St John’s church in Halesowen recently launched a new worshipping community in partnership with a local charity called Halas Homes, to make church more accessible for their service users who are vulnerable adults with disabilities and learning difficulties.
St John’s church in Halesowen held this first accessible worship gathering on Tuesday 26 May in a cafe style setting with singing, prayer activity and praise.
New Worshipping Communities Coordinator Claire Biggs said:
“We used Makaton song videos, Widget symbol Lord's prayer cards and used a worship powerpoint shared with us by the Revd Claire Cox who set up accessible worship when she was curate at St Mary's Church in Oldswinford . Claire inspired us here at St John's Church to create a bespoke service for a similar community who are on our doorstep. The residents who came with the carers gave us great feedback, that they really enjoyed it and were pleased with the work put into making it so accessible.”
“We have been trying to encourage Halas Homes to join us at church for a while. One of their partially sighted residents came and played
our organ a few weeks ago and some of our church family are now volunteering for the charity, helping local residents. This all slowly helped enhance our partnership and I’m pleased to say, we now have a beautiful relationship!”
Claire added:
“This is another part of our ongoing mission to become a SEN friendly accessible church. We are so proud that this has happened and we are now working on a regular worship pattern to offer creative praise and deepen faith in a very accessible way.”
