In this occasional series we talk with several of our own Chaplains here in Hereford Diocese, offering a window into this fascinating and often moving role. For our Year of Engagement, we have been exploring ways that we as a Church take the message of a loving God out to those communities. For a Chaplain, The community where they work could be a place, such as a single school or care home, or it could be a dispersed community bound by a common thread, such as the local agricultural community – and there is a wide range of these communities in our diocese. As the national church says, “because chaplains are present with the 95% who will not regularly visit a place of worship, many people do encounter them and journey with chaplaincy as they explore questions of life and faith.”
Rev’d Andy Ackroyd is Vicar in Madeley, Shropshire, in the Severn Borders Deanery, and recently became Disability Advisor to the diocese. Rev’d Andy has a personal interest in including people with Learning Disabilities or LDs in our worshipping communities. According to Mencap there are 1.5 million people with LDs. These are cognitive issues, that can’t be ‘fixed’, are often hidden and can be severe. Andy’s ministry is propelled through personal experience and he is a champion for inclusivity – for ALL our benefits, as he explains here.
L: You seem very passionate about inclusivity – can you tell us what’s behind that?
A: My son Jacob is 19 and has cerebral palsy. Supporting Jacob in his Christian discipleship has been a great learning experience about what accessibility really means – and it’s a lot more than disabled toilets and a new footpath (although these are also important and can be a challenge). Jacob is amazing in church,” continues Andy. “Although he is socially smart and, by all accounts, charming, he is also learning disabled. Working with this often-hidden disability has become my real passion, and I hope to bring this experience to the wider diocese. Learning Disability – or LD – is very different from a Learning Difference, like Dyslexia, which can be supported with adaptations. LDs, such as slower processing, are more subtle. I’m ready to champion all disabilities, physical and learning,” says Rev’d Andy. “Missionally-speaking, I see it as a fabulous opportunity for the church. The key question is, are we passionate about seeing people who are often excluded in society included in church? The Gospels don’t give us any wiggle room on this!
L: Can you explain ‘what good looks like’ in terms of inclusivity?
A: I’m happy to come and help people see what this looks alike, at deanery level, with parishes and individual pastoral teams. All our contexts are different, and one size doesn’t fit all, but there are three simple steps which make sense in many contexts:
- We first have to want to create acts of worship that are accessible to people with disabilities. Disability Awareness Sunday, next week, is a good day to raise this with our congregations.
- Then we need to identify these people in our communities. It’s a question of knowing where to look. They may not be coming to church – yet – but their carers or relatives may be, so reaching out with questions and proposals can help, and talking to nearby care homes and group homes, adult social care and GPs.
- Consider worship styles and liturgy that will be inviting and friendly for people with disabilities, including LDs. Café-style church can be more accessible for some people as it is less formal. Makaton is a simplified sign language that has been used in videos of songs and prayers, such as those by Nick and Becky Drake at Worship for Everyone and at Count Everyone In. It’s a great resource for school assemblies and family worship.”
In Madeley at our café church we use food, instruments, contemporary songs and Makaton songs and puppets to create a participatory and welcoming atmosphere. The worship is simplified but the Christian messages are not dumbed down. Every two months we also hold an act of worship that is entirely for people with disabilities, with other local churches and with carers, which becomes a celebration of difference and a way to spread awareness of other services on offer. We’re looking to partner on this with a church in Lichfield Diocese - St John’s, Muxton - and offer a similar bi monthly service here - so we offer in the alternative months where they are not offering that option.
L: Are there things to be mindful of in inclusive worship?
A: Differences in disabilities are an issue to keep in mind. For some, particularly those with autism, some of the sounds and movements of a participatory service may be overwhelming. No one style of worship is right for everyone, even with the best will in the world, but fear around getting it wrong can leave us paralysed, ending up doing nothing. It’s better to have a go and learn from people’s reactions. It’s a bit like ministry around death and dying: we may never be perfect but it’s important to do our best.
L: What is your role as Disability Advisor to the diocese?
A: My role as Diocesan Disability Advisor is to come and help you, to cheer you on. The effort will be gratefully received and parishes will undoubtedly get something back from their inclusivity. I see it all the time. When I left my last role, people asked if Jacob could stay as he was their best welcomer. When I was interviewed for this role, I was asked what was the biggest thing I would bring to it. The answer was ‘Jacob!’.
My role is very much to raise the profile of inclusive ministry in the diocese, through synod, DAC meetings, national meetings, our inclusivity forum, and working closely with disability inclusion charity Count Everyone In. In the meantime, I am open to chat with any parish or deanery looking for advice and resources.
L: Are there questions you get asked most often?
A: I am often asked whether people with LD can fully participate in the sacrament of Communion. I say, all are welcome at the Communion table. If people can say ‘I love and follow Jesus’, that’s good enough for me. There’s no reason to exclude people with disabilities. We also include people who are non-verbal. If Jesus could include all his followers, who were a mixed bag, I see no reason why not. Just because some people may not be able to articulate their faith as we would, is not a reason for exclusion. You can’t say ‘this meal is for all’ and then exclude people. Jacob can see stuff I can’t see – he is frighteningly spiritually tuned-in sometimes. When the Holy Spirit is at work, Jacob can see things happening that I can’t!
L: How does inclusive worship affect carers?
A: Half the ministry is to the parents and carers. Parents often wonder if it’s their duty to care for their child ‘forever’. I tell them that young people with disabilities deserve freedoms that neurotypical young people would enjoy, to the best of their abilities, such as independent living – with scaffolding around them where needed.
Some resources for parishes ready to get started:
- Sunday, 28th September is Disability Awareness Sunday; this can be a good time to focus minds in the parish on stepping up efforts around inclusivity such as the three steps outlined above. This special day is organised by Through the Roof, and they provide liturgical and other resources on their website.
- Count Everyone In champions inclusivity resources and awareness for churches, with a special focus on Learning Disability
- Engage Worship is running an evening course on Worship & Neurodiversity on 4th November.
- The Church of England has many initiatives aimed at full inclusivity for people with disabiltiies and differences, including:
• The Disability Project 2024-26
• Barrier-Free Belonging
• and their guide to access and inclusion, ‘A Place to Belong’(download it here)
ENDS