Access Sunday 2026: Get Your Resources Here!  🔗 **Source:** [Access Sunday 2026: Get Your Resources Here!](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BcAMNmGJVtI) [00:00:04] Everything that I am, I am becoming is sacred and holy. Spirit is with me. The living God is forming. Creator is making, weaving and painting, singing and waiting. And I will be free. I will be free. I will be free. I will be free. [00:00:52] Everything is holy. When we are growing, we honor the journey of life where a soul can find nurture a person belong. No matter who or where they've come from, everybody has a common song. We will be free. We will be free. We will be free. We will be free. We will be free. [00:01:47] We will be free. We will be free. We will be free. We will be free. We will be free. We will be free. Welcome to nurture the soul beloveds. This is the national ministry setting weekly webinar series that centers curiosity and care by providing the wider community with a multitude of resources to engage with the critical [00:02:32] topics facing our communities right now. I'm Reverend Ellie Hutcherson, Minister for Congregation and Community Engagement. I use they them pronouns and am sitting in front of a quote unquote green screen that is a purple color with a light swirl through the middle of it. In the upper leftand corner it says United Church of Christ a just world for all. I am wearing a black t-shirt, black rimmed glasses. I have a smoky gray pixie haircut with black tips just in time for spooky season. Beloveds, we hope that you join us every Thursday at 3:30 p.m. Eastern time for our regularly scheduled programming. And [00:03:15] from time to time, look for our special offerings. You can find a full list of all the National Ministry Setings upcoming digital programs at ucc.org/events or on all of our social media platforms. Before I introduce this week's guest, I'd like to remind you of a couple of those features. We have the Q&A feature and that is in the circle um at the bottom of your screen with three dots in the middle and there is a question mark, a dialogue bubble with a question mark in the middle and you can use that to ask our guest uh conversation partner today a question anytime and we'll get [00:04:00] to those at the end. We have the reactions feature, which is my favorite. It's in the shape of a heart at the bottom of your screen. And anytime Jacob or I say anything that moves you, we hope that you use and utilize that feature to let us know that it landed with you. And then my favorite, which you're already using, we have folks uh sharing in chat where they're joining us from. I want to say hi to the churches in California and in Oberlin and at Advocate Health and Santa Rosa, California, Lexitin, Massachusetts, Wisconsin, Tennessee, Alabama, Hawaii, Florida, Colorado, College Station, Texas, we have Pennsylvania, we have [00:04:45] California, Maryland, and Baltimore. Wow, y'all. It is so good to have Tennessee, in case I didn't mention that. is so good to have you all joining us from across this great country. So, thank you. Today, we are joined by one of my favorite humans in the world. I know y'all get used to me saying that every week, but really, Pastor Jacob Null, you are such a gift to work with. your uh leadership and your legacy and your creativity and the questions that you ask in return and the and the thing and the ways that you gently nudge me to think of things a little bit different different is such a gift and I want to welcome you to our webinar today and [00:05:29] thank you so much for joining us and you know I start every webinar with how is it with your soul and how does that feel in your body today. M well thank you Ellie for having me. Uh it's really great to be here. Hi everybody. My name is the Reverend Jacob Null. My pronouns are he, him, and his. I am in my kitchen in my uh brand new house that we just got. Uh and um things are in boxes and all sorts of things everywhere. Um but you know, it's a it's that's how life goes. Um, I um I'm a a 30 a a early 30s man with uh [00:06:16] glasses and um I'm wearing a green polo today and I'm sitting in my kitchen um with a a blurred background so that you don't see all the uh coffee stains on the counter. >> Yes, I love it. You have coffee stains in a new house already. That's what you need to unpack is that coffee. >> Love coffee. >> Yeah. Yeah. And so where are you feeling all of those things in your body this week? I think uh the biggest thing is um it's a little bit overwhelming with um seeing all the boxes everywhere and you know we've moved we've moved in but it's the [00:07:01] now the fun part is like how where does it all go? So >> yeah. >> Yeah. I I like how you use the term fun. >> Yeah. Yeah. Cuz there is a lot of opportunity there. So it's a good thing. Yeah. This is this is the uh this is um both of our first house. So um we've been we we've come from apartments and um so you know it's a that we we can actually do the things that we want to do and so there's some real excitement there. >> Um >> nice too. >> Yeah. I'm excited for you. I feel it in my belly. I got all the butterflies happening in my belly. So that's [00:07:44] awesome. >> Love it. Um, you know, there are a lot of people who are joining us for the first time and I'm hoping that maybe you can share a little bit about your background coming into ministry within the United Church of Christ and then really how is it that you have found yourself finally listening to your call into