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1 From Access to Belonging: An Interfaith Service Celebrating the Progress and Promise of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) On its 25 th Anniversary Sunday, July 26, :00 pm First Trinity Lutheran Church 309 E Street, NW Washington, DC 20001

The signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act July 26, 1990. From Access to Belonging Wh

2 The signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act July 26, From Access to Belonging When President George H.W. Bush signed the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) twenty-five years ago today, he called for the shameful wall of exclusion to come tumbling down. And so it has. Today America is more welcoming of people with disabilities than it was in And yet much remains to be done to expand opportunities for people with disabilities. We welcome you to this interfaith service celebrating the progress and promise of the ADA. Music for Gathering Rev. LaVera Day Opening Song Prayer for Peace * by David Haas, based on a Traditional Navajo Prayer Peace before us, peace behind us, peace under our feet, Peace within us, peace over us, let all around us be peace. Love before us, love behind us, love under our feet, Love within us, love over us, let all around us be love. Light before us, light behind us, light under our feet, Light within us, light over us, let all around us be light. * 1987, David Haas. Published by GIA Publications, Inc. All rights reserved.

3 Opening Prayer & Welcome Opening Prayer Rev. Susanne Blume Executive Director Lifeline Partnership at First Trinity Lutheran Church Welcome Emcee Curtis Ramsey-Lucas Director, Interfaith Engagement American Association of People with Disabilities Juliette Rizzo Deputy Director Special Projects, Partnerships and Events U.S. Department of Education Greeting of Peace among congregation Juliette Rizzo A Reading Adapted from A Loving Justice: The Moral and Legal Responsibilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act Allie Alfonzo Duke Ellington School of the Arts, Washington, D.C. Senior Girl Scout Reflection on From Access to Belonging Dilshad D. Ali Adviser, EnabledMuslim Editor-in-Chief, AltMuslim at Patheos Musical Prayer from the Sikh tradition - Sikh kirtan Amanpreet Kaur, Student, University of Maryland, College Park Reflection on From Access to Belonging Rabbi David Saperstein

4 Belonging Ceremony: Blending Waters to Preserve Peace and Nurture Hope Juliette Rizzo The core of our existence is water. We all come from water, our bodies are mostly water, water gives us life. Water is the very essence of equality no one drop is more important than another. From our separate faith traditions, we symbolically join our efforts to nurture friendship and peace. And now, we reach out in faith, helping to grow new efforts to create access and belonging among persons with disabilities, as equal members of our one human family. Readers and Participants Nashiru Abdulai, Founder and President, Global Deaf Muslim Shelly Christensen, Founder and Executive Director, Inclusion Innovations Rafiah Jones, Chair of the Celebrate Marriage Committee, Masjid Muhammad Ismail ibn Ali, Chairperson, ADAMS Center Accessibility Committee Rabbi Esther Lederman, Director, Communities of Practice, Union for Reform Judaism Rev. Susanne Blume, Executive Director, Lifeline Partnership at First Trinity Lutheran Church Amanpreet Kaur, Student, University of Maryland, College Park Allie Alfonzo, Duke Ellington School of the Arts, Washington, D.C., Senior Girl Scout Janice Benton, Executive Director, National Catholic Partnership on Disability Moment of Silent Reflection Musical Selection - Peace is Like a River Flowing by Carey Landry LaVera Day Reflection on From Access to Belonging Mark Johnson Director of Advocacy, Shepherd Center & Chair, ADA Legacy Project An Interfaith Litany of Wholeness Ginny Thornburgh Former Director, Interfaith Initiative, AAPD

