New Church, New Friends: A Family’s Journey to Belonging
You’re in the sanctuary as the service begins. There’s a family beside you that you might not even notice, but look closer…
Sitting between his parents, Will and JJ, Noah rests his head on his dad’s shoulder, then his mom’s. The worship music swells and Noah sings, even raising one hand as if to praise.
Without speaking, Will and JJ share a moment that sends warmth radiating from their eyes to their hearts: Noah is home, and so is their family. They have finally found the place where they belong.
A Long Road to Belonging
Will and JJ have three children with special needs. While 24-year-old Caleb and 20-year-old Sarah are now out of the house, 22-year-old Noah needs ongoing care. JJ describes Noah as a gift. During her difficult pregnancy with him, a doctor warned that Noah might not survive. But Jesus mercifully saved Noah, who lives with profound autism and unexpectedly went blind at age nine through a course of infections.
Having moved frequently and visited many churches over the years, Will and JJ found that most congregations didn’t know what to do with a family like theirs. They came to feel that their family was seen as disruptive wherever they tried to worship. It’s why, before moving to Knoxville, Will and JJ contacted Joni and Friends for help finding a church that would embrace their whole family.
Breaking Through Isolation
When they arrived in the Knoxville area, Will, JJ, and their family visited Cedar Springs Presbyterian Church, which Joni and Friends has supported in developing a culture of welcome and inclusion for families living with disability.
During their first visit to the church, Noah was very hesitant to come in and melted down, so Will stayed in the foyer with him. Both Will and JJ met several church members who checked on them and assured them they were not only tolerated but welcome! JJ says:
“When we got to Cedar Springs Presbyterian Church, we found something totally different. The people didn’t just accept us—they were ready for us. And Will and I are not the only ones who know it. Noah knows it. Noah loves going to church, even though he still feels anxious sometimes. At a typical service, he makes it through the music and announcements before heading to the wiggle room. But at this year’s Inclusive Service (hosted by Cedar Springs and Joni and Friends Knoxville), it was different. This time, he stayed for the entire service.”
The Inclusive Service was where that golden moment happened—Noah leaning his head on his parents’ shoulders, joining in with the singing, settling into contentment. That day the family also met new, lasting friends, which solidified the sense of being home.
Jesus Has Carried Us
Last summer at Family Retreat, Noah got acquainted with his church’s special needs coordinator, Mary Kendall, when she served as his buddy throughout the week. The joyful time together doing accessible activities, enjoying meals, and worshipping paved the way for Noah to feel more comfortable at church.
Now Noah looks forward to church and attends a monthly gathering for adults with special needs. And while Noah has yet to make it through a full gathering, he loves to see Mary Kendall and all his friends. He knows he is welcome. And JJ knows that Noah—and their whole family—has been hand-placed by Jesus in a church where they can experience his unconditional love. As she and Will say:
“Our journey isn’t just about Noah finding his place; it’s about Jesus placing us where we are neither just tolerated nor outright rejected. It started years ago with Joni and Friends Family Retreats, which introduced us to a community that loves and supports families like ours. Jesus has carried us on a journey through different states, heartbreaking choices, unexpected challenges, countless adventures, and unforeseen victories to bring us to this church where we have been blessed with a season of growth and restoration.”
JJ
“The church accepts Noah as a person and as a child of God. People and families with special needs are involved in the life of the church, reading Scripture, fellowshipping, and serving in ministry. We’re part of the community. It’s not, ‘Hey, you’re part of the church. Let us take care of you.’ It’s, ‘Hey, you’re part of the church. How can you serve the church with everybody else?’ Just seeing that inclusivity is… I don’t have the right words. It feels like home. And it’s great, and we love it.”
Will
A New House, but the Same Church
Will and JJ’s family recently moved to a new house in Knoxville, which brought a lot of anxiety to Noah. Noah’s main concern was that this would also mean going to a different church. And he stated, most emphatically, that he wanted to stay at the “same church.”
JJ speaks on Noah’s behalf about what the “same church” means:
“The same church with friends like me? The same church with a class for me even though I am still too afraid to say more than ‘good morning’ to the people who are there with me? The same church with Mary Kendall who went to Joni and Friends? The same church with the elevator? The same church where people don’t fall apart when I do? The same church that has a special service that doesn’t hurt my ears? The same church with fidgets in the hallway? The same church that has a wiggle room with a couch that I can hide on when I get scared? The same church with a waterfall that I can hear so I always know that I am there. The same church?”
JJ calmed his fears: “Yes, Noah, the same church…the very same church.”
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