As Jerry pulled into the...
Illustration
As Jerry pulled into the church parking lot, he noticed the handicapped parking symbol painted on the parking space right next to the church building. That symbol and the nearby ramp into the church were welcome sights for Jerry, since the accident had forced him into a wheelchair.
He parked the car, opened the door, swung the wheelchair out from behind the front seat, lifted himself into the chair, and roiled up the ramp into the church building. The handicapped entrance took him through the kitchen, down a very long hallway, through a zigzag configuration of short hallways to avoid more steps and finally into the sanctuary, a door to which led him in right past the pulpit and into every parishioner's view.
The sermon that day focused on inclusivity -- the Christian imperative to reach out and make people feel welcome and included in this marvelous fellowship of Christian believers. It was good to hear such heart-warming thoughts on such a cold, overcast day in February.
The church members were gracious as Jerry wheeled out towards the hallway. They shook his hand, introduced themselves, and seemed genuinely interested in what he had to say.
As he finished his conversations, he politely asked for directions to the men's room. When he arrived at the restroom, he quickly noticed that his wheelchair would not have the needed clearance space. So on his hurried trip home, he made a mental note that this congregation had just about conquered what he called the "leper syndrome," with one important exception.
-- Thompson
He parked the car, opened the door, swung the wheelchair out from behind the front seat, lifted himself into the chair, and roiled up the ramp into the church building. The handicapped entrance took him through the kitchen, down a very long hallway, through a zigzag configuration of short hallways to avoid more steps and finally into the sanctuary, a door to which led him in right past the pulpit and into every parishioner's view.
The sermon that day focused on inclusivity -- the Christian imperative to reach out and make people feel welcome and included in this marvelous fellowship of Christian believers. It was good to hear such heart-warming thoughts on such a cold, overcast day in February.
The church members were gracious as Jerry wheeled out towards the hallway. They shook his hand, introduced themselves, and seemed genuinely interested in what he had to say.
As he finished his conversations, he politely asked for directions to the men's room. When he arrived at the restroom, he quickly noticed that his wheelchair would not have the needed clearance space. So on his hurried trip home, he made a mental note that this congregation had just about conquered what he called the "leper syndrome," with one important exception.
-- Thompson
