Providing Greater Accessibility for Older Adults – One Church’s Story

Marina United Methodist Church (Marina UMC), part of the California-Nevada Conference, is a small congregation of mostly older adults. The church recently received a conference grant that helped them improve their building to serve their congregation’s constituency and outreach mission.

Limited by space and financial resources, the church shares its sanctuary with Canaan Korean United Methodist Church. It opens its facilities to several community programs, including I-HELP (Interfaith Homeless Emergency Lodging Program), NarcAnon, and Al-Anon. Over time, it became clear that improvements were needed to create a safer, more accessible environment for older adults and to make better use of the limited space available.

The pastor cast a vision for the church's future, which was embraced by the congregation. Together, they acted, and the church council formed the “Accessibility Working Group” (AWG) to explore solutions faithful to United Methodist values of hospitality, community service, and care for older adults. The AWG’s mission was to assess the church’s needs, develop ideas, and bring recommendations back to the church council.

The AWG began by holding several brainstorming sessions, which later evolved into more specific discussions focused on the church’s physical needs. The group found online resources helpful. Interestingly, they learned that churches are exempt from the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) because they are considered part of the private sector. The ADA primarily applies to businesses providing goods or services. California and Texas require religious institutions to offer assistive listening devices, but not much else. Despite the legal exemption, the AWG felt strongly that they should meet ADA standards as best they could, reflecting the commitment to being inclusive and welcoming.

One of the key recommendations came from the pastor, who suggested replacing the pews with chairs. Although part of the sanctuary’s tradition, the pews were uncomfortable and bolted to the floor, limiting flexibility. After careful consideration, the AWG saw the advantages of chairs—more comfortable seating, expanded room between rows, and the ability to rearrange the space as needed. This would also benefit the community groups using the facilities, especially those that needed room for overnight accommodations.

The AWG prioritized a list of projects and presented them to the church council, which approved the recommendations. They also applied for a Beulah Grant to help fund these improvements. The Beulah Grant, administered by the United Women in Faith of the California-Nevada Annual Conference, supports ministries for older adults, making it a perfect fit for their goals. Thankfully, Marina United Methodist Church was awarded the grant.

While awaiting the grant results, the AWG moved forward with smaller projects. Two chairs were ordered and displayed in the church so the congregation could try them and choose a color. A handout with details about the chairs was distributed to members. Once a color was selected, the AWG ordered the chairs for the sanctuary. When the delivery date was confirmed, the pews were removed and donated to a nearby United Methodist church.

Marina UMC also wanted to ensure their restrooms were accessible, so they invited a representative from the Independent Living Center to assess them. To their surprise, the men’s and women’s restrooms were already up to code. However, they took additional steps to improve accessibility, including installing Braille signs, upgrading toilet paper holders for easier use, adding baby changing tables, and installing new vertical storage cabinets for extra supplies.

In addition, they purchased an Assisted Listening System for the sanctuary, a few large-print hymnals (The Faith We Sing), and large-print Study Bibles. They repainted the handicapped parking spaces and replaced the outdoor lighting to enhance visibility and safety.

Thanks to the Beulah Grant, Marina UMC has been able to support an aging congregation, many of whom face vision, hearing, and mobility challenges, while also improving their service to the wider community. The new chairs have provided greater flexibility for worship and other church events such as small groups, dinners, rummage sales, and community meetings. They can now better accommodate people who use wheelchairs or walkers by arranging seating that suits their needs. Previously, those using wheelchairs or walkers had to sit at the back or in the aisle due to the limitations of the pews.

These projects allowed Marina UMC to create a safer and more welcoming space for all, ensuring that the church remains a place of worship, service, and community. The grant helped the congregation be thoughtful about all groups who call Marina UMC home.

As you think about what Marina UMC was able to accomplish, think of your setting:

• Assess needs: What accessibility challenges do you face, and how can you involve your congregation in identifying and prioritizing these needs as Marina UMC did with their Accessibility Working Group?
• Funding and Grants: What potential funding sources or grants in your region could support your church's accessibility projects? How can you effectively communicate your needs and plans to these organizations to secure financial assistance? Who else cares about these issues and people?
• Facility Adaptations: How can replacing traditional church pews with flexible seating arrangements benefit your congregation and the various groups that use your church facilities? What other structural changes could improve accessibility and usability in your space?
• Inclusive Improvements: What minor, manageable projects can you start immediately to improve accessibility in your church? How can you ensure these improvements address the needs of older adults and those with mobility, vision, or hearing impairments?