ministry. I think the short version of that story is that um I initially went to Lakeland University in Shboan, Wisconsin, one of our UCCC colleges uh to study music education. Um, and I um I play piano and I sing and um I write um I write some of [00:08:27] my own music which uh um I also help um co-wrote the song that we'll be hearing a little later. Um and I'll talk more about that. Um but uh the the education program was hard to get into because I am not a math person at all. Um, math was my GPA killer. And >> Amen. >> Um, and uh the um the uh education professor basically said, "Have you thought about something else you can do with your life that doesn't involve, you know, um and um and uh that doesn't involve math." And it's like, well, [00:09:12] ministry doesn't typically involve a whole lot of math, so that's a good thing. Um, >> I love it. >> You gota know you gota know church finances a little bit, but if um but your church likely has a finance person or a finance committee or something. Uh, so the pastor has to be a generalist but not an expert in any one area. >> Yes, I love that. and Taylor, our um our um UCCCDM administrative assistant uh says, "Not until you get biblical math." >> Um >> Oh, that's a real thing. >> That's a real thing. >> That is a real thing. Yes, that is 100% a real thing. I think biblical math and [00:09:57] biblical geography, right? >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Yeah. Yeah. Definitely understanding your north, south, east, and west. I use I use um Accordance, the the Bible study software. Um yeah, >> so so sometimes I don't even need that. I can just look it up. >> There you go. There you go. I love it. Well, you have been a member of the disability ministry board for how long? >> Gosh. Um I think officially like a year. Um, but I've been involved with the disability theology committee as a member at large. Um, not an official board member for [00:10:42] gosh, two, three years. Um, >> okay. And um and so uh how I got suckered in is um is uh my dear dear friend uh the Reverend Becca Maren Anderson who used to chair the uh disabilities ministries board and also chair the disability theology committee. She knew that I was a musician and they really wanted um uh some really um some more contemporary music uh that they could use for um their access Sunday resources and I think 2021. Um and um and you know everything was [00:11:29] all done by video anyway and so it didn't matter where um where we were. Um I um I I live and work in northeast Wisconsin. Uh so I don't you know have a whole lot of other musicians around me that um that you might have if you were in a place like New York or California or some place like that. Um, >> yeah. >> And so, um, I have my own home studio, um, and, uh, just kind of, you know, do work in there. And, and, uh, so I ended up, uh, doing a a couple of videos. I, uh, rewrote the first verse of Amazing [00:12:13] Grace to be a little bit more disability affirming, um, that year. And then we were off and running really. um every year after that um I helped out with uh the music for Access Sunday. Um but by then by 2022 they had made me kind of an atlarge member and now I somehow became the secretary of the boards. So >> they will test you. I I remember one time I just came in and I happened to be taking notes at a board at a board meeting for another coalition here in Arizona and [00:12:55] >> I uh they were like, "Do you think you'd be secretary? You're taking notes anyway." I'm like, "No, I'm taking notes anyway." And then like within a matter of four months, I somehow became the president. And I was like, "Wait, >> I think I jumped some steps. How did that happen?" So never say yes to the secretary job. You will get suckered into other things. >> Oh, I know. I know. I've I've uh learned that one the hard way. >> Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. >> With all the love uh with all the love that I have in my heart for uh Katie Gibbs, who is with us. Um um uh she uh she she was one of the people that as well as Rob Stimple, our co-chair, was like, "You ought to become secretary." [00:13:39] And I'm like, "Yeah, dang it." >> Uhhuh. Uh-huh. They saw something and they like the organization. I know how organized you all are. So that totally >> I try to be. >> So can you tell us a little bit about what the disability ministries board is and what it is that they do as well as you mentioned disability theology. Can you talk a little bit about those two things? >> Sure. Yeah. So um our the disabilities ministries board is a um a subset of the um of the UCCC that offers uh resources both uh lurggical, musical um A2A accessible to all follow falls [00:14:25] under our umbrella. Um and all of us are volunteers um except for Taylor, our lovely admin. um who is also here on the call. Um and um and um we all have disabilities of some sort or some lived experience with disability. Um whether that is our own disability or we are the active caregiver of someone with a disability. Um and um and so we you know this isn't just random people who just sort of saw a need. This is you know all [00:15:09] of these resources that uh we've put together are born out of our own lived experiences. >> Um and um >> and so uh we the one of the biggest things we do is access Sunday. um which happens on the second Sunday of October and that's why we're talking about it today. Um and um and then we do some other things. Um there's a there there's a committee within the board that um receives