What began as a simple idea—teaching children to pause, reflect, and pray—came to life in a powerful way during this year’s Spring Break Day Camp at Sandia Valley Church of the Nazarene. Built on the guiding principle “Gratitude is our new attitude,” the camp integrated a unique blend of emotional care, prayerful spiritual reflection, and community engagement, offering children not just activities, but a safe space to be heard and supported.
At the heart of the initiative was a thoughtfully designed “Nurturing Space,” created in partnership with God’s Place (also known as God’s Palace by many of the children). This designated area allowed children to step away from the group when emotions became overwhelming—an approach rooted in the program’s broader emphasis on emotional coaching and moral integration.
Leaders reported feeling confident guiding children to the space when needed, where trained volunteers, including Danielle Rivas, engaged them in meaningful conversations. Through gentle questions centered on gratitude and prayer, children were encouraged to reflect on what mattered most in their lives and what they wished to share with God. The impact was immediate and profound.
“One child who had been running away from his group found peace and solace in the space,” a camp leader shared, describing a moment that underscored the program’s purpose: meeting children where they are emotionally and spiritually.
Another cornerstone of the camp was the interactive Gratitude Wall, a central feature of the broader ministry initiative. Designed as a “wall of words” reflecting faith and thankfulness, it invited children to share heartfelt expressions of gratitude—often transcribed by volunteers to preserve their voices.
The messages revealed a deep sense of connection and appreciation. Children expressed gratitude for their families, their church, and their community. One particularly moving statement read: “I’m grateful and thankful for you, Danielle, and that I was able to take a break.”
According to program leaders, these moments reflect the deeper goals of the initiative: fostering a culture where gratitude and prayer become natural, daily practices—not just activities confined to church settings. The Spring Break Day Camp is part of a larger, year-round effort that includes leadership training in emotional coaching, family prayer journals, and ongoing engagement with the Gratitude and Prayer Wall. The initiative aims to strengthen both individual faith and community bonds, particularly among children ages 5–12 and their families.
For many involved, the most meaningful outcome was not just participation, but transformation.
“We were thankful for the opportunity to have this nurturing space,” one organizer reflected. “It allowed others to see the power of prayer and nurturing care in real time.”
As the program continues to grow, leaders hope its model—combining emotional awareness with spiritual guidance—can serve as a blueprint for other ministries seeking to support children holistically. In a week designed as a “break,” many children found something deeper: calm, connection, and a new language for gratitude
It was another meaningful and spiritually enriching time with the children representing four churches in the Southwest Native American District’s Eastern Zone. The focus of the gathering was on trust.
As the leader spoke about trust, the children engaged in a related art project, helping them connect the message with a hands-on activity. Three adult leaders guided different segments of the program:
One leader read a scripture passage about Abraham’s trust in God when he was called to leave his homeland, with the children following along in their Beginner’s Bible.
Another leader led the children in singing “Jesus Loves Me.”
The third leader facilitated the writing of gratitude cards.
After returning to the main meeting, both the children and leaders were invited to present a report. This included the scripture reading, a time of worship, and the presentation of the gratitude cards.
Additionally, ten churches received an 8×10 canvas, along with instructions encouraging them to invite their children to spend intentional time with God. The plan to display these canvases in each church’s children’s department was also shared.
To learn more about the virtue of trust and its impact on the church, the PLNU Center for Pastoral Leadership hosted a webinar with Dr. Ross Oakes Mueller titled Cultivating Trust. Dr. Mueller serves as a consultant for Nurturing Care, which will host a Maker’s Space Retreat May 28-30, 2006. Enjoy the video.
A series of monthly reports and ministry updates from churches participating in the West Coast Nurturing Care cohort reveal a growing movement reshaping how children engage with faith—through creativity, service, and intentional space-making. Across California, Oregon, and beyond, congregations are experimenting with hands-on prototypes that prioritize children’s spiritual agency, with early results pointing to both emotional depth and community transformation.
