All God’s children welcome here

Posted by: thenorthviewblog on: November 20, 2013

• In: Carmel Campus News | North Beach | Northview Kids | Northview Students | Weekend Services
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BY SALLY WEBB AMSTUTZ

The famous poet Carl Sandberg once said, “There is only one child in this world, and its name is All Children.” Northview Church opens its doors to all families and all their children, striving to serve their needs for spiritual growth. Luke 9:48 (NIV) shares the thoughts of Jesus: “…Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me…”

Amanda Arroyo is the coordinator of GraceWorks, which is a special-needs program at Northview Church. “We believe that each and every child is made perfectly by our God and bears His image,” Arroyo said. “Our mission is to teach kids with special needs about Jesus, to create an environment where all children are accepted and loved, and to develop relationships with children with special needs and their families.”

GraceWorks serves children ages birth to sixth grade. Arroyo shared, “We serve children of different needs and abilities—children with moderate to severe disabilities, children with mild disabilities, children who are medically fragile and others with special circumstances who might just need a little extra support for a short amount of time.” There are two opportunities for children during Weekend Services: the GraceGivers Program and the GraceWorks Room.

Every weekend, GraceGivers accommodate children with special needs in the preschool, elementary and middle school (North Beach) environments. A buddy, called a GraceGiver, will love on the child to whom they’re assigned and work to develop a relationship with them. They worship together during large-group time and learn about God in small groups.

Some children are better served outside the large classroom, so the GraceWorks room is available to them during church. The GraceWorks room provides large motor activities and a curriculum that is modified for learning styles and needs.

During the last eight months, the GraceWorks room located on the second floor of Northview’s Carmel campus has been temporary—requiring setup and tear-down every weekend. A new room has been built on the lower level of the rotunda across from the Stadium and Studio. This new room is called The Prairie, and Northview will celebrate its grand opening this weekend, Nov. 23/24. Stop by the room after services this weekend to check it out.

“I am so excited about this new room for many reasons,” said Arroyo. “First of all, I think it sends a huge message to our kids, families and the whole population at Northview Church that children of all abilities are equally valued. There will also be a much smoother transition for children who need a combination of time in both their assigned room and the GraceWorks room. Our volunteers who serve in The Prairie will also get the opportunity to feel a part of the Northview Kids team by being in the same location.”

Volunteers are at the heart of this ministry and crucial to its success. There are numerous opportunities to serve: Help prepare the curriculum, be a GraceGiver, teacher or a team lead. The ministry also needs volunteers for their monthly respite event, Friday Fun Night. Amanda is also looking for a Life Group that could adopt the room and take responsibility for cleaning and maintaining it.

GraceWorks is growing, and they are in constant need of new volunteers. If you are interested in getting involved, you can go directly to www.northviewchurch.us, find the online volunteer application and indicate that you are interested in GraceWorks. You can also contact Arroyo at amanda.arroyo@northviewchurch.us.

The GraceWorks ministry relies on help from volunteers during Weekend Services and other events. To serve, contact amanda.arroyo@northviewchurch.us [photo by Steve Schuster]

If families with special-needs children are interested in participating and receiving this support for their child, they can contact Arroyo at any time. She sets up meetings with families and together they determine the best approach to serving the child. “A child profile sheet will need to be filled out, which gives people serving with that child a clear picture of them and their needs,” said Arroyo.

What a blessing this program is to Northview’s church family. “GraceWorks is making a huge difference in the lives of many special kiddos and their families. Praise God!” Arroyo said.

Tags: Amanda Arroyo, Church, family Jesus, God, GraceGiver, GraceWorks, Northview Church, Sally Webb Amstutz, Special Needs, The Prairie, volunteer