your applications if you are uh considering an A2A designation. And if you uh have any questions, um uh we've got um let's see, Rob and Rick, I [00:15:57] believe, are your uh your people that you uh you hear back from. And um and then there are some other folks um on the board who also sort of help uh with that. Jeff, too. Yes, Jeff Richtor. Um >> and um and yeah, so that's great. Um and um so disability theology um >> if I can give you maybe a one sentence um uh sort of primer on it. I think the best way I could summarize it in one sentence would be theology, the practical theology that is uh born out [00:16:43] of disabled experience uh by disabled people. So, if you can think of um if you're familiar with uh queer theology or uh liberation theologies um um that gives you you can intellectualize a definition from there I would say. Um and um basically um a lot of the tent poles that we talk about um in disability theology is this need for interdependence. uh we need each other, you know, um and um and the idea that all of us are made in uh the image and likeness of God. Um [00:17:28] and and disability and uh mental health are all part of that um as well. Um and side note we also have the chair of mental health uh the mental health network for the UCCC on our board as well. So uh so we do a lot of you know collaboration with them as well. So, you know, thinking a little bit about disability theology and I think in this time of where we find ourselves um in in religious nationalism, Christian nationalism in particular, there are definitely these approaches and ways that that the regular old churchgoing person is going, "Oh, there's there's [00:18:11] ways to read the scripture. There's way to read ourselves in or or others out of scripture." And so, um, thinking about disability theology in that way, um, I know that you live with a disability, but my curiosity to you is, did you learn about disability theology when you were going to seminary or was this because of your lived experience and what what have you seen come from that? >> Yeah. So, um I um I grew I was born and bred in a UCCC church uh in northeast Wisconsin and um had a had a very good experience there. Um, but I I would tell you I would I'm sure that most of the [00:18:56] people that go that uh have been a part of that church would tell you that they don't they didn't know that disability theology was a thing because a lot of our local churches um don't really get into the weeds of academia. Yeah. >> Um and um not not saying that they're unintelligent, they just don't that's just not a a thing that a lot of lay people uh frankly uh spend a whole lot of brain power with. Um and so I did kind of uh learn uh learn about that in uh seminary. Actually, a friend of mine at Eden [00:19:40] um saw that I was kind of wrestling with disability and faith and theology and she's like, you know, there's a whole academic field on this, right? And I'm sorry, I'm sorry. It was not she, it was they. Um but um but yeah uh they said um you know um there are some great books that are being written and um and that sort of thing. And so that that's great. And then I had a couple of professors who were very uh helpful and sort of helping me mine uh mine all the resources and the the the uh priming the pump if you will of of um you know that [00:20:24] sort of thing. And what I realized is that there's a lot of um I shouldn't say a lot. There is a decent amount of academic work and books uh being written um in the field. Um but there isn't a whole lot of music. Um >> uh there are um like uh things like the Convergence Music Project and other things are really good at trying to uh enter into a progre amplify a progressive musical voice in Christian churches. But um but uh I'm um I am among the only f I I can think of about three or [00:21:14] four other people that write music from the lived experience of disability theology and most of them are on our board. So, >> well, I know that Convergence Music Festival, I think, is next week or >> It is. I'll be there. If you're going to be in Kentucky, I'll be there, too. >> Yes. Oh, that's awesome. Well, I definitely hope you all get a chance to go visit Jacob. If you're going to that, it it's in Yep. Kentucky. >> Well, and you know, um, Jacob, I have one more question. thinking about the disability theology. I know we have a number of people who uh watch this webinar live or in post view that are lay leaders and so I'm curious if um you can share with us let what is one tip if [00:22:01] you have one tip that you could give a lay leader to help us think about um the ways that we love and interact and educate people from a disability lens. Gosh, >> just one. Ellie, you're killing me. >> I know, right? >> Um I think um and this is true in a lot of contexts, I think, in the in this fractured community that we live in. um is this idea of interdependence. Um the um disability is um a group that anybody can join at any time. Um whether you are [00:22:47] um it disability doesn't really uh discriminate based on race or gender or uh any other thing. You can be born with a disability like I was or you can acquire one at a, you know, after uh some sort of traumatic event like a car crash or, you know, something like that. Um and um and so uh and this idea of independ in independence versus interdependence. You know, we we think about a lot this idea of you got to lift yourself up by your own bootstraps. You know, that that's kind of the lie that [00:23:31] we've been told. And >> it just it just doesn't hold water with how we actually live. >> Um >> it um we all rely on each other in some sort of way whether uh whether we need help from the cashier at the grocery store or whether we um whether we need accommodations in a school setting like I did and se several other people did. um whether um um like I have a I have a system of devices that help me drive a car um you know that that other people had to make and sell and you know uh [00:24:16] perfect over decades um you know uh and I could go on from there but you know there there this idea of interdependence is deeply rooted in disability theology and should be more deeply rooted in the general conversations that we are having in um in our churches um especially in this fractured uh political ideological time that we're living in. