series on shinning
moments in UCC history was that Rev. Harold Wilke is an ordained United Church
of Christ minister. A living witness to the truth that people are not disabled just
differently abled, Rev. Wilke has been a powerful advocate for the full inclusion of
all people not only into the life of the church, but into the fullness of LIFE.
In part through his efforts and those of Rev. Virginia Kreyer, herself born with
cerebral palsy, the General Synod in 1977 passed a resolution calling all
expressions of the church to:
O:\Sermons\Sermons 2007\05-13-07 I Peter 4-8-11.doc Last
printed 6/11/2007 1:22:00 PM - 2 -
(1) recognize the distinguished contributions persons with disabilities
are making to society
(2) be aware of the suffering of persons with disabilities due to
rejection and insufficient support
(3) be aware of the wealth of new understandings about societal
attitudes to persons with disabilities
(4) observe that a direct result of our high-risk technological society is
increasing the number of persons with disabilities,
(5) affirm a positive attitude and behavioral response to persons with
disabilities.
Then in 1978 Rev. Wilke and Rev. Kreyer were instrumental in the creation of
the UCC Disabilities Ministry, formed to help the church live into the fullness of
that resolution. But Rev. Wilke's advocacy work didn't stop with the church. While
I don't know much about that work, I do know that it was significant enough that
in 1990 he stood with President George H. Bush on the South Lawn of the White
House as he signed the much-celebrated Americans with Disabilities Act.
Although churches weren't bound by the ADA, the UCC resolved at the 1995
General Synod to embrace the "spirit of the ADA." [A word here about General
Synod actions: Because we are a denomination where each congregation decides
for itself who and what it will be, General Synod Resolutions are meant to advise
and instruct congregations, not dictate to them what they will do.]
Then in 2005, the General Synod passed a resolution titled "Called to
wholeness in Christ: Becoming a church accessible to all." This resolution calls on
every expression of the United Church of Christ "to become accessible to all; to
embody a philosophy of inclusion and interdependence; and to support and
implement the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990,"
thus reaffirming and strengthening the 1995 statement.
As I have read articles published since this General Synod action, I have been
impressed and delighted as well as challenged and awakened. One article quotes
Rev. Jo Clare Hartsig, herself the mother of a son with autism, who challenges
each of us to understand that being accessible to all is about more than access
ramps, large print bulletins, assistive hearing devices, sign language interpretation
and the like. Becoming accessible to all is "not ministry 'to' persons with
disabilities, but ministry 'with' and 'by' persons with different types of abilities."
Becoming truly accessible to all is about recognizing that every person is a
unique creation of Divine Love with gifts to give and love to share. Becoming truly
accessible to all is about asking the question -"how can we best call forth and
nurture those gifts and celebrate that love?" The chaplain at UCC-related
Emmaus Homes tells of one resident who regularly acted out by taking others'
bulletins during worship. The chaplain decided to invite her to be a greeter and
distribute bulletins. What a change! To this day, a wide smile on her face, she
hands out the bulletins and collects them when the service is over.
As we prepare to confirm four of our young women and claim their unique
gifts for ministry, let us embrace the wisdom and truth of Dr. Martin Luther King
Jr.'s words, "I can never be what I ought to be until you are what you ought to
be," as we seek to live into the rich heritage of a denomination that calls us to be
truly accessible to all! Amen.
courage and fierce love of his mother, that fact never became a handicap. It was
merely an opportunity to develop different abilities. "My mother raised me to
believe I could do anything my heart desired," he said, "I just might have to do it
differently!"
The second thing I remember about that afternoon was what Rev. Wilke did
when the wind began to blow his notes around. Without missing a beat he simply
swung one leg up placing his foot on the podium to hold his papers, as
nonchalantly as I might reach out my hand, and he continued to talk, all the while
standing on one foot.
What I didn't know until I was preparing for this sermon series on shinning
moments in UCC history was that Rev. Harold Wilke is an ordained United Church
of Christ minister. A living witness to the truth that people are not disabled just
differently abled, Rev. Wilke has been a powerful advocate for the full inclusion of
all people not only into the life of the church, but into the fullness of LIFE.
In part through his efforts and those of Rev. Virginia Kreyer, herself born with
cerebral palsy, the General Synod in 1977 passed a resolution calling all
expressions of the church to:
O:\Sermons\Sermons 2007\05-13-07 I Peter 4-8-11.doc Last
printed 6/11/2007 1:22:00 PM - 2 -
(1) recognize the distinguished contributions persons with disabilities
are making to society
(2) be aware of the suffering of persons with disabilities due to
rejection and insufficient support
(3) be aware of the wealth of new understandings about societal
attitudes to persons with disabilities
(4) observe that a direct result of our high-risk technological society is
increasing the number of persons with disabilities,
(5) affirm a positive attitude and behavioral response to persons with
disabilities.
Then in 1978 Rev. Wilke and Rev. Kreyer were instrumental in the creation of
the UCC Disabilities Ministry, formed to help the church live into the fullness of
that resolution. But Rev. Wilke's advocacy work didn't stop with the church. While
I don't know much about that work, I do know that it was significant enough that
in 1990 he stood with President George H. Bush on the South Lawn of the White
House as he signed the much-celebrated Americans with Disabilities Act.
Although churches weren't bound by the ADA, the UCC resolved at the 1995
General Synod to embrace the "spirit of the ADA." [A word here about General
Synod actions: Because we are a denomination where each congregation decides
for itself who and what it will be, General Synod Resolutions are meant to advise
and instruct congregations, not dictate to them what they will do.]
Then in 2005, the General Synod passed a resolution titled "Called to
wholeness in Christ: Becoming a church accessible to all." This resolution calls on
every expression of the United Church of Christ "to become accessible to all; to
embody a philosophy of inclusion and interdependence; and to support and
implement the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990,"
thus reaffirming and strengthening the 1995 statement.
As I have read articles published since this General Synod action, I have been
impressed and delighted as well as challenged and awakened. One article quotes
Rev. Jo Clare Hartsig, herself the mother of a son with autism, who challenges
each of us to understand that being accessible to all is about more than access
ramps, large print bulletins, assistive hearing devices, sign language interpretation
and the like. Becoming accessible to all is "not ministry 'to' persons with
disabilities, but ministry 'with' and 'by' persons with different types of abilities."
Becoming truly accessible to all is about recognizing that every person is a
unique creation of Divine Love with gifts to give and love to share. Becoming truly
accessible to all is about asking the question -"how can we best call forth and
nurture those gifts and celebrate that love?" The chaplain at UCC-related
Emmaus Homes tells of one resident who regularly acted out by taking others'
bulletins during worship. The chaplain decided to invite her to be a greeter and
distribute bulletins. What a change! To this day, a wide smile on her face, she
hands out the bulletins and collects them when the service is over.
As we prepare to confirm four of our young women and claim their unique
gifts for ministry, let us embrace the wisdom and truth of Dr. Martin Luther King
Jr.'s words, "I can never be what I ought to be until you are what you ought to
be," as we seek to live into the rich heritage of a denomination that calls us to be
truly accessible to all! Amen.
