When I arrived at Pineridge Fellowship Chapel in 2020 to pastor, the church was already warm and friendly. My family and I instantly felt welcomed, which was important given all that was going on in 2020. It is easy to become complacent as a congregation. Sometimes when you have a smaller church, new people can almost be treated like outsiders, particularly if they’re different from the church.

♪In encounters with people with a disability, Jesus shows us:
1. That a person with a disability has autonomy and will—“Do you want to get well?” (John 5:6).
2. That a person with a disability is not some angelic, sinless being, but like every human, is also in need of forgiveness—“Son, your sins are forgiven” (Mark 2:5).

♪Most of us know someone who is autistic, or you may be autistic yourself. Stephanie Fast, teacher and student, works to bring clarity to autism and presents ideas for making autistic people feel welcome in EMC congregations.

♪ My daughter, Noelle, is a wonderful seven-year-old who loves Pokemon, drawing, and hockey. Noelle is also autistic, and like many people who are autistic, church when done “as regular” can seem overwhelming or even at times unwelcoming.