-As an adult, a form of being ‘plugged in’ to a church is service. Pastors speak about it several times a year, and as a parent of children with special needs it is hard to get plugged in to a service role. It is not any easier when the children’s ministry, or nursery, requires volunteer time if your child is enrolled in their class (which is not uncommon…). Finding appropriate care for the child with special needs for an extended time can be a consideration, and simply making it week to week and not missing weekends due to sickness or scheduling with the child with special needs can be a second obstacle. Generally, when parents DO want to serve, they will feel some sort of conflict about burdening someone else with the care of their child at the same time as they are serving.
-Many parents have gifts and talents that are completely untapped once they adopt their child with special needs. Maybe they are a gifted singer, a talented musician, maybe they are extremely good with computers, a great teacher and story teller, or are fluent in sign language. Finding out what their gifts are and encouraging them to plug in to the church to serve others gives the parents a place to be open and “free to be a person again.” Though parents undoubtedly love their children, a homeschooling mom that can sing in the choir on Sunday mornings and attend rehearsal on Tuesday nights has that little bit of time to let down the caregiver role and pick up the Child of God role that is so easy to lose sight of.
-Children are raised up to learn to serve within the church, often having a children’s choir, and weekends when kids become ushers. They serve food at the homeless shelter around Thanksgiving and they are taught to help with younger classes as they get older. Children with special needs are no exception and they, possibly more so than their ‘typical’ peers, will NEED the community of the church to rely on as their community of social friends as they get older. The needs of adults with special needs is another entire issue, but allowing children with special needs to not always be “served” but rather to “serve others” is an innate desire and helps them to grow in their service skills as a child. As an adult they may make a great greeter at the church, or help to prepare meals, or to sort out items for a collection project. Starting ALL children on the road to service is a life-breathing endeavor.
-Many parents have gifts and talents that are completely untapped once they adopt their child with special needs. Maybe they are a gifted singer, a talented musician, maybe they are extremely good with computers, a great teacher and story teller, or are fluent in sign language. Finding out what their gifts are and encouraging them to plug in to the church to serve others gives the parents a place to be open and “free to be a person again.” Though parents undoubtedly love their children, a homeschooling mom that can sing in the choir on Sunday mornings and attend rehearsal on Tuesday nights has that little bit of time to let down the caregiver role and pick up the Child of God role that is so easy to lose sight of.
-Children are raised up to learn to serve within the church, often having a children’s choir, and weekends when kids become ushers. They serve food at the homeless shelter around Thanksgiving and they are taught to help with younger classes as they get older. Children with special needs are no exception and they, possibly more so than their ‘typical’ peers, will NEED the community of the church to rely on as their community of social friends as they get older. The needs of adults with special needs is another entire issue, but allowing children with special needs to not always be “served” but rather to “serve others” is an innate desire and helps them to grow in their service skills as a child. As an adult they may make a great greeter at the church, or help to prepare meals, or to sort out items for a collection project. Starting ALL children on the road to service is a life-breathing endeavor.