Sunday’s service at Grant African Methodist Episcopal Church in South Los Angeles will be different from usual. The choir will limit its set list to familiar spirituals such as “Amazing Grace” and “Take My Hand, Precious Lord.” The ushers will sport name tags with enlarged type. A quiet room has been prepared as a retreat in case any of the congregants becomes agitated or confused.
The changes are intended to make the church more welcoming to congregants with cognitive decline, according to the church’s minister, the Rev. Timothy O. Coston Jr. “We’re looking at the entire service being dementia-friendly,” he said. The service will stick to familiar hymns and liturgy to provide comfort for those whose memories may be fading.
