One of the NTS Nurturing Care Kansas City Initiative’s resides around working with non-speaking or minimally speaking autistic children to help them express prayer. An initiative that continues this coming Sat., June 1st from 9:30 am -11:30 am, at SVN Charter School in Kansas City.
The initiative started with an information session last February 10 involving New Community Church pastor Stephanie Answer as well as Stephanie Barton a counselor and specialist with S2C or Spelling to Communicate.
The same theme appeared in the research of our guest lecturer, Dr. Léon van Ommen, University of Aberdeen, Divinity and Religious Studies Department, Department Member and co-chair of the Centre for Autism and Theology.
In a recent update from Stephanie Answer, she reported on there first efforts with the innovative approach. She writes:
The leaders had talked during planning about how we didn’t want it to be an isolated group with only nonspeaking autistic children and so we had decided to include the siblings of the autistic children and the children of the leaders so we would have a little more of an inclusive setting, but we would use the spelling method with all children. The week of our first group session, the other 3 autistic children who had done the sessions earlier, all canceled due unforeseen situations (grandparent passed away, unexpected company in town, car broke down) My son, who is a non-speaker, participated with 3 other children – my daughter and our leaders’ 2 children. I’m actually so thankful for this situation as a parent.
It was really amazing to get to watch my son participate in a group and where we used the communication method that he uses to participate. All the children had letter boards and as we read the scripture and discussed it, we would spell together and then had a few questions they spelled to answer. It was another reminder to me that when we structure things in a way where the most vulnerable/marginalized person can participate, everyone can participate. It still works for the whole group, but the individual who usually would be unable to join, gets to be included and their method is centered, and they get to see others using their methods. It was a powerful moment.
As noted, the next information session occurs June 1 as the church continues to pilot this approach to connecting with children on the spectrum, deepening their experiences with God through prayer.
Discipleship Commons 