Face it.  Some Sunday mornings, you just don’t feel like getting up.  A little extra snooze and a hot cup of java sound much more appealing than a starched shirt and pumps. What if that wasn’t the case?  What if, next Sunday morning, you jumped out of bed at your alarm, only to remember that you can’t even attempt attending a service this morning?  Your son isn’t really well, welcome there.

For all too many, this scenario isn’t just a “what if”—it’s a quiet reality.  Often families with special needs children can’t find a place of worship that feels safe and welcoming.  Their child requires specific attention and care, and few churches provide accommodations for individuals with unique conditions.

For many, sitting through a Sunday morning service could be tantamount to climbing Mt. Everest blindfolded.  In the end, many parents opt to stay home rather than brave the challenges of an unfamiliar setting. Hearts are left empty, and members of our church family can slip into isolation. 

Now, Colonial is reaching across the gap.  With the development of the Special Needs Ministry, Colonial is creating a welcoming place for these unique individuals and their families. “Colonial should be a resting place for our church family,” said Pam Hewitt, Executive Director of Children’s Ministries.  “We want parents to feel comfortable leaving their child in our care, confident that their child is learning about God’s love in a way they can understand.” That is the program’s foundational goal: to teach these children the truth of God’s love. 

Fearfully and Wonderfully Made
When Colonial expanded into new buildings a couple of years ago, Children’s Ministries created the Chameleons Classroom which includes an adaptive setting for children, ages K-5, with varying levels of disabilities. The Mosaics Class, the newest addition to the program, serves middle school and high school special needs students and meets in the Student Center.

The Special Needs Ministry must carefully consider how to best teach Scripture to those with learning challenges. Why explain a message in French when the individual only understands Russian?  The adaptive environment seeks to modify a variety of mainstream activities and foundational messages to minister to each child in a way she can understand. 

For two hours each Sunday morning, the Chameleons glide through a number of well-planned activities. Craft time provides adapted paintbrushes with a balled handle—an easy-to-grasp counterpart to a standard brush.  Play time incorporates mobility balls and a large tumbling mat.  Bible stories convey Scripture through interactive songs and vivid pictures—all tangible lessons that resonate with the children. It’s a safe environment, a base each child can call home.

One unique feature of the Chameleon’s classroom, the students’ unanimous favorite, dangles directly from the ceiling. A large harness secured to the building’s frame supports a platform swing, a suspended kneeboard that allows the children to develop physical stability. The harness alternately attaches to a cocoon swing. “It’s like being held in your mother’s arms,” Pam said.  “And if they’re having a difficult time, laying in the cocoon swing provides a strong sense of security.”

The Special Needs Ministry also seeks to aid the cognitive development of each child. For example, the teachers, trained volunteers and registered nurses, can encourage a six-year-old to hone her fine motor skills by beading a necklace during craft time. “Our purpose is to assist parents, the spiritual leaders of the family,” said Pam. “We come along beside them to reinforce the work they do at home.”

The ministry seeks to keep the family together whenever possible.  For example, Pam and Scott Wiley, Pastor of Children’s Ministries, have created a buddy system that pairs each special needs child with a teen or adult mentor.  The duo then attends age-appropriate events, such as AWANA or mainstream middle school Bible studies.  Through guidance, support, and advocacy, the mentors enable each special needs student to form godly relationships with their peers. “God made each of us exactly the way he intended,” said Pam. “It’s not us and them; joining together as a [church] family gives us each purpose, a structure, a place to fit.”

This summer, students of the Chameleon Class also had an opportunity to attend Colonial’s day camp, Operation Space. They enjoyed activities created especially for them.  Side-by-side with their siblings, these kids had the opportunity to hear God’s word in an effective and tangible method while having a blast. 

Pam and Pastor Scott yearn to reach beyond Colonial’s borders. To facilitate that goal, Colonial recently launched its first special needs event for the entire Cary community.  Last May, Spring Break Away transformed Colonial’s campus into a cruise ship, complete with a galley and a circuit of activities—all adapted to special needs.  With the buddy system in place, nearly 200 special needs individuals from across the Triangle joined in the fun. 

And the vision gets ever-larger. In June, Pastor Scott served as chaplain for the 2009 North Carolina Special Olympics Games, increasing Colonial’s visibility in the special needs community.

All in the Family
So why the class name Chameleons? “Because they aren’t what they seem,” said Pam.  “While they may adapt to their surroundings, there is more than meets the eye, more than just the physical body.” Only a minute or two with these children reveals the vibrancy of their personalities and spirits. 

And what about Mosaics? Pam smiled. “That one took us a while to come up with.”  She explained that the church is not just a piece here and a piece there; Christians comprise one family, and the picture doesn’t shift into focus until each individual joins the whole. 

Research reveals that 95% of families with special needs children don’t attend church at all, often because they feel that the church isn’t prepared to meet their needs.  One mother shared her own feeling of abandonment, conveying that while her daughter was a baby, support abounded. “But now that my daughter’s thirteen, where is everybody?” she asked.

The support is here, at Colonial. Parents are discovering that they are able to attend church, maybe for the first time; their children are not a challenge, but a blessing to our church family. While their children thrive in nurturing care, families are free to serve in their own ministries. One mother has found her place in Colonial’s Celebration Choir.  Not only does the choir offer an outlet for her talents, but it also provides an atmosphere for personal encouragement and spiritual growth. 

“Our commission is to meet the needs of the people that are already in our church,” said Pam. The Special Needs Ministry serves to anchor each Christian in their rightful family, God’s family.
           
What’s next? While the special needs program serves in the here and now, the ministry is also looking to the future.  Special Needs requires the same planning as other Colonial ministries, and with twenty children currently on the Chameleons roster, the next step—whatever that may be—is not too far ahead.