ELCA Assembly Receives Disabled and Deaf Ministries Report

DENVER (ELCA) -- Policy, presence, and inclusion of people who are deaf and people with disabilities were highlights of an implementation plan described to voting members at the Evangelical Lutherran Church in America (ELCA) Churchwide Assembly by the Rev. Lisa Thogmartin-Cleaver, newly appointed ELCA Director of Disabilities Ministry and Director of Deaf Ministry, Chicago.
A 1998 study and action plan in response to memorials and resolutions from the 1997 Churchwide Assembly examines aspects of the church's ministry to these two groups. Lifting up the unique nature and language of the deaf culture, distinctly separated from disability ministries, is a major focus as well.
The churchwide assembly, the chief legislative authority of the ELCA, is meeting Aug. 16-22 at the Colorado Convention Center. There are more than 2,500 people participating, including 1,038 ELCA voting members. The theme for the biennial assembly is "Making Christ Known: Hope for a New Century."
Timely information about disability ministries and deaf ministries is available on the ELCA Web site (www.elca.org) as well as in ELCA publications. Work with other church bodies includes the "accessible campaign," which aims to have 2,000 congregations accessible by the year 2000.
"You'll be happy to know that the ELCA leads in this campaign," Cleaver said.
In the future, disability ministries will seek out opportunities to work with the ELCA Nominating Committee to make sure that at least one person with a disability is a member of the ELCA Church Council or any ELCA board or advisory committee, Cleaver said.
The ELCA Division for Church in Society's studies staff and Cleaver will work together on a document to interpret ELCA policies regarding people with disabilities and people who are deaf, she noted.
Working with ordained persons with a disability, encouraging people with disabilities to enter the ministry, and continuing to work with the Lutheran Youth Organization are also some of the ways in which Cleaver hopes "that disability ministries and deaf ministry will continue to act as an advocate for persons who are disabled and persons who are deaf."
Bob Radtke, voting member from ELCA Metro Chicago Synod, asked the assembly to "pray for the deaf ministry on its long and difficult journey."
"One of the biggest frustrations is that we are not disabled, we belong to the culturally deaf culture. We are discriminated against because we speak another language. We belong in the multicultural commission, so that all people understand we are a different community, and we are proud of it," said Radtke who served on the committee to develop the document.
"If cultural deafness is seen as a disability, the deaf can't grow as a culture," said Radtke.
"Sign language is not words. We are advocating for deaf services, possibly within a hearing congregation, but with our own pastor because then it's the deaf running the show. Most often it's a hearing pastor who signs who tries to serve a deaf congregation, and it's wonderful that they try, but it's not the same. It's like the fact that African American and Native American ministries want pastors from their own culture. We do, too. We are not talking about being included, but about having our own culture in a congregation," said Radtke.
"There has to be a unity through diversity," Radtke said.
"From what I've heard and what I've seen, this is leading in the right steps of disability ministries," said Brenda Auterman, Youth Convo delegate from Milwaukee. Auterman, who uses a wheelchair, serves as a small group leader for the Youth Convo and on the definitely-abled advisory committee for the Lutheran Youth Organization.
"There will be a lot more coming up: building accessibility and creating a disability team in each synod," said Auterman.

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