At Bend Church of the Nazarene, a bilingual worship initiative continues gaining traction as leaders work to produce children’s worship music in English and Spanish. While technical challenges—particularly translating rhythm-heavy songs—have delayed full bilingual album production, progress continues. Leaders are now developing accompanying motion-based videos featuring teens from both English- and Spanish-speaking services, reinforcing cultural inclusion. The project has already yielded meaningful impact: one bilingual child expressed joy at finally being able to worship in Spanish alongside peers, underscoring the importance of representation in spiritual formation .
The Bend initiative also highlights how grant funding is nurturing young talent. A college-aged videographer, raised in the church, is gaining paid, real-world experience while discerning a call to media ministry—an example of how the program is investing not only in children but in emerging leaders .
In Hesperia, the continued “GratiGrow” project is demonstrating the power of service-based formation. Despite low attendance due to holiday conflicts, children and volunteers came together to clean the yard of a pastor facing serious health challenges. Leaders reported that children’s enthusiasm inspired adults to stay longer and engage more deeply, reversing traditional expectations of who leads in acts of compassion. The effort culminated in emotional moments of gratitude from the recipient family, with participants describing the experience as both joyful and transformative .
That impact extended beyond the event itself. A personal letter from the family (included in project materials) expresses heartfelt thanks for the children’s work, noting they were “blown away” by the willingness and capability of the young volunteers and even contributing financially to support youth ministry efforts in return .
Meanwhile, at Sandia Nazarene, a simple but intentional space called “God’s Place” is redefining how children participate in worship. Designed as a prayer and reflection area, the space allows children to draw, write, or pray during services. In one instance, a child spontaneously asked to pray for her grandmother and later wrote her a note—an experience that deeply moved her family, who saw it as an answer to prayer during a difficult season. Leaders report that the space has become a meaningful alternative to traditional expectations of stillness during worship, enabling children to actively connect with God rather than disengage.
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Other congregations are exploring similar innovations. A “prayground” experiment at Pittsburg Church integrates play into intergenerational worship. Children engage with tactile elements—such as recreating biblical scenes or interacting with a toy communion set—while adults are invited to join them. In one striking moment, a four-year-old, after mimicking communion, told another participant, “Now you’re Jesus,” revealing a profound, experiential understanding of sacramental theology without formal instruction. Pastor Christy Dickt noted “This child has not had any formal teaching outside of Sunday worship about communion. He has just participated in the Eucharist every week for the last 2 years. However, he knows something happens when I drink from this cup that makes me more like Jesus. The grace of God being received by a child each week!”
In Sonoma Valley, children participating in a gratitude exercise demonstrated empathy beyond their years. One child wrote a note of encouragement for a blind man in a recovery program, asking that it be read aloud to him—an act that reflects the program’s emphasis on outward-facing compassion .
Across the cohort, collaboration and shared learning are key themes. Salinas New Life reported one their ongoing experimentation with worship flags. Tim King noted that one six year old child as adopted a trusting posture to the point she ran across the front of the congregation leading the church in worship by using her flag.
While deeply involved in sensory-friendly spaces, and trauma-informed practices, leaders are also rethinking language—moving away from terms like “timeout” toward more restorative concepts such as “regulation spaces”—as they design environments that support children emotionally and spiritually. Other congregations, like Christ Community Church in San Ramon, continue to re-vision their ministry, developing a contemplative vision of gratitude around a “sit spot” or nature setting. As pastor Cielo Perez reports, in a Christian context practice transforms a simple nature observation into a spiritual discipline for virtue formation. It aligns with the biblical call to “be still and know” (Psalm 46:10) and the practice of witnessing God’s character through His creation (Romans 1:20).
While challenges remain—ranging from volunteer shortages to production delays—the overall trajectory is one of innovation rooted in lived experience. These ministries are not merely teaching children about faith; they are creating conditions in which children actively practice it—through prayer, worship, service, creativity, and leadership.
Registration continues for May Maker’s Space in San Diego (Point Loma Campus): https://www.eventbrite.com/e/nurturing-care-plnu-makers-space-retreat-tickets-1982828733117?aff=erelexpmlt. Churches may apply through the registration process that ends May 15, 2026. Churches are then invited to attend the May 28-30 event on campus where Nurturing Care covers expenses during the event. West coast churches can email info@nurturingcare.org for more informations but please review the FAQs on the Eventbrite page as well.
