25 Years of Accessibility at FCCA: New History Exhibit
On August 24, 1997, scores of community members gathered after worship to dedicate the church’s new accessible ramp, restroom, and drinking fountain. After a ribbon-cutting ceremony, church member Doug Krutilek took an inaugural spin down the ramp in his wheelchair.
This day had been a long time coming. “For more than a decade we have discussed how to make our facility accessible to persons who can’t negotiate stairs to the more than ten levels in our building,” observed a writer in the March 1997 issue of our Tidings newsletter.
The ramp and restroom projects were made possible through the contributions of church members Richard and Eleanor Stallman. The drinking fountain was a gift from member Dick Kemp and friends in memory of his wife Jackie Kemp.
The next year, following a capital campaign to raise additional funds, a wheelchair lift was installed to provide access to the Sanctuary and Gallery levels of the church. This major endeavor garnered local press attention. Church elder Ginny Krutilek was captured by an Alameda Journal photographer in the lift shaft prior to installation.
Rev. Larry Schultz, Senior Minister of FCCA from 1985-2002, was a driving force behind the accessibility improvements. In a memorandum dated January 29, 1997, he wrote that “the need to make the facility accessible to differently abled persons has become, in my mind, a moral imperative.” Rev. Schultz is pictured here helping to haul in the massive lift mechanism.
Accessibility barriers can be found not only in the physical environment but also in how and what we communicate. In 1997, assistive listening devices were already in use at FCCA to assist those with hearing impairment. Large print bulletins were subsequently introduced to assist those with sight impairment. More recently, there has been an effort to use more inclusive hymns and worship language that de-centers physical ability.
Nationally, 85.9% of United Church of Christ churches report that they are accessible, though each church is left to define this individually and thus the type and degree of accessibility are unclear. Our collective understanding of accessibility and inclusion continues to expand and evolve, and FCCA continues to evolve with it as we strive to live into the promise that “No matter who you are, or where you are on life’s journey, you are welcome here.”
The exhibit was on display at FCCA from June – December 2022.
