Disabilities affect 18 percent of the average community, according to a 1990 United States census.
Yet, the Center for Religion and Disability in Pelham estimates that only 5–7 percent of a church’s membership has a disability. This means that 10–13 percent of the general population are not being reached by the church.
Experts believe that improved accessibility in churches may help close this gap and improve the community’s view of the church.
In “Planning and Building Church Facilities,” Gwenn McCormick wrote, “Church facilities should be designed to be user-friendly to all persons.”
One renovation that conveys this attitude is to expand church doorways.
“The door needs to be wide enough to get a wheelchair through and the threshold needs to be flat enough for a wheelchair to roll over,” said Charles Jones, owner of Doors by Decora in Montgomery. He added that the door needs to open with either a panic device or a lever.
Church leaders may also construct walks and ramps to help physically impaired people utilize the facility.
McCormick offers some suggestions for ramp construction:
- Walks should be at least four feet wide.
- Sloped walks and ramps should be used for changes in elevation and should have a surface covering.
- Ramps should slope not more than 8.33 percent – one foot in 12.
- Ramps that slope more than 5 percent should have a handrail on one side.
- If a ramp drops off on either side, handrails are required.
- A level platform is required where a ramp turns.
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