As the initiative moves toward its final reporting phase in June, early evidence suggests that these grassroots experiments are doing more than engaging children. They are reshaping congregational life itself, inviting adults to rediscover faith through the eyes—and actions—of the youngest among them.
Faith leaders from across the Kansas City region, including Oklahoma congregations, gathered online recently to share progress and stories from a growing initiative aimed at making churches more welcoming for children with autism and other forms of neurodiversity.
The meeting of the Kansas City/Autism Nurturing Care network brought together pastors, ministry leaders, and nonprofit partners who are working together to redesign worship environments, train volunteers, and create spaces where neurodivergent children and adults can participate fully in congregational life. The group also celebrated milestones and exchanged updates from local congregations participating in the project.
Worship spaces designed for neurodiversity
At Second Presbyterian Church in Kansas City, children’s director Samantha Murphy described how sensory tools — including noise-blocking headphones — have helped families feel more comfortable bringing autistic children into worship. During one recent service, a family visiting the “Pray Ground” area used the sensory tools, confirming that the church’s approach was helping families participate more fully.
Other congregations are taking similar steps. The Light KC in Overland Park has introduced fidget tools and noise-dampening headphones during children’s worship. Leaders reported that one child who previously could not tolerate anything on his head began wearing the headphones and remained joyfully engaged in worship, something that previously required him to leave the room for breaks.
Across the network, congregations reported experimenting with sensory-friendly worship practices.
Celebrating milestones and new partnerships
One highlight came from Rev. Alex Oliver of Raymore New Vision Church, whose congregation recently celebrated paying off its mortgage. During a recent “mortgage burning” celebration, the church distributed sensory kits to children attending the service.
The church is also planning to partner with SOAR Special Needs Ministriesto host a respite night in September and will send volunteers to assist with a prom for individuals with autism this spring.
Oliver shared a story about a young guest with autism who used noise-reducing headphones during worship, allowing her to remain in the sanctuary rather than retreating to the lobby because of overstimulation. The child’s grandmother later expressed deep gratitude for the accommodations, which made the event accessible for the first time.
Another transition discussed during the meeting involved Marna Terblanche, who recently moved from directing Matthew’s Ministry at the Church of the Resurrection to a new role with the Autism Resource Center of Kansas City, focusing on services for autistic adults.
Slower, contemplative worship environments
Some churches are also rethinking the pace and structure of worship. At 8th Street Church, leaders have been experimenting with smaller Lenten services designed to be slower and less stimulating. Hope Keimig noted the services incorporate imaginative prayer, art, and embodied forms of prayer to create a welcoming environment for neurodivergent participants. Church leaders say the format has helped children and adults engage spiritually without the pressure to sit still or respond in a single prescribed way.
Norman Church reported the use of prayer stations during their Ash Wednesday service. The stations proved particularly helpful for children who wanted to participation. Pastor Nathan Jenkins noted that he hosted a visitor recently and explained their use of their Belong bags (mobile sensory bags). The individual responded, “As soon as I saw your wall and the pop-its, I knew what you were doing and I just want you to know how amazing it is that a church is doing this.”
Learning from lived experience
Throughout the meeting, participants like Claire McClun at Engage Church emphasized that the work of inclusion often grows out of everyday experiences with families in house churches as well as in congregations.
Leaders shared stories about volunteer “buddies” assisting children who may wander, congregations experimenting with sensory rooms, and parents expressing relief that their children could finally remain in worship. Many also highlighted how the changes benefit entire congregations, not just families affected by autism.
Looking ahead
The network is planning several upcoming events, including a Day of Learning on April 13featuring training and presentations by Dr. Melody Escobar related to autism inclusion. The gathering is expected to include representatives from 11 new churches across eight states, including several from the Kansas City area. Participants said the steady growth of the network — and the practical changes happening inside local congregations — are signs that the movement toward more inclusive churches is gaining momentum.
“Every small adjustment we make,” one leader noted during the meeting, “creates a place where more people can belong.”
On March 6–7, 2026, Grace Church of the Nazarene hosted the first Nashville Maker’s Space, a collaborative event bringing together churches using design thinking to experiment with new ways to include neurodivergent children and families in the life of the church through worship and prayer. Rather than presenting finished programs, the gathering invites congregations to share prototypes—early ideas shaped by real experiences with children in their communities.
