Last week, I led a workshop at the CBOQ Assembly on ministry to special needs families. Here is just a short summary of ways churches can support special needs families.
1. There is tremendous strain on marriages within special needs families. Reach out to the parents. Do not assume that they are too busy for some adult company. Bring some dessert, get them to provide coffee and have a visit after the kids go to bed. Arrange for some babysitting for some respite so the parents can go out. If you are not comfortable babysitting special needs children, hang out at the house after they go to bed and let the parents go out.
2. Reach out to the siblings. You might not be comfortable reaching out to special needs children, but you can reach out to the brothers and sisters. Parents do not always have the time to give the attention they want to the other children. Take the other kids out for some fun. It will be great for everyone.
3. Reach out to special needs children. They are not so scary. Really. Trust me. Just try. There may be a learning curve, but you can do it. Do not assume limitations on the kids based on what you see and hear. Let the children teach you what they can do.
4. If you don't have special needs families in your church (if you don't you should be asking why), reach out to the special needs families in your community. Trust me, there are many out there no matter where you live.
5. Reconsider what reverent worship looks like. Does it always have to be calm and quiet? Maybe a special needs kid squawking is exactly what you need. We want peace for worship. But the Hebrew idea of peace (shalom) is not about quietness but wholeness. The presence of special needs families can actually bring shalom to your congregation.
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