What is Gentle Worship?

Today a group of churches in the area hosted a special event for families dealing with autism. A resource person from the Autism Society of North Carolina talked to us about the help that their organization can offer. Then we ate lunch before we worshiped together. The worship service was especially tailored after a style known as gentle worship.

Think about your family, friends, and neighbors who have children with some form of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Odds are they don't attend church. Christian worship services are places where one is expected to be quiet and still for lengthy periods of time. Many children with ASD are unable to do that, so when they grow out of the nursery's age limit the entire family stays at home.

Playing with sand

Today's gentle worship service was designed specifically with these families in mind. We met in a fellowship hall that allowed for easy coming and going -- no doors to open or slam shut. There was no expectation of participation or non-participation -- sitting still and outbursts were both welcome. The only thing no one was allowed to do was shush someone else!

Not too loud, not too soft

A worship band played at just the right volume: quiet enough to not overwhelm those sensitive to sounds and loud enough so that no one needed to sing if they didn't feel like it. One table was set up with tactile stimulants like clay and magnetic sand. Pillows and blankets were available for those who preferred the floor to sitting on chairs. Pastor Julia's 6-minute sermon was a story accompanied by photo boards. Prayer time was a period of 5 minutes when people could pray silently or seek out a pastor to pray with them. The entire service was finished in 30 minutes.

This was my first time to participate in a worship service like this, and I certainly hope it is not my last. There are many families -- not just ones dealing with ASD -- who could benefit from this kind of service. I hope more churches find this is a ministry they can offer to families who struggle to attend church.