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And I think about it too and I say amen to that. Yeah. Brooke. I feel like and and I I share with my own [00:24:59] congregation that there are invisible disabilities. >> There are disabilities that we experience. Like especially thinking about the way you describe disability theology is it's about uh interdependence. And when we age, >> we never can do anything alone. We really can't. And I I am a proponent of trying everything by myself first and failing miserably. about 85% of the time, but the moment I I I bring somebody else to experience it with um 100% of the time it is quote unquote successful, right? It is it's not even about an end result or an end idea or a dream that's been ach uh obtained. It's about the journey and the experience and [00:25:43] and knowing that, you know, like yeah, Taylor says it, we're we're tritarians. So, yeah. Um, you know, October is a great spooky month. You know, I was told I was told yesterday that it's white people that love October. Not everybody loves October. Um, with our cool seasons and our spices and all of that good stuff. But when I think about October, I get really excited. This is my third year being an associate pastor at a local church that I get to highlight Access Sunday. So, I'm hoping can you share a bit about like the history of Access Sunday and then um I think you and I talked a couple weeks ago about all that all the work, all the labor [00:26:29] that goes into you all putting together these resources. Can you share about >> the history and the labor that goes into it? >> Yeah, absolutely. Um, so I don't know when Access Sunday actually started. Um, but um, I believe if I'm looking at our, uh, website uh, correctly, which uh, Taylor just redesigned, so thank you. Kudos to Taylor. Um, um, I saw Access Sunday lurggical resources dating all the way back to 200 something. Um >> and um and so that's you know that's [00:27:14] that's a lot of you know work that's been um you know involved with this. And so typically what we do um if if anybody is familiar with worship ways, UCCC worship ways and how those resources are um uh curated and um presented on a weekly basis uh by uh Reverend Dr. Cheryl Lindseay and her great team. Um um we do similar uh lurggical resources for um for access Sunday. So you'll see um an opening prayer, you'll see a call [00:27:58] to worship, you'll see an invitation to offering, a prayer of dedication, a benediction, a written children's time script. Um, and what you'll also see preachers, you you might be able to take this sun that Sunday off or you could use um what we've shared as a a catalyst for your own sermon. So, we have two uh sermon discussion videos. Um, one um is an Old Testament reading. I don't remember exact they're all lectionary based. Um I don't remember which uh Old Testament one we did but that we did the [00:28:41] gospel text as well. So So there are two of them. Um oh the Old Testament one that's silly was um Psalm 23. Uh that is also the um the basis for the song that we'll be able to hear in just a minute here. Um and um so if you're familiar with the Pulpit Fiction podcast um where they have a couple of um theologians talking about the lectionary readings and and sort of what their you know what their lurg their sort of sermonic take um on it would be. Um, that is kind of the vibe of these discussion videos and [00:29:25] they're about 15 to 20 minutes long. So preachers, if you wanted to preach a sermon that was mindful of disability situations, you know, you you can uh you can listen to this uh um you can listen to these sermon discussion videos to sort of give you a little bit of a disability theology commentary on these texts. Um, and some people um will some preachers will take that Sunday off and they'll actually play the um sermon discussion videos as the sermon. Um, okay. [00:30:06] >> So, um, yeah, and and uh Katie also notes and if you want to re use resources from past years, uh, everything that we've ever done is also archived on the website. Um there's a year a archive, a year B archive, and a year C archive. But we always do new resources every year. Um but you know, if there's if there's something that uh that really speaks to you from um another um another uh year years resources, you know, you can play you can play mix and match. So that's a cool thing, too. [00:30:50] >> Yeah. Yeah. So, you had so you've done everything and if you can you the link will be in the chat. It's already been put in the chat. We'll send the follow-up uh email and link that will include resources to access Sunday. But really thinking about um and just know in a follow-up email you'll get