This triggered in me an idea of a better way to communicate and make clear certain  on my "issue" accessibility.  Specifically by combining the topic of Access, Global Warming and Regional Churches to clarify some of the issues involved in welcoming people.

This made me think of the differences in church life in large urban centers, like Ottawa, Halifax, or London, Ontario. and church life in small towns.  Specifically  towns with one, two, three or so  United Churches. 

In small towns that I have visited in eastern Canada, I am always made to feel welcome, so much in fact that I am unable to speak to all of those who wish to at coffee time after wards.

People in small areas would not ever consider denying a neighbour access to church, or not even think of it as in the realm of possibilities.  They might make each other (members)  uncomfortable, but they are always welcoming. 

Like  P says boards often will decide to start doing marriages when the people getting married are people they know. family friends, or well known community members, like your MP. (ie Scott Brison) .

People are just friendlier and nicer in small towns, this might be because they live in their local communities, and they know each other. 

In large cities, people do not know each other as well. Many live in one area, work in another, and go to church in another.  I never see any of the people I know from church during the week. Except the few that attend activities at the church during the week. However this also makes getting to know people a lot longer.

In a city like Ottawa this has affected the UCC.  In my riding of Ottawa centre there are 15 or so UCC. Most of them are regional churches, in particular those closer to downtown. Also there are also at least 300 churches, mosques, temples, etc. Almost all of them are also regional.

So this in effect means there are few churches that are neighbourhood base.

Now some would say hogwash, their are 15, UCC and 300 others. Yes we can go to those churches and some do. I attend a UCC that is a regional church, that is only 10 minutes by car, 20 minutes by bus. however I past three others, including one that is a five minute walk. It has a  large Building, small congregations  Relative to other churches in Ottawa , it is very accessible to the many people with different kinds of disabilities/differences.  it has a noticable numbers of non-white people.  The minister is good. I have heard him speak several times. The Associate minister is good, and has worked with people with Aids, and very aware of the issues. However the board is not accepting of LGBT. At least that what the members said when I asked.

For environmental, and community reason  and to build a better church,  I should attend this church.  However on closer look it too is a regional church, and I would not meet more people from my are in it than the church I go to. So it leaves environmental reasons and building a better church.                

The problem with regional churches in cities, is if there are too many of them it leaves whole communities without a church. Not only in the sense that people do not have a church where they can meet others in their neighbourhood, but also the church noticable presence in the community. (some do let the community rent space) but I am talking about the building, I am talking about the church, (The members)

As a result most  in the community knows nothing, or are misinformed about the church that meets in a building in their neighbourhood. And visa versa

Also when you do have a person come to services from the neighbourhood, they are strangers to almost everyone.

So people are ignored. it has happened many times to me over the years.  I am just as responsible as the members. The last time I went to a different regional UCC. No one spoke to me but the minister and his family. however I spoke at length with two people, who had apparent disabilities/differences.  They also happened to be one of the few members that lived in that  neighbourhood.(across the street) i did not talk to anyone else in the congregations, (all over 60 and scarily middle class, unknown to me theology). Likewise the did not talk to or approach me( perhaps I was just as scary to them as they were to me)    

Thus things must be done differently in the urban centre to let people know that you are welcoming, like using signs.

We are scared of each other in cities. The regional church systems thus also deprives us of a way of getting to know different types of people, so it maintans these fears of the other,. We go to regional churches  with people like us. However it is hard to get to know each other,(people who are like us)  because we are less likely to meet at the church or in the copmmunty during the week.

Also people with disabilities/differences are more likely for practical reasons need to go to the church across street. They thus tend to be the people in the regional churches who live in the neighbourhood.  They would be a good place to start in building a ministry in the urban center.

The other problem with the regional churches, is that they take the space of a local church that could provide  local political and moral leadership, (like when street level sex workers was an issue in my area, none of the churches were involved. it was a huge issue, dealing with social justice, and community policing, and the churches, temples,  in the neighbourhood affected were all silent in the debate.) 

Ultimately for these reasons and the environment we need to examine the ethics of attending regional churches, and driving past 3, or 20 other UCCs.

However in the mean time it means that access is often a communication issue. .

There is progress as P.  points out on LGBT issues but few  know in the neighbourhood. Thus we have a communication barrier. Such a barrier would not exist in small towns. Urban churches need to identify these barriers that do not exist in small towns.

The negative side affects of the regional church system in urban area affects mostly those who are different or on low incomes, but  it impacts on the whole community.