The Maker’s Space model encourages churches to begin with stories: a child who struggles to sit still during worship, a family that stopped attending because there was nowhere for their child to go during sensory overload, or a moment when a child revealed a spiritual insight adults had overlooked. From these experiences, leaders design small experiments that help congregations rethink prayer, worship, learning, and belonging.
Throughout the time, key consultants guide the deliberation including Ryan Nelson, Nazarene Disability Ministries National Coordinator, Kayla Smith with Reaching Hurting Kids Institute, Brad Lee Director of Special Needs Family Institute and Dr. Dana Preusch, national Nurturing Care Coordinator and spiritual director. The combination of expertise displayed among the consultants allowed these leaders to listen into the planning without undue interference but still offer a wealth of professional experience and guidance.
Across the projects presented in Nashville, churches have organized their work around four themes: Prayer, Inclusive Worship, Deepening Formation, and Changing Congregational Mindset. Each theme reflects a different way congregations are learning from neurodivergent children and adapting their practices so that every child can participate fully in the life of faith.
Prayer
Several churches in the Maker’s Space are exploring how prayer can become more accessible through creativity, movement, and sensory engagement. Their proposals challenge the assumption that prayer must always be verbal or still, suggesting instead that children may connect with God through play, objects, or expressive actions.
Pine Hill Church
Pine Hill Church’s project grows from the experience of a child who struggles with the expectation of sitting quietly through a 30-minute family worship service. Leaders are developing “Sprout Boxes,” containers filled with prayer prompts, journals, sensory tools, and visual prayer guides that help children participate during worship rather than simply being distracted. The goal is to move beyond keeping children busy and instead give them tools for spiritual engagement. As one leader explained, the hope is to create ways “to assist our little friend in being able to be a part of that table that’s already there in meeting his God in those services.”
Refinery Church
Refinery Church’s project is inspired by a child who rarely speaks but once surprised his leaders by climbing onto the platform and sharing what he had learned in children’s church. The moment revealed that Jacob had insights worth hearing but needed different ways to express them. In response, the church is experimenting with creative forms of prayer such as journals that combine drawing and writing, prayer walks, expressive actions, puppets, and prayer jars. The goal is to make prayer accessible to children with different communication styles and abilities. As the project leader noted, the aim is to “create opportunities and help Jacob feel more comfortable and confident in prayer.”
Lenexa Central Church
Lenexa Central’s proposal focuses on helping children engage the culture of church through sensory prayer bins, containers filled with tactile objects such as Play-Doh, markers, and prayer prompts. During a dedicated prayer period in children’s worship, kids select materials and find a quiet place to pray, often expressing their prayers through play or drawing. The idea emerged from the story of a child who loved coming to church but struggled to participate meaningfully in its practices. As the project leader explained, the goal is to create a space where children can connect with God through sensory engagement: “while they’re playing, the idea is that they will also be praying.”
Inclusive Worship
Another group of churches is focusing on how the structure of worship itself can become more inclusive. These projects explore ways children can lead, participate, and remain in the sanctuary alongside their families rather than being separated from the congregation.
Las Palmas Church
At Las Palmas, the project is deeply personal, emerging from a parent’s desire to create a welcoming worship environment for her son Jonathan and other children with disabilities. The church hopes to transform an existing children’s room into a multisensory worship environment filled with music, instruments, videos, tactile objects, and calming areas where children can explore faith through play. The vision is not merely to entertain children but to help them internalize Scripture and worship freely. As the project leader described her motivation, she wants a place where her son can feel that church “is my second home… a place where he would feel comfortable.”
Hope Connextion Church
Hope Connextion’s proposal invites children into a more active role during worship by giving them responsibility for creating and leading portions of the service. A creative team composed of teens and young adults—many with personal experience with autism—will help children design weekly prayer bulletins and share their concerns with the congregation. The project emphasizes that children’s voices can shape the spiritual life of the church. Leaders hope that by highlighting children’s prayers, the congregation will see their role in the church more clearly and recognize their contributions to God’s work. The goal, organizers say, is to “show the adults a little glimpse into their hearts.”
