I’m a family with special needs or neurodivergent children / teens
We are people helping ALL people find and follow Jesus!
Church-shopping to find a congregation that offers the right fit can be trying for any family. Yet for families with neurodiverse kids or youth the first visit to a new church might be so overwhelming that a family doesn’t try again for years. Early childhood, that crucial season when children’s hearts are most open to the rhythms of liturgy and worship and new parents long for God and community, too often passes without the influence or support of the church.
Psalm 139:14 says we are all “fearfully and wonderfully made”. God took the same care to knit together all people. In 2 Samuel 9, David honored Jonathan’s crippled son Mephibosheth by inviting him to eat at his table, valuing their relationship enough to break down the barriers of shame and accessibility during that time period. In John 9, when the disciples asked Jesus if a certain man’s blindness was his fault or his parents’, Jesus corrected their assumptions by saying the man’s disabilities existed “that the works of God might be displayed in him”. Every member of Christ’s body is necessary to fulfill the mission of his church, the body of Christ. “If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.” (1 Cor.12:26). A big part of coming alongside those with disabilities is breaking down barriers to accessibility. All persons deserve access to the gospel, to community, and to worship. We must be willing to make accommodations, even when it requires sacrifice. This is exactly what we created OC Buddies to do! The reward is great - a church body reflecting the compassion of Jesus for every kind of person as we are ALL created in HIS image to find and follow Him.
Oc Buddies is an Orchard Ministry that helps provide a 1:1 relationship between a guest and their buddy. This is done through social interaction with your buddy to communicate God’s love and grace to them while keeping them amongst their peers. Through OC Buddies, we equip volunteers to provide support and encouragement for families of those with special needs. This relationship allows the family to be refreshed by attending a service or event knowing that their loved one is safely and lovingly cared for by our OC Buddies team. A one-on-one support person provides someone with a disability the chance to be known by their church community. Not every person with a disability will need a buddy, nor will every buddy provide the exact same thing. Buddies provide individualized support that is as unique as the individual they are serving. How a buddy serves may vary, but a buddy enables three primary things.
1. Discipleship
Learning to follow Christ as a disciple is what it means to be a Christian.
2. Friendship
Though friendships aren’t automatic, a buddy provides the opportunity for someone with a disability to spend time with their peers
3. Safety
Certainly, physical safety is a major consideration. But buddies also serve as an advocate and bridge, bringing people with disabilities from the fringes into the center of church life.
You BELONG here and your family member belongs here and we are working diligently to create a space where all types of people and families feel welcome and supported. Our team always welcomes any feedback on our current ministries and resources intended for persons with special needs and their families and caregivers. We hope that OC Buddies is constantly growing and changing to meet the current and future needs of the families we have here each weekend and those in the community still looking for a church home.
RESOURCES:
Orchard buddies sign up
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