For thirty years last past, I have gradually put on a more catholic spirit, finding more and more tenderness for those who differed from me.
John Wesley
| Text size: +/-Disabilities and Impairments
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What is Disability / Impairment?
These pages are part of the on-going work of the church to provide a consistent, caring, constructive response to ministers (presbyteral and diaconal) who have a degree of impairment.
The information provided here is designed for ministers and lay people, particularly circuit stewards and others with responsibility for the care of presbyters and deacons.
Much of the information arises from work carried out in response to a report to the Methodist Conference 2004, entitled 'Ministers and Deacons affected by Impairment', which led to a further report to Methodist Conference 2006 under the same title.
Disability is formally defined under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 and 2005. Formal definitions are needed, particularly when ministers are investigating their entitlement to benefits or taking the formal step of applying for change of duties or for early retirement on grounds related to their disability.
We recognise that individuals find particular words unhelpful, but for clarity, this text uses the words "disabled" and "disability" in the legal sense (fitting the definitions in the Disability Discrimination Act) and "impairment" to cover those many situations where the individual has a condition that has some impact on their abilities.
The Methodist Church recognises that many ministers and lay people would not necessarily describe themselves as disabled, but have some degree of impairment that has some significant effect on their ability to work and relate to people, and they need some help / aids to facilitate them in work.