Liberty Church
Liberty Church’s project emerged after a family with two daughters with special needs stopped attending because the congregation lacked appropriate accommodations. Determined to welcome them back, leaders are designing an inclusive worship space in the back of the sanctuary that allows children to move, fidget, or engage creatively while remaining part of the service. The area will include sensory tools, flexible seating, and a Lego wall where children can express ideas about God. The design intentionally allows children to move between the sensory area and the sanctuary as needed. The aim, leaders say, is to ensure that families know “they can still be part of worship, that they belong with us.”
Deepening Formation
For several congregations, inclusion is not only about access but also about spiritual formation. These churches are experimenting with environments and practices that help children process faith experiences more deeply.
Oxford Church
Oxford Church’s initiative grew from relationships rather than formal outreach. One such relationship began at a birthday party, where church members met Vivian, a child on the autism spectrum. When Vivian eventually visited the church, the congregation embraced her expressive behaviors during worship, creating a sense of belonging that encouraged her family to stay. Building on that experience, the church plans to redesign classroom spaces with sensory elements, calming corners, and updated curriculum that helps children remain engaged during lessons and cultivate a deeper sense prayerful engagement. Leaders say the church’s openness to Vivian’s presence made a lasting impact: her family appreciated how the congregation “took to their daughter Vivian… and just fit right in.”
Hermitage Church
Hermitage Church’s project addresses the physical environment of children’s ministry. Leaders realized the need for better support after observing two children who responded differently to sensory overwhelm—one needing a quiet corner and another requiring complete separation from the room. Their proposal redesigns the ministry space with acoustic improvements, better lighting, varied seating, and designated zones for worship and activity. Ultimately, they hope to create a sensory-safe room that allows children to regulate their environment without being sent into a hallway. The guiding principle behind the redesign is simple: “I want to invite children to worship God just as they are.”
Changing Congregational Mindset
The final group of projects moves beyond individual programs and focuses on changing the culture of the church itself. These proposals emphasize hospitality, awareness, and structural changes that help congregations rethink disability and belonging.
Lovejoy Church
Lovejoy Church begins its project with a striking observation: there are currently no known children with disabilities attending the congregation. For leaders, that absence signals a deeper problem. With tens of thousands of families with disabilities living in the surrounding county and fewer than 10 percent attending church, the congregation sees a clear opportunity for outreach. Their proposal centers on creating a sensory room equipped with calming lighting, tactile toys, and streaming access to the service so families can remain connected to worship. As the project leader reflected, the church must respond to the biblical call to serve vulnerable families, noting that “whatever we do for the least of these, we do for Him.”
Wannamaker Woods Church
The “Let Them Come” initiative at Wannamaker Woods seeks to reshape how the church understands disability and inclusion. Drawing from personal experiences raising children with diverse needs, the project highlights the large number of families with disabilities who currently do not attend church. The initiative proposes several practical changes—including sensory rooms, family quiet spaces, and sensory-friendly seating in the sanctuary—while encouraging members to rethink assumptions about visible and invisible disabilities. As one leader explained, the church hopes to remind people that “just because a child looks a certain way doesn’t mean that they function a certain way.”
Grace Church of the Nazarene
Grace Church, the host of the Nashville Maker’s Space, is proposing a Safe Space Sanctuary designed for families who need flexibility during worship services. The room will feature sensory elements, comfortable seating, and televisions streaming the sermon so caregivers can remain engaged even while attending to their children. The idea arose from the leader’s own experience of stepping out of services and missing the message. By creating a space where families can stay present in the building, the church hopes to remove one of the barriers that keeps many special-needs families from attending. As the organizer explained, the goal is simple for any parent: “to hear the sermon instead of just streaming it from home, they can actually still be here.”
Together, these projects illustrate how congregations are learning from the experiences of neurodivergent children and their families. Nurturing Care Director, Dr. Dean G. Blevins noted the Nashville Maker’s Space is not simply about generating new programs; it is about reimagining how churches pray, worship, and learn together. By beginning with real stories and testing practical ideas, these congregations hope to create communities where every child can find their place at the table of faith.
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