In researching resources for my internet site www.accessiblechurch.ca. I found some good information on the UCC website regarding a subject that has been debated about here and in other church forums about the need to ask permission or pay copy right fees in reproducing Voices and More Voices in different formats to make them more accessible to the blind, and others with perceptual difficulties including Autism, ADD etc.

Here is the link form the UCC web site.

Copyright Laws Exceptions 

It says you can reproduce songs from More Voices, and Voices United in accessible formats, without permission or paying fees.

As well it says you can broadcast  your church services which include copyright materials on on TV or Radio, without asking permission or paying fees.

I assume that includes putting the whole service on your web site and streaming the service to your members who are unable to attend or to people who might want to check out your church.

This can be done in a limited way over Skype for free, as well there are ways to have host services to do it for less then 20 dollars a month if you want to stream to 20 people. It costs a little more but you can actually make the stream avaiable to hundreds as well for a little more money if you find that more then twenty people are using it. It should pay for itself as there is no reason that you can not ask those you are regular listeners to donate some money.

I want to compile instructions on how to hook up your audio system to a computer and how to stream your churches services in audio or video, or as a podcast. If there are any techinically inclined people here I could use some help doing so.

Also I will be making my Jpeg version of Voices United avaiable, as well as More Voices when I have finished  scanning that book.

Also I could use some one to help to convert my jpegs into MXML or another format that could be printed on a braille printer.

As soon as I am assured it is legal, I will then be able to email my jpegs and other accessible formats to any United Church that wants them.

My web site and the production of accessible formats of our hymnals, and as well tips and instructions on how  to make your congregations more accessible is being done at no cost to the head office or any local congregations.

It shows that access can be improved without money, which is one of the main reasons people say they can not do so. It also shows that you do not have to depend on head office. It just means your congregation or members or adherantsts  want to do so.

I also have compiled other resources from the UCC web site that concerns access and disability issues. It was hard to find at first, because they are in different sections of the UCC web site. The Deaf and hard of hearing stuff is in the multicultural section, the AIDS and HIV was in the Social Justice Sections, and the copy right information was in the More Voices Section.

The links to these and other United Church Resources of interest to those in making their local congregation more accessible are compiled on one page on my web site, at  Accessibility and the  United Church of Canada

I also have different pages of links of resources from other churches that can be used free of charge. As well as information from other groups.

Everything from making churches accessible to those affected from colour blindness, to developemental disabilities , to people suffering multiple loss and grief, to those with mental illness and  physical disabilities and preparing your church for a possible pandemic. Can be found on my web site.

Sometimes people say that all I do is bitch and complain and am being hateful when I point out problems of access and  christian empire, but I hope the work I am doing demontrates that I am tring to do something positive.

The barriers I have faced due to not knowing about my high functioning autism, and as well as the effects of grief bubbles caused by multple and on going losses, combined with surviing HIV encephalitis, I understand causes some people to believe that I have attacked the church in a hateful way . That is not my intent.

But I can only do what I am able to do, I wish I was more diplomatic and understood more how the church works, and I am working on that Please forgive me but I have waited a long time, and I can get frustrated. I apologise to people who have been offended, but that way I look at it is either I say and do things, or I can just go away, until I have changed and the church has changed enough.  But I can not because I need the church to be able to change myself. And I need the church to change to be able to help me and others change.

This summer  visits to my web site have gone up well over 2000 %. I do not know if people are finding it helpful, but my wish is just to help one other person like myself , that have been left out, put down or discriminated .

Preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary use words.
Francis of Assisi