Hello all,

My good friend Jo, who publishes "Wings" newsletter for her church The
United Methodist Church of Fallbrook, had this in her newsletter and I
thought I would share it with you.  As I understand it, this statement was
put out by the leaders of the of the United Methodist Church as part of all
the United Methodist churches policy and doctrine.  I wonder if we could
not only get other churches to do something similar, but also get similar
"official statements of policy" from city, county and state governmental
entities, (let's not forget the FEDs) as well as the corporations and
others in the business community??   What do you think???  IT IS WORTH A
TRY, I think.

THANK YOU JO, and the United Methodist Church for your leadership.

Pete


          RIGHTS OF PERSONS
          WITH DISABILITIES
     We recognize and affirm the full hu-
manity and personhood of all individu-
als with disabilities as full members of
the family of God. We also affirm their
rightful place in both the Church and
society. We affirm the responsibility of
the Church and society to be in minis-
try with children, youth, and adults with
mental, physical, developmental, and/
or psychological disabilities with par-
ticular needs in the areas of mobility,
communication, intellectual compre-
hension, or personal relationships that
might make more challenging their par-
tlcipation or that of their families in the
life of the Church and the community.
We urge the Church and society to rec-
ognize and receive the gifts of persons
with disabilities to enable them to be
full parfidpants in the community of
faith. We call the Church and society to
be sensitive to, and advocate for, pro-
grams of rehabilitation, services, em-
ployment, education, appropriate hous-
ing, and transportation. We call on the
Church and society to protect the civil
rights of persons with disabilities.

     The Book of Discipline of the United
       Methodist Church (2000),  162.G