Saint Luke’s website includes a statement: “All Are Welcome. No Exceptions.” This value is demonstrated joyfully during our monthly Rejoicing Spirits services. This service provides an opportunity for people with special needs to be warmly welcomed into a church service where they can shout, sing, jump up and down, laugh, play instruments, and share prayer requests. Their spiritual growth is nourished in a relaxed, friendly service. It’s an opportunity where the individuals, their family, friends, and staff experience God’s love in a judgement-free zone.
People with special needs have few opportunities to become a part of their community. Physical differences and restrictions may interfere with building friendships. Developmental delays may make those who are unfamiliar with someone facing those challenges, uncomfortable. Our Rejoicing Spirits service provides an inclusive, welcoming service. It is a spiritually nourishing service where we help people feel loved, welcomed, and a part of our Saint Luke community.
The Binner Family
Saint Luke began Rejoicing Spirts shortly after we joined the congregation. Our son, Greg, is multiply disabled. He can be loud when he’s excited….and he is always excited to be in church! We sit in the back of church and use Greg’s wheelchair when he attends regular church services. His wheelchair helps Greg follow the cadence of a regular service and allows him to participate without being distracting. It’s 100% different with Rejoicing Spirits. We do not use Greg’s wheelchair for this service. He literally runs into the church yelling “hi” and whooping it up with sheer joy. This service affords him the freedom to be himself. As Greg’s parents, it means the world to us that Greg can attend a service where he can participate with unencumbered joy. God’s love is reflected in this joy and in the acceptance he receives from our Saint Luke community.
Interested in experiencing this joyful service yourself? We gather for a worship service on the fourth Sunday of every month at 4:00 pm. Think of it as the fourth at four! All are welcome. No exceptions.