People with autism often have problems with forming relationships and communicating with others. They can lack or have reduced social imagination which can prevent them from understanding other people’s emotions. Autism is often evidenced by obsessive behaviours, anxiety, a desire for routine, and sensory overload where they might feel unable to process emotions which can lead to a meltdown. In the light of all that, how autism-friendly is your church? What might be the barriers for people with autism coming to your services and events? How much do the leadership and the membership of the church understand what autism is and how it affects the person and the people who love them?
One aspect is taking language literally or not understanding some conventions of speech. Should churches be surprised that some people with autism might actually try to answer the rhetoric questions that preachers ask, as they might seem to need to be answered? You might have to find a new way to preach if you are a preacher and find that difficult or you could deliberately try to incorporate that, if you like a risk! What can we do to support those who have autism and their families? Here are some ideas.
Prayer
A friend of mine mentioned that when it came to corporate church, their church did not acknowledge the role of parents or the needs of children with disabilities in intercessions. This did change in her church, but we need to think about this. Does the staff team at your church meet to regularly pray for pastoral needs and do they give time to those who are dealing with situations like autism? The families need to feel supported and prayer is an action that demonstrates it. Does the family with the person with autism have an email address or a phone number to help them get in contact with someone when they may need urgent prayer support?