everything that has been shared into chat. Uh but you so you do like call to worship, you do you know prayer of transformation, opening prayer, benediction, uh the call to uh the the thanksgiving, the call to generosity, and you you have music, right? And I think that this is >> so really really exciting. And do you [00:31:36] reach out to like 400 people to submit something or do you have a dedicated crew that focuses on this? And then how do you how do you organize it? >> So um I I have a dedicated crew of musicians. All of these people have some um some uh connection to either a personal friend or um or everybody who is participating is on the on the uh disability theology committee >> on in some form or fashion. I wrote this song with um Maggie Getzian who is um a pastor who uh is on the disability [00:32:19] theology committee and also with Rob Stmple who is the co-chair of our um disability ministry board. Um and um some of you may know Richard Brooks Colligan, his amazing um psalm music. Uh he and I are buds and um he and I work on each other's music all the time. And so last year um Richard contributed a rockus lead guitar solo for our uh uh for our um um no that was two years ago for Patience of Job. Um and then uh and then uh last year he did some other [00:33:05] things with that too. Um and but yeah, Maggie um also plays bass and uh she puts some uh flute in there as well. Um trombone. Um and then Rob is like the the the man of many talents. He has electric piano in there. Um he gave me a mandolin track, I think. Um some other things. I I didn't use everything that he gave me cuz there were so many things. Um, and then I play um acoustic piano and so I um I did a track with that and some some V and and then uh most of us did vocals as well. So [00:33:47] >> that's awesome. And do you So okay, we're going to play the song. I'm going to give a primer, but before we get there, like can you tell us the inspiration behind the song? >> Um, sure. >> And there are some questions like is is there piano music for the Good Shepherd song? like is there is is the I know you have I believe you have sheet music, right? Or no? >> Yeah, so I have a we we have a lead sheet that's currently a available. I am working on finishing the piano score. Um uh pretty much as we speak. Um so I'm um really planning to get that done and posted tonight. Um don't quote me on that. Um but um that's the that I am I [00:34:33] am a one-man show producing, mixing, mastering um this song. Uh and I I've been out of commission with my studio for 3 weeks. So >> uh so doing doing the best I can here. Um >> it's in a box somewhere. >> It's in a box somewhere. Yeah. So, um, and and I and I know that people, you know, uh, want this, um, want this stuff so that they can, uh, give it to their accompan accompanist, their worship band. Um, I'm a pastor. I get it. So, you know, we're I'm I'm working on it. Um and um so uh thank [00:35:19] everybody for your patience with me with with that. Um but um it it um it's uh it's it's coming and um and and so we finally got the um the um MP3 finished early this week and then uh Taylor put together an amazing lyric video which we're about to watch. Um the um the inspiration behind it was basically about um Psalm 23 is uh usually viewed as a a psalm of liberation. Um the Lord is not your shepherd, not your shepherd, not your shepherd, but the Lord is my [00:36:02] shepherd. And um and it's hard sometimes to ask for what we need. Um, >> and so, um, and so it's kind of like, hey, good shepherd, you know, come here. I need some stuff. Uh, and that's kind of, you know. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. That's awesome. Well, I'm going to invite um, Kathleen, I see your question. Don't worry, we're getting there, but we're we're talking about this a little bit more. Um, uh, first we're preparing for Exo Sunday, then we'll get into some of your questions. So, Andrea, can you play the video for the song for us? Thank you. [00:37:04] Hey good shepherd come near beside me in my fear. Provide for all my needs. Lead me beside the living stream to grass so lush and green to dwell with you forever. Lead me on the path of life. The one they say I can't be on. They'll legislate against my body or my [00:37:51] mind. Lord, feel my dignity assure. So, hey, good shepherd, come on near beside me in my fear. Provide for all my needs. Leave me beside a living stream to grass so lush and green to dwell with you forever. As I roll through shadows deep, the ones they think that I deserve. [00:38:42] They'll write me off and say that you've made a mistake, Lord. But you infold me in your arms. Oh hey good shepherd come on near beside me in my fear. Provide for all I need. Lead me beside a living stream to grass so lush and green to dwell with you forever. So you called me to your table, Lord. [00:39:44] The one you set amidst my voice. May you anoint me with your mercy. My cup of blessing overflows. It overflows. So hey good shepherd come on near. Beside me in my fear provide for all I need. Leave me beside the living stream to grass so lush and green. To dwell with [00:40:32] you forever. To dwell with you forever. I love that so so much. >> Thank you. >> How fun was that to do? >> Oh yeah. I mean, it's it's super cool and the way that technology allows us to [00:41:17] None of us were in the same room ever when we uh when we did this. Um >> yeah, Maggie is in California. I'm in Wisconsin. Rob is in Pennsylvania. Richard is in Minnesota. Um and so I