Kansas ELCA Congregation Wins Accessibility Award

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- First Lutheran Church, Topeka, Kan., is
the winner of the 2005 Disability Ministries Accessibility Award
given annually to a congregation by the Evangelical Lutheran
Church in America (ELCA) that displays commitment to providing
care and concern to people who are physically and mentally
disabled.
Kristine Luber, director of education and youth at First
Lutheran Church, wrote the application for the award. Her
husband, the Rev. Elwyn J. Luber serves as pastor at the church.
"The award is important for three reasons," said the Rev.
Lisa T. Cleaver, director for disability ministries, ELCA
Division for Church in Society. First, "people with disabilities
have just as many gifts and leadership qualities as anyone," she
said. "Congregations need to concentrate on the abilities of a
person and not their disabilities." Second, "it is important for
congregations to make buildings physically accessible so everyone
feels welcome," Cleaver said. Third, "the award is a constant
reminder that we are all created in the image of God," she said.
Applicants are judged by a selection committee made up of
people from different divisions and units within the churchwide
organization, said Cleaver. The congregations are judged in
three areas: physical accessibility, reaching into the community
to people with disabilities and, most important, how people with
disabilities are included in the life and worship of the
congregation, Cleaver said.
First Lutheran Church completed a $2 million building
project in 2000, which included a three-story education wing with
five new fully accessible bathrooms, a 40-seat chapel and
additional space in the parish hall. An elevator serves the new
three-level education wing, and a wheelchair ramp makes the
parish hall accessible to anyone, Luber wrote in the church's
application.
Friends in Faith, an education and fellowship group, meets
weekly at the church. Adults with special needs participate in
Bible study, skits, crafts, singing and outings, said Luber.
Luther Place is an independent living facility for seniors
and people with disabilities adjacent to the church. First
Lutheran Church deeded land for $1 for Luther Place to be built.
Since then the church and Luther Place have maintained a close
association, Luber said.
First Lutheran's youth group has worked with The Homestead,
a workshop that provides employment for 11 men with disabilities
in farm-related occupations. The youth group helped build a rock
retaining wall and plant an orchard. The youth contracted with
The Homestead to make wooden pendants to share with others at the
2003 ELCA Youth Gathering in Atlanta, said Luber.
The most valuable accessibility asset the church offers is
the "bus ministry," Luber said. A wheelchair lift-equipped bus
was given to the church as a memorial in 2001. The bus is used
regularly for church members and visitors who are unable to drive
themselves, she said.
"Other uses of the bus include taking First Lutheran's
senior citizen's group to nighttime activities and transporting
the youth group to service projects and when they [sing Christmas
carols] for shut-ins," Luber said.
Several people with disabilities at First Lutheran
participate in leadership roles at the church, Luber wrote in the
application. Lottie, a Stephen Ministry leader, is functionally
blind, but helped train four additional Stephen Ministers, and
she organized and leads a biweekly Bible study group. Bill, who
has Parkinson's disease, is the founding head of the Bus Ministry
Team. Other volunteers with disabilities include a teacher of
Friends in Faith, a Church Council member and a Vacation Bible
School teacher, Luber wrote in the application.
In the past year the congregation enhanced the sanctuary
sound system, and it now plans to enhance the parish hall sound
system, said Luber. There are also plans to build an accessible
rest room near the parish hall.
Overall, Luber said, "We're concerned about people and try
to see what's possible."
The congregation will receive a $1,000 check from the
Mission Investment Fund and a plaque from Disability Ministries
through the ELCA Division for Church in Society. Congregations
receiving honorable mention each receive a $50 check from the
ELCA Division for Church in Society. Honorable mention
congregations for 2005 are Christ Lutheran Church, Middletown,
Conn.; Trinity Lutheran Church, Kiester, Minn.; and Saron
Lutheran Church, Ashland, Wis.
The ELCA Disability Ministries is considering having two
categories for the award next year, said Cleaver. The additional
category would be for congregations with 100 members or less.
Applications for the 2006 Disability Ministries
Accessibility Award will be available April 1, 2006, and will be
accepted until May 31, 2006.
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Information on Disability Ministries through the ELCA
Division for Church in Society can be found at
http://www.ELCA.org/disability/ on the Web.
The home page for First Lutheran Church, Topeka, Kan., is
at http://www.1stlutherantopeka.org/ on the Internet.

* Kirsten H. Boettner is a senior communication major at Luther
College, Decorah, Iowa. This summer she is an intern with the
ELCA News Service.

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org
http://www.elca.org/news