A church community in Milton Keynes has a creative and compassionate approach to welcoming neurodiverse children, young people and families. At Church Without Walls in Walton one of four congregations has developed a particular ministry supporting families with special educational needs (SEN) children.
Church Without Walls is an ecumenical new church community that began Christmas 2013. It’s led by Ruth Maxey, a minister from the United Reformed Church who is herself the mother of two autistic sons. Her own experience shaped the vision for the church: to create a place where families who often struggle to attend traditional services could feel at home.
Ruth said:
“When I started building relationships in the community, many were with other families with special needs children. Even though I had been a minister for many years, I had rarely been part of a church where it was easy to attend with my own children when they were young. From the beginning we wanted Church Without Walls to be a place of welcome for everyone, especially those who might struggle in more traditional church environments.”
Over time, the church has naturally attracted many families with children with additional needs, alongside a high number of adoptive families. The aim has never been to create a single special needs service, but to provide a range of worship styles that allow people to participate in ways that suit them.
Ruth has always known that there is no single solution to welcoming everyone:
“In welcoming some others will struggle, no environment suits all needs. Everyone’s needs are different. My two sons are totally different – one loves noise and stimulation the other is overwhelmed by noise and chaos. Their needs are very different. This will be the same for all manner of neurodiverse people. We cannot create a worship space that will be accessible to everyone as the needs of one can restrict another. For instance the noise of many our church gatherings makes it very difficult for those with hearing loss or noise sensitivity. The key is to be mindful of those differences, to adapt where possible, and to create an atmosphere where families feel able to come and go, explore the space and feel comfortable.”
One way the church has addressed the variety of needs is through a four-week pattern of different styles of worship on a Sunday morning:
- Quiet Church – a reflective communion service with activities such as colouring and storytelling for those who prefer calm environments.
- Café Church – a relaxed, informal gathering where children can move around freely, with Lego, fidget toys and creative activities available.
- Forest Church – outdoor walks and reflections, which many families with autistic children find calming and accessible.
- Dinner Church – a shared meal combined with worship and conversation.
A small midweek communion service provides a quieter space for those who find larger gatherings overwhelming. And alongside Sunday services, the church hosts regular children’s and youth groups that have become safe spaces for many young people with additional needs.
Ruth believes the key thing all churches and people need to do is be mindful of the differences, adapting and welcome as we are able. Some ways to do this are:
- Have comfort toys available (Lego, fidget toys, colouring) for all ages.
- Have a relaxed atmosphere in relation to adults or children wandering, coming and going as they feel comfortable.
- Be honest about the conflict involved in welcoming everyone and the clash of needs that will inevitably happen.
Finally, Ruth encourages churches to be willing to accommodate a wide range of needs while not making assumptions:
“We also should not make assumptions about which style or shape of service will suit some communities over others... I believe in a ‘smorgasbord’ approach to what we offer in terms of worship allowing individuals and families to access at different times the different worship styles.”
This week is Neurodiversity Celebration Week, an opportunity for us to recognise the gifts and experiences of neurodivergent people and to reflect on how environments, including places of worship, can become more inclusive for all.