5 An Interfaith Litany of Wholeness Let us pray for all God's people. For people who are blind and cannot see, and for those who can see but are blind to people around them, Response: God, in your mercy help us touch each other. For people who move slowly because of accident, illness or disability, and for those who move too fast to be aware of the world in which they live, Response: God, in your mercy help us work together. For people who are deaf and cannot hear, and for those who can hear but who ignore the cries of others, Response: God, in your mercy help us respond to each other. For people who learn slowly, for people who learn in different ways, and for people who learn quickly and easily but often choose ignorance, Response: God, in your mercy help us grow in your wisdom. For people who have chronic illnesses for which there is no known cure or relief, and for people who live in unholy fear of developing a chronic illness, Response: God, in your mercy help us and heal us. For families, friends and caregivers who serve people with disabilities, and for those who feel awkward in their presence, Response: God, in your mercy help us see each other with your eyes. For people who think they are worthless and beyond your love, and for people who think they don't need your love, Response: God, in your mercy help us accept your love. For people who feel isolated by their disabilities, and for people who contribute to that sense of isolation, Response: God, in your mercy change our lives. For all the people in your creation, that we may learn to respect each other and learn how to live together in your peace, Response: God, in your mercy bind us together. All: AMEN Written by The Rev. Kate Chipps, Adapted by Ginny Thornburgh

6 Presentation of The Thornburgh Family Award Helena Berger Acting President and CEO, AAPD Curtis Ramsey-Lucas Director, Interfaith Engagement, AAPD The Interfaith Disability Advocacy Coalition is proud to present the Thornburgh Family Award to Rabbi Lynne F. Landsberg, Senior Advisor on Disability Rights, Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, in recognition of exemplary advocacy on behalf of people with disabilities. Established by AAPD this year during the 25 th anniversary of the ADA, the Thornburgh Family Award recognizes a religious leader who exemplifies the spirit of the ADA as demonstrated by Dick and Ginny Thornburgh s efforts to expand opportunities for people with disabilities. Blessing & Sending Forth A Reading of the Rev. Harold Wilke's Blessing Delivered at the Presidential Signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act, July 26, Juliette Rizzo Recessional Song We Are Marching Siyahamba* We are marching in the light of God, We are marching in the light of God. (Repeat) We are marching, we are marching Oo We are marching in the light of God. (Repeat) We are living in the light of God, We are living in the light of God. (Repeat) We are living, we are marching Oo We are living in the light of God. (Repeat) We are moving in the light of God, We are moving in the light of God. (Repeat) We are moving, we are marching Oo We are moving in the light of God. (Repeat) *South African hymn, author unknown, in the public domain

7 Steering Committee Janice Benton National Catholic Partnership on Disability Rev. Susanne Blume Lifeline Partnership First Trinity Lutheran Church Jordan Dashow Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism Sarah Meek Lutheran Services in America Peg Kolm Archdiocese of Washington Department of Special Need Ministries Mary O Meara Archdiocese of Washington Department of Special Need Ministries Curtis Ramsey-Lucas American Association of People with Disabilities Maggie Siddiqi American Muslim Health Professionals Sponsors American Baptist Home Mission Societies American Muslim Health Professionals Archdiocese of Washington Department of Special Needs Ministries Christian Reformed Disability Concerns Ministry Connectional Health Commission of the African Methodist Episcopal Church Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Jewish Federations of North America L Arche USA Lutheran Services in America Disability Network National Catholic Partnership on Disability National Council of Churches of Christ, USA Potomac Community Resources, LLC Presbyterian Church USA Reformed Church in America Disability Concerns Ministry Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism *Please note, this event will be photographed*

8 We are grateful to our sponsors who supported and participated in today s program. Our thanks to LaVera Day and Amanpreet Kaur for providing our music. We are thankful for the generosity and hospitality of Lifeline Partnership and First Trinity Lutheran Church for hosting us in this beautiful, prayerful space. Please join us for a reception with light refreshments from Dog Tag Bakery and New Course Restaurant immediately following the service. We gratefully acknowledge the copyright owner, GIA Publications Inc. (7404 South Mason Avenue, Chicago, IL 60638), who granted permission for inclusion of material in this program. For more information on the Interfaith Disability Advocacy Coalition and AAPD s faith work within the disability community please contact Curtis Ramsey-Lucas Director of AAPD s Interfaith Initiative at cramsey-lucas@aapd.com H St. NW 5 th Floor Washington, DC

Faiths United to End Childhood Obesity United Methodist Building, 100 Maryland Avenue, N.E., Washington, DC 20002

Faiths United to End Childhood Obesity United Methodist Building, 100 Maryland Avenue, N.E., Washington, DC 20002 September 21, 2011 The Honorable Office of the Governor Address City, State, Zip Dear Governor