said, "All right, everyone, send me your files." And um I you know worked on I I pulled it all together on my end and then you know and Taylor uh Taylor did the lyric video and um I forget where Taylor is but um but um yeah it's it's really um it's really fun to do that. >> I hate to tell you this uh Jacob. I [00:42:03] don't know if you know this or not, but like I'm guessing the the stuff that you've had to do in order to make sure these things come together have a lot more math in it than you think. >> Yeah, you're probably right. >> Yes. Yes. I I I love it. You know, we've had some really uh you all are doing some great resourcing in the chat. I really really appreciate that. We've had some great questions. You know, um, someone had said, you know, I'm blind and find portions of the A2A resources not screen reader friendly. Uh, how do we fix it? And Jacob had said, we're always refining our A2A process and our committee for A2A is continuing to work [00:42:48] on that. So, um, somebody asked if there was piano music. We went ahead and shared that into chat. Again, that'll be sent out with our follow-up email along with all the other links that were shared. Um, David said that there was a recent as of news as of yesterday of a mercy killing or otherwise known as a euthanasia of a young child with severe disabilities in the Netherlands and had asked if the disabilities board knew about that. Um, and Jacob said, "Wow, right. That's all you can say. And I know that this might be something that the board might be interested in hearing a little bit more of for sure. >> Um, [00:43:30] >> and we'll have to do more research into that. Um, there's another question that says, "Are there any resources that make services inclusive for those who are neurode divergent and have intellectual and developmental disabilities?" Because I look at the resources and only see that the more physical disabilities are the ones that are mentioned. Yeah, I think um yeah, we're we're um we're working on that with the that's part of what the um that's that's part of what the mental health network does as well as uh there's a there's a a new member on our committee who is actively um encouraging [00:44:18] us to expand in these areas. um she just joined our board within the last few months and so I can imagine that uh next year's resources will have a little bit more of what you're looking for there. >> And so just a heads up like we absolutely the disability ministries board, the mental health uh board, those groups are always looking for board members. And the more you have these wonderful ideas of and and and gentle reminders that yes, you're you're doing great at helping to resource our communities, but what about this? What about this? Maybe jumping in and saying, I'll volunteer. I may not have the [00:45:01] capacity to do it myself, but I have the capacity to interdependently support the work around it. Right? That action happens. And and I tell folks a a lot, you know, we have, if you think about driving a car, you know, we have the the blind spots where you don't see. And so when we have people sharing what they are in the Q&A and in chat, you're helping to point out the blind spots that we need to uh draw our attention to. So, thank you for that. You know, there was a great question earlier, and I think that this is kind of our our finalish question from meish. I know I'm going to have another one, but if a church isn't thinking about disability, like I really I love my [00:45:45] congregation a ton. Um, but I think I I drag them tooth and nail into thinking about disability. Um, and I I haven't even we I can't even get to the conversation about A2A yet because I have to get them thinking about disability. um why is it one still important for them to honor and even participate in access Sunday and then what are the things that we need to think of um how this how access Sunday is really about just planting a seed with your congregation. This will be my third year planting the sea with my congregation to think about us taking that physical view of what makes us accessible. And for somebody who had [00:46:29] asked that question in chat a little while ago, the nurture the soul webinar series has done multiple uh um episodes here with the disability ministries team that we'll we'll find in the archive and we'll send in the follow-up email that talk a little bit more about how to think about A2A and how to think about even just being more accessible. But can you tell us if we're not thinking about it, why is it still important to honor and then how is this really a seed planting effort for more? >> Yeah. So, um I think one of the biggest um one of the biggest uh roadblocks that people face is and that churches face is [00:47:13] that oh my goodness um all of these things that we would need to do to make our building more accessible just cost way too much money um than we have, you know, in our budget. Uh we we've got to we've got to repair the roof of our church. We you know we can't do the the chancel too right now. You know we we uh you know all all sorts of other things. And so often um because of the money um the conversation too often stops there. And um if I if I uh had a dollar for the amount of times I've heard that excuse [00:48:00] from clergy um I wouldn't need this job. Um and um and it is um it's you know unfortunate. But I will say that I just got an email today from um um um a representative of the UCCC cornerstone fund. Um and the the cornerstone fund of course