Elaina Marchenko sits down with Rachael VerMeulen from A Little Extra Love Ministries to talk about the reality for families affected by special needs, the need for disability support in Colorado, and what Rachael will be sharing at Disability & the Church Conference.
3 Ways to Make Your Church More Welcoming for Neurodivergent Kids
The church is a place for everyone, yet for many families with neurodivergent children, attending church events or services can be a challenging experience. Children with sensory and communication differences may need unique accommodations to feel comfortable, included, and valued. This season, as your church plans special services and activities, consider these three simple yet impactful ways to create a more welcoming environment for neurodivergent kids and their families.
Strategies for Small and Normative Sized Churches with Sandra Peoples: Podcast EP 124
Reverse Inclusion: Our Teen and Young Adult Class: Podcast Episode 078
Reverse inclusion is a class designed for teens and young adults with disabilities that invites typical teenagers and young adults in for the purpose of friendship. It’s for teens like my son James who wouldn’t enjoy being part of our youth group. That environment isn’t safe for him and the curriculum doesn’t fit his needs. So instead we’ve created a class that is a good fit for him and our other teenagers! Listen to this podcast to hear about our strategies to make reverse inclusion work for you and your church!
Dogs in Church: Podcast Episode 062
Strength in Numbers, a Cord of Three, and Belonging in the Church for Adults with Disabilities: Podcast Episode 052
Strength in Numbers is a slogan that not only helped create a winning culture for an NBA team, but it also echoes the message from Scripture in Ecclesiastes 4 where a “cord of three strands is not easily broken.” In this week’s episode, Garett Wall examines how strength in numbers and the cord of three can serve as the foundation for helping your church build a pathway to belonging for adults with disabilities.