Donate to ADNet!

Use your credit card to contribute online to ADNet via any of these methods:

Mennonite Church USA

Donate Now Through Network for Good

Or send a check to the address below.

Thank you for supporting the work of ADNet!

Contact ADNet
Anabaptist Disabilities Network
PO Box 959
Goshen, IN 46527-0959
Phone: 574-535-7053
Ph/Fax: 877-214-9838


Churches and MCS

Introductory Resources

How the Church Can Help the Chemically Sensitive by Mary Davis
Ms. Davis is a free-lance writer who focuses primarily on environmental issues. This article appeared in the Christian Century, April 2, 1986.

Multiple Chemical Sensitivity Accessibility for United Methodist Churches
Useful for churches of other denominations as well.

Canary Sanctuaries. Fragrance free worship registry and related resources.

MCS Tips and Information How can the church respond to the issue of Multiple Chemical Sensitivity? How can the church be supportive of persons who face the challenges of living with this disease? Select a link to browse through the MCS tips and information which will appear below. You can also download a copy of all of these tips. See also the stories and additional information in the right column.


For persons in charge of church maintenance:

  • Build new buildings with less toxic materials.
  • Use electric utilities or radiant heat.
  • Eliminate the use of air "freshener" sprays, incense, and fragrance-emitting devices.  At least one restroom (perhaps the family accessible restroom) should have no air fresheners of any kind. 
  • Advise the congregation in advance and persons known to have MCS in particular about planned maintenance projects.  Then, carry out those projects so as to avoid or eliminate quickly the smells of paint, finishes, new carpets, and other chemicals. 
  • Use least toxic, natural, and unscented cleaning and sanitizing products in restrooms, etc.  Do cleaning early in the week so rooms have time to air out. 
  • Ventilate buildings with clean fresh air and/or use portable room air filters.
  • Avoid pesticides.  Use least toxic integrated pest management.  If you need to use pesticides, once again advise the congregation in advance and persons known to have MCS in particular.
  • Declare a scent free zone in a room with a window into the sanctuary and a door directly to the outside (but not right into the parking lot).  No one who sits in that section would wear fragrances or use scented detergents in hair or clothes.  Advertise to the community that this is available!  
    • If a separate room isn't possible, try making a corner of the sanctuary scent free.
    • Provide alternative seating for those sensitive to pew cushions and metal chairs.

 Return 
MCS Stories & Info

Many files on ADNet Online require the use of the Adobe Reader. This is available free of charge for all operating systems from Adobe. Click on the icon below to download the latest version.

Get Acrobat Reader Web logo
BibleGateway.com
Google
WWW ADNet
Login Button
ADNet Online 2010/ Site design by Ruth J. Smucker