Accessibility for all people is very important for us at Charlotte Congregational Church.  We are a church together!

 

The main floor of our Sanctuary and the main floor of our Vestry are wheelchair accessible. Our church building and the main part of our Vestry were built early in the last century; unfortunately, that means that these buildings were not built with accessibility in mind. However, all projects started today are built to accommodate the needs of all. Additionally, meetings and gatherings are scheduled in spaces that are suited to all who are attending, and ministries are happy to change meeting locations to ensure that all are able to participate fully in the life of the church.

 

Accessibility in Our Sanctuary

In our sanctuary, we have cut out some of our pews to provide room for wheelchairs and walkers. We have done this in various spots around the church, so whether you like to sit right up front, way in the back, or somewhere in the middle – there’s a place for you here!

 

Although our sanctuary does have a raised surface at the front of the church, it does not limit participation in our services. Baptisms, weddings, and confirmations take place on the main floor of our sanctuary, and our worship assistants can read from either the pulpit or the main floor, at their preference. Communion is served either in the pews or on the main floor level.

 

Large print bulletins are available for all services that have bulletins, with enlarged versions of the hymns used during the service.  Of course, guide dogs are always welcome.

 

Assistive listening devices for those with hearing impairments are available from the ushers. During worship, the pastors use microphones, anyone making an announcement is asked to use a microphone, and the prayer requests given during the Prayers of the People portion of our worship service are repeated by a pastor to ensure that everything that is said is picked up by the microphones.

 

Accessibility in The Vestry

The main level of our Vestry is wheelchair accessible. This is where Fellowship Hour takes place after Sunday worship, where nearly all of our meetings take place, and most importantly, where out potlucks occur!  

 

Communion

In order to be accessible to as many people as possible, we use gluten-free communion bread and serve grape juice.

 

Quiet Spaces

The busy-ness of a bustling sanctuary can be too much for some people.  That’s OK! If it more comfortable for you and your family, feel free to try the following spaces to see if they make you feel more at ease:

• There is a couch in the back of the sanctuary

• There is a balcony, although this is often full of energetic young ones

• Our Narthex (the entry room just inside the big front doors) has places to walk and move and places to sit, yet you can still hear what is going on in the service

• The main room of our Vestry has a speaker where we broadcast the service. Ask an usher for directions, if needed.

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