Inclusion Matters to Us

A very warm welcome to Belmont Road Baptist Church. I am the Disability Champion, a role to which I was elected to in 2019 and I feel very privileged to have this role. This is my personal testimony. 

Belmont has been my church since 2004 and for me it is my second family, a place where I am treated equally, despite having Cerebral Palsy. 

People's view on healing are a concern for me and I am sure is the case for other people with disabilities However as a church we don't believe that all disabled people either need to be or should be healed. We celebrate difference, believing that God often chooses to use disabled people. 

I believe that God chose to cause me to have a disability so that I could raise awareness of disability - a passion which I now have. This passion has continually been nurtured by the church, where I have been encouraged to give evening talks, lead sections of services and give regular testimonies of God's ongoing work in my life. (A bannister by the side of the stage was put in place so that I could easily use the steps to get up to the stage, allowing me to fully participate in services.)

The inclusion which I felt at the very beginning of coming to Belmont Road was demonstrated by being welcomed into membership soon afterwards. Throughout my time at Belmont I have been encouraged to fully participate in the life of the church being invited to serve in the ways in which I can - being a door steward, helping on the sound desk as well as helping with the website, and then becoming the Disability Champion. After becoming the Disability Champion, I signed up to the 'Roofbreaker' scheme which the disability charity "Through the Roof" runs - meaning I can share good practice from other churches, where appropriate. 
 

What we have to help:

Chunky Communion Glasses:

If like me you have problems with dexterity please help yourself to one of our 'Chunky' Communion Glasses. These will be on the table (next to the offering box) at the beginning of every Communion Service. Simply pick up an empty glass before the service, and the Communion Steward will be only happy to transfer the 'wine' * into this glass as they serve you Communion. 

* Please note that we use non-alcoholic wine in our Communion services. 

Table for Tea and Coffee:

One of my mottos in life is 'Every Little Helps' and this table really does tick this box. For the majority of weeks we have tea and coffee in the church, as opposed to the hall, meaning that there is a lot of standing up involved. (Something which I find difficult.) After explaining this to the church, a table, now affectionally called 'Heidi's table', appeared at the back of the church. Please feel free to come and join me!

Hearing Loop System:

This is regularly checked by the person who oversees our sound system. If you have any queries please speak to the people on the sound desk. 

Housegroups:

We have several Housegroups which happen during the week. Please speak to a member of the church for more information.