gives u churches grants and things for um for uh all sorts of projects. Um but um they have a spe u a specific grant that they are offering money for uh disability improvements to the building and uh to your ministries, [00:48:48] you know, like maybe the and I don't know, but maybe the grant could be used to hire a sign language interpreter or uh or uh make the um make the chancel more accessible to a preacher who might be in the wheel in a wheelchair or something like that. Um all sorts of um all sorts of things and andrea has just posted that in the chat the accessibility projects link uh with the cornerstone fund and churches can apply for that and hopefully that will uh help with one of the biggest roadblocks. Um um and I think um answering the broader [00:49:34] question of why is um like I was saying earlier we have um disability impacts so many different kinds of people from so many different uh areas of life. Um and a lot of our churches um for instance um have a lot of um elderly people and as you age often um you you you might need something like a walker or a wheelchair or you know something like that or even if it's just a temporary disability such as um you broke your foot um or something like that. Um and um yeah um [00:50:20] Carolyn um put in the in the chat um uh large print bulletins um g um helping having ushers who can uh sort of help people find a um find a place uh for uh for people to enjoy the worship service. um and uh there and giving visual descriptions of something that's on the screen. Uh like for instance, um one of the uh things that I've noticed as I've produced videos for my church is that there are so many video companies that have text on the screen, but they don't have a narration [00:51:07] of that text. um because they probably have music in the background or something. Um and uh too often, you know, so if you're showing a video in church, what you might be able to do if you're a little savvy um is go into something like iMovie or whatever the Windows equivalent is of iMovie. I'm a Mac guy, I don't know. um you know, record a voice over of you reading whatever's on the screen or um you know, depending on what your sound system is capable of, you might um you might have a pastor or liturgist sort of read live what's on the the screen. [00:51:53] >> Yeah. Oh, I Yeah, I love that. And I you can see there in chat there are many things that churches can do that do not cost a lot of money. So yeah such as finding the large print um providing um portable assisted uh li learning devices teaching ushers how they work accessible to all is more than just the buildings accessible. There are still ways that churches can be accessible if they are aren't. Um, Chris says, "We offer live stream via you via YouTube for our services for shutins. We've tried to incorporate captions for hearing impaired, but doing so causes the live stream to stop working, and so we haven't been able to figure that out yet." Mhm. [00:52:34] >> Um yeah, and we have a we have a webinar coming up with our um intergenerational ministries team that is going to talk a lot more about um that's going to talk a lot more about prayer grounds and how prayer grounds are um a a great opportunity to make things more accessible for our neurodeivergent and other folks. And a broader question is, can you talk about the choice of the word disability as opposed to handicap or other words? This always comes up in our webinars, um, Jacob, every time we we work with one and and this is something that I kept talking about accessibility and this and that and [00:53:17] y'all were like, it's okay to use the term disability. So, can you talk a little bit about that? >> Right. So, um, so for so many people, um, especially in the 70s and 80s, um, the word disability was a dirty word. Um, and, um, you lots of people have tried to use euphemisms, differently aabled. Please, for the love of everything that is holy, don't call someone crippled. Oh my gosh. >> Um, Um and um and like also I mean yeah there are all sorts of euphemisms that people [00:54:02] tend to use because they think that disability is a bad word. Um and and people in the disability community can self-identify however they want to do. You know some people say uh that person first language is the best. Some people say that identity first language is the best. And the difference between that is saying like person with a disability versus disabled person. I use um I use disabled person when talking about myself because um I don't feel the need to separate myself from my disability. It's part of who I am. um just as just as you wouldn't say something like [00:54:45] person who is black, person who is, you know, that sort of thing. And um and so yeah, it's a it's an it's an important thing to continue learning and you know, we are all on the way. Nobody has arrived. And you know, a lot of the um conversation here has reminded me um of some other things that our board needs to focus on that we haven't really um haven't really done. Um >> um and um and you know because we're because we're all volunteers or whatever, you know, that's kind of how [00:55:28] you know that's one of the areas that we wish we could uh do more with. And so, you know, hopefully there will be other people who will be able to help us do that. So, >> yeah. Yeah, definitely. Definitely. And I really I really love all of the advice that you gave us. And if you find that your question has not been answered today, that's okay. That means you can reach