Churches in the US are not subject to the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act, because we believe that it is important in our society not to subject religious institutions to (some of) the government’s whims. Which is why, 13 years after the ADA, the church in which my choir rehearses does not have [...]

Yesterday I attended a meeting at the Inaccessible Church, and came away with real mixed feelings. The purpose of the meeting was to get an estimate for accessibility changes to present to the congregation. There was an accessibility consultant who was referred to me by the local Center for People with Disabilities, and a contractor, [...]

Congregational meeting this morning – the estimate for refitting two bathrooms and putting in two curb cuts came to $14,400 and was approved unanimously. After the service the minister thanked me for pushing them. The good guys won – now I want to see some construction!

Lord, give me patience, and give it to me now! With its $50,000, the church has managed to cut back two pews and put in one curbcut. No sign of any bathroom construction, and I’m trying to find out why. In the meantime, due to poor planning on my part, I had to use the [...]

A lot of email has flown around on this issue the last few days. The church has decided to defer restroom renovations. They are launching (again!) a Capital Campaign for renovations. I asked them to re-configure the existing, unsafe, grab bars in the women’s restroom. I offered to purchase the new grab bars and have [...]

I can’t get this St Andrew thing out of my head. If I could hook up a battery to righteous indignation, I could power Manhattan. I am, of course, reacting on an extremely emotional level. Out of the Frying Pan is trying to get a more logical handle on the motivation and rationale behind the [...]

On the way home from work today I sang along with the Roches’ Jerks on the Loose (several times, very loud). I feel better, somehow. Keep on Doing What You Do/Jerks on the Loose Nobody round here knows what happened to you No one will ask you to explain You have your arm around a [...]

I have just been invited to sing at the re-dedication of Saint Andrew Presbyterian Church, re-opening after many months of construction. Longtime readers may recall my frustration with this church – I am not a member, but my choir rehearses there, and will again once they are open for business. I have not had the [...]

St Andrew Presbyterian in Boulder still hasn’t managed to have its re-dedication Sunday – it’s been postponed several times. My choir has resumed rehearsing there, so I’m going tonight. Since we’re channeling a Michigan winter, I called to ask if they had moved the handicapped permit spaces, increased the number of spaces, shoveled the curb [...]

I went off tonight, back to the inaccessible church (after much renovation), for choir rehearsal. My Beloved said, “You better pee before you go.” I admit, I was skeptical. But children, I am here to tell you that after seven draining, gut-wrenchingly painful years, St Andrew Presbyterian Church of Boulder has a wheelchair accessible restroom. [...]