Something Worth Sharing Day 1

Something Worth Sharing was a weekend of events to mark the 7th annual conference on Disability and Church, a partnership between St Martin-in-the-Fields and Inclusive Church. Saturday's Something Worth Sharing conference recognised that disabled people can be isolated by experience or geography, and face barriers to belonging in churches and communities.Therefore, the conference explored what we can do to unlock gates and open our gifts. From access statements to advisory groups, using language and structure, connecting and gathering, we explored ideas and shared practical resources for getting in and joining in.

Speakers included: June Boyce-Tillman, Tim Goode, Fiona MacMillan, Ann Memmott, Emily Richardson and Sam Wells. Through plenary talks and in small groups, with a silent space and a marketplace, this was a day to resource each other and the church organised by and for disabled people, supporters and people with an interest in disability issues.

Tweets from the conference provide an in-the-moment view of the content and delegate's responses to it:

• Fiona MacMillan introduces the day and reminds us that without one person here today, the day would be slightly different. We all bring something worth sharing.
• We have a full programme for the day but, as always, nothing is compulsory but everything is offered by invitation.
• Fiona introduces @KHedderly as our conference chaplain for the day. 
• Nikki Goodhew is our first storyteller speaker, sharing her story with us. Nikki experienced new issues with access in church when licensed as a reader. Services which she is involved in have to be adapted, restructured.
• "I have particular issues with vestries and chancel steps"
• Using crutches on funeral visits can be an icebreaker for families. Not a lot of people used to meeting a disabled minister.
• Nikki is interested in how technology could be used more in the diocese. Eg for training, involving people who are excluded by distance etc
• Listening & Learning today #worthsharing a great opening and stories of access and now theology from Sam Wells unpacking ‘practical’ theology
• Revd Sam Wells sharing on practical theology. Sam avoids the term "practical theology" as it implies that there is another kind of theology. If the Word became flesh, then all theology is practical.
• Next up, Rev Prof. June Boyce-Tillman on Language and the importance of story.
• We have a narrative, stories we live by. People who don't conform to those stories and stereotypes are often ignored.
• Our Hymnals contain many out-of-date notions of disability from the Victorian era. How can we change that narrative in our worship?
• We need new images of God because there is not a single person who cannot embody God. We need to expand our discourse about the Divine.
• What are we ‘accessing’ is it just the building? @AnnMemmott says no so much more we accessing God and enabling people to feel safe, and to be leaders, welcomers and includers.
• The internet makes negotiating access much simpler. Eg. Google Streetview for parking & pictures of the church layout on their website.
• We get caught up with "buildings" when we think about access. We are accessing God in prayer, worship & communion and also accessing each other in fellowship.
• Often we see disabled people as those needing to be welcomed/included but we should see disabled people's gifts as those doing the welcoming/including.
• Observation from the floor: we often make God inaccessible through the use of our language. We need to be mindful of this.
• Problems begin when our cultural stereotypes are then assumed to be God-given.
• Focus on society as problem rather than impairment or condition was radical idea.
• Today I met a young man at today’s conference who I learnt so much from as I did others today.
• Our artspace and wailing wall offer opportunities for more creative, reflective responses to the day.
• Utmost gratitude for a very reflective afternoon on Disability & Church. Such good discussion held on access, vocation, language, & differing needs. Special thanks to @emjric for your social media talk!
• Such a good day at the #worthsharing conference. Much loved friends and colleagues aplenty, making a big difference to disabled & neurodiverse Christians. Huge thanks to all.
• Glad to be a speaker at the @livingedgeconf with @smitf_london & @inclusivechurch ." Something worth sharing." Disability. Neurodiversity. Access. Church.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

June Boyce-Tillman - We Shall Go Out With Hope Of Resurrection.