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[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>]

A Place for All: Faith and Community for People with Disabilities
Begins 12/6/2009

November 19, 2009­­­ Making faith communities more accessible to
persons with disabilities is the topic of a unique interfaith
documentary that will air on ABC-TV affiliates nationwide beginning December  6.

A Place for All: Faith and Community for Persons with Disabilities is
presented by the Interfaith Broadcasting Commission (IBC), a coalition
of Jewish, Muslim, Protestant, Orthodox and Catholic faith groups, as
part of ABC?s 2009 Vision and Values series.

The issue addressed by the program is critical, as it is estimated
that 1 out of 5 Americans has a disability, says The Rev. Dr. Michael
Kinnamon, General Secretary of the National Council of Churches.  In
the documentary, Kinnamon notes that both the faith community and the
persons with disabilities lose when special needs aren?t properly  addressed.
?There?s no substitute for face-to-face faith interaction,? Kinnamon
reminds the viewers, noting that faith groups, of all the
organizations in society, should be at the forefront of facilitating
the full participation of those with disabilities in every aspect of
community life.

Other faith leaders contributing include: Rabbi Joseph Potasnik,
Executive Vice President of the New York Board of Rabbis, Bishop Peggy
Johnson of the United Methodist Church; Dr. Ingrid Mattson, President
of the Islamic Society of North America; Rev. Bill Gaventa, Director
of Community and Congregational Supports at The Boggs Center on
Developmental Disabilities, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.
Others interviewed include Rev. Bill Bixby, Director Of Youth
Ministry, ELCA; Imam Mohamed Magid, Executive Director, All Dulles
Area Muslim Society and Rabbi Robert Levine, Senior Rabbi,
Congregation Rodeph Sholom, New York.

The documentary also features Rabbi Darby Leigh, spiritual leader of
Congregation Bnai Keshet in New Jersey and one of the handful of deaf
rabbis in the world; members of ELCA?s DAYLE program where Definitely
Abled Youth gather at the 40,000 strong triennial Evangelical Lutheran
youth gathering; Pastor Beth Lockard, the leader of Christ the King
Deaf Church; and Brandon Kaplan, a severely disabled boy with limited
sight and speech who recently had the privilege of becoming a Bar Mitzvah.
ABC stations will begin airing the program at local times on December
6, 2009 as part of ABC?s Vision and Values series, in cooperation with
the Interfaith Broadcasting Commission (IBC).

The documentary is

produced by Debra Gonsher Vinik. Check your local stations for time. A
trailer can be viewed at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwCM2vtx42Q
IBC is a joint venture of the National Council of Churches, the U.S.
Conference of Catholic Bishops, the Islamic Society of North America,
the New York Board of Rabbis, and the Union for Reform Judaism.  For
more information on this program and other IBC presentations, see
www.interfaithbroadcasting.com.

> -30-

> Melissa Dixon
> National Council of Churches
> phone (212) 870-2516
> http://www.ncccusa.org/
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