Including Autistic Children

A specific example of an EFCA church ministering uniquely "among all people" was featured in a July 5, 2009 article for The Patriot News' PennLive.com Web site in an article written by Diana Fishlock:

West Shore Evangelical Free Church welcomed Esther and Lee Feirick and their three autistic children--Calvin, 11, Catherine, 8, and Josiah, 7--in ways the family never expected since they first came in May 2008, Esther Feirick said.

"For Catherine they had someone who could sit with her in her Sunday school class and kind of keep her participating," she said. "Josiah's teacher said, 'Oh! My nephew has that! Does he like deep muscle pressure? Does he like this? They already knew some of these things. I was amazed because that hadn't been my experience."

The family received at least three contacts from the children's pastor asking what else the church could do to help the family. "They ask us to help. They asked us what kinds of things should the staff know. They're very supportive," said Feirick of East Pennsboro Township.

They have had a long history of working with people who are different," she said.

Instead of expecting the Feirick children to conform to their system, the congregation asked what they could change to make the experience easier for the Feiricks, Esther Feirick said. "I never had that. That thinking was so different."

To read the full story:
http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2009/07/families_churches_adjust_to_he.html