out to the email um you're going to get an email followup from me. You got an email invitation to this webinar from me. Please feel free to reply and and ask specifically what it is that you're thinking of that maybe was not answered today, and I'll be sure to connect you to the disability ministries team for sure. Um we'll um and I will [00:56:15] send out last October we did we spent the whole month of October in conversation with our disability ministry team and I'll find those recordings for you but we talked about what is disability and abbleism. We talked about what is disability justice. Um how do we live into disability justice? So I will find those and make sure we include those nurture the soul uh recordings so that you're able to watch that as well. Um, Jacob, is there uh anything that we haven't spoken about that you think is important for folks to walk away with? M >> I just want to say to anybody who is uh celebrating Access Sunday, thank you [00:56:58] because you are um your church celebrating Access Sunday helps us um change hearts and minds around uh around disability theology, disability justice, and the disability experiences of so many. Um and uh the more churches who celebrate Access Sunday um the more churches who um become accessible to all um by designation all sorts of other things that all of that is helping us continue the work and um and move things forward. So thank you. [00:57:40] >> Yeah. Thank you. And I'm in it for the long game. my my congregation will be an A2A congregation. I'm just planting the seeds now. I'm being patient. I'm uh you know, you know, I'm working on it. I'm working on it. But um I also, if I had more time, would totally love to be a part of your your disability ministries team because you all do such great work. And so I want to thank that. I want to thank the disability ministries team. I want to thank you for your ministry, your passion, your willingness to support all of our local congregations, for being with us today. I want to thank our tech and media team for making these webinars possible both live and in post view. And I want to thank you to our webinar attendees. um you believe in [00:58:24] Nurture the Soul series to do the very thing that we're hoping to do, which is to resource your congregations and faith communities for nurturing our souls, for planting those seeds of how it is that we can go into deeper conversation. And due to some unforeseen circumstances, our regularly scheduled webinars for the first two weeks of October um beyond today have been cancelled. Um, so we're encouraging you to go to uh nurture the souls of the people around you, right? We have plenty of ways to engage with the wider community to live into our still speaking guide. You're going to get so many links sent in this follow-up [00:59:08] email and videos from last year's. There's three videos, so you can fill your next two weeks with watching last year's nurture the soul videos with our disability ministry team. Beloveds, we are back on Monday, October 19th at 3:30m for an episode of our future of faith series and we're going to be exploring what faith communities can do during our loneliness epidemic during this time when political polarization pulls us into the circles of sameness creating an us versus them. So the work that we need to do to sustain communities in deep conversation to nurture the soul is essential, but it is so so hard. So, in our time together, we're going to be joined by an uh an [00:59:53] interim associate conference minister to explore the gifts of the UCCC that nurture theological humility that talk about our shared leadership models that look at the particular challenges of our time at in this moment and we look to move forward in an interdependent way. So, please register for that. The link is into chat. And finally, Pastor Jake Jacob, can you take us out with a benediction? >> I sure can. My friends, receive these words of benediction wherever you are. Know that you are loved by God. Know that you are made in the image and [01:00:38] likeness of God. Know that our body minds don't have to make us afraid. Our body minds give us opportunities to continue sharing the beautiful particularities of who we are. And we uh we are so uh grateful to be serving a God who um who makes all of us uh with such diversity and such love. May you go knowing that you are loved and that uh and that part of loving others is um meeting access needs, meeting uh [01:01:26] uh meeting other needs in the in the world because it is through all of that that the world becomes better. Now may the love of God, the grace of Jesus Christ, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you now and forever more. Go in peace to love and serve the Lord. Amen. >> Amen. Amen. And amen, beloveds. Thank you, Jacob. And congratulations on your new home. >> Thank you. >> Yeah. Bye now, beloveds. Siblings in Christ, if you were moved by this conversation, if what's been [01:02:10] offered here has helped enhance your ministry or has nurtured your soul for the journey, please consider donating to the annual fund of the United Church of Christ by texting UCCC to 41444. Your support will help to provide programs like this which are an essential part of our ministries in the United Church of Christ. Thank you for your support. Be blessed on your journey and know that you are not alone. We are holding you in prayer. Amen., Access Sunday 2026: Get Your Resources Here!, United Church of Christ, 01m3ycwzaee85r4v1g1m11savy.