On Ice and Access

This summer, I’ve been going through a lot of ice cubes. I didn’t use to drink my water with ice; sure, the trays were always in the freezer with cubes should I want them… I just didn’t seem to want them.

The main difference this summer is that I now have a fridge with an automatic ice maker. So I don’t even need to open the freezer door to get the ice; there’s no search for the trays and struggling to release the cubes.

Getting ice has never been an onerous task for me, but this one little shift in access has made a difference.

I reflect on how accessible we make our faith.

Could our personal faith nurture be easier - does an app make it easier for daily office, is there a Christian library or bookstore within proximity, are we comfortable discussing faith with friends?

Could our shared worship be made more accessible – from physically getting to church (or online), to how we’re greeted, to understanding what all our Anglican Acronyms stand for?

Are our faith development opportunities accessible – is bible study on a video platform, do we know where to park for a study group, what time of day is best for attendees (and facilitators)?

In all of these, there is no doubt success to be encouraged, but also room for improvements. And while we can always ask people for feedback (yay constructive feedback!), we also need to be open to possibilities that we haven’t even thought of yet. (I never knew I wanted ice so often, until it was right in front of me).

As we consider our fall programming and our personal intentions and practices, may we be open to considering ways that we can offer access, and be open to trying new things. They may work, they may not; but we won’t know until we try. Imagine what’s possible when we strive to make spiritual development a priority for all!