Gaylord E-Free Church's Able Ministries
In 2018, Gaylord E-Free Church in Gaylord, Michigan began hosting "Night to Shine," a prom for people with special needs. Since Night to Shine came to Gaylord, the church staff and volunteers got to know many of the families and care providers of the disabled in the community. They also learned that many of these guests wanted to attend church, but they have limitations affecting their ability to, as well as issues that make it uncomfortable to attend. So when the leaders of Gaylord set out to renovate their children’s wing, one of their main goals was building a special needs ministry, which they now call “Able Ministries.”
Gaylord E-Free Church is the first in its area to offer a program specifically focused on inclusion of special needs kids.
By January 2020, the church team had raised a great deal of the money for the project, but the COVID-19 pandemic presented unforeseen financial difficulties. Despite a tightened budget, church leaders kept their focus on growing the special needs ministry and providing a safe, inviting play area for kids.
The church's commitment to the project led them to the design team at Worlds of Wow, a Denton, Texas-based creator of themed children's environments and indoor playgrounds.
When the pandemic reached a high point in mid-2020, though, some in the church expected the project to be derailed. Instead, staff found that the empty church presented an ideal opportunity for workers to finish the project more quickly and efficiently while attendees worshipped online from their homes.
Staff found that the empty church presented an ideal opportunity for workers to finish the project more quickly and efficiently.
After a year of hard work, Gaylord Church unveiled its remodeled children’s ministry to the congregation in September 2020. They are the first church in the area with a program specifically focused on inclusion, and they hope their efforts inspire other churches in the area.
Gaylord Church Administrator Brian Switalski reports that Worlds of Wow's creative spaces, such as sensory rooms, accessible swings, climbing ladders, and focal walls, provided exactly what the church needed to accomplish its goals within the community.
