Do not know the exact name of it, but there is a very welcoming small community one of our daughter's and her family attends a Methodist Church in Clarendon,VA. While they do not have a child with a disability, they tried many churches looking for a welcoming family church and one with children's programs which it does have.

Church of the Redeemer in Gaithersburg MD has services for kids all ages. They also have a SN support ministry that meets Saturday evenings for kids all ages.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Err, wouldn't that be all churches?

Excuse my ignorance if that is not right and I am making an assumption

Ha! My grandmother's southern baptist church would have been aghast at a severely ADHD kid running amok. They would have expected the parent to spank/beat that wildness out of the child- spare the rod, spoil the child.

Anonymous wrote:Oh I get it. We also had to search for a church that could handle our children.
We have been super happy and welcomed at McLean Presbyterian. It is a very welcoming church with a fantastic children's ministry.
They have been just great to my kids. It is pretty easy to get to from the district- just shoot down the GW parkway. The congregation is more geographically dispersed than many congregations.
http://mcleanpres.org/

+1 McLean Presbyterian is a wonderful church!! It has a great children's program and fabulous teaching and community.

Anonymous wrote:Err, wouldn't that be all churches?

Excuse my ignorance if that is not right and I am making an assumption

Ha! My grandmother's southern baptist church would have been aghast at a severely ADHD kid running amok. They would have expected the parent to spank/beat that wildness out of the child- spare the rod, spoil the child.

All Souls Unitarian works hard to include all children in their children's programming. Wonderful, welcoming congregation.

Oh I get it. We also had to search for a church that could handle our children.
We have been super happy and welcomed at McLean Presbyterian. It is a very welcoming church with a fantastic children's ministry.
They have been just great to my kids. It is pretty easy to get to from the district- just shoot down the GW parkway. The congregation is more geographically dispersed than many congregations.
http://mcleanpres.org/

Anonymous wrote:Err, wouldn't that be all churches?

Excuse my ignorance if that is not right and I am making an assumption

You are making a huge assumption. Ableism and discrimination against people with disabilities is alive and well in many religious groups. ADA does not apply to religious institutions, and many churches take advantage of that fact.

Err, wouldn't that be all churches?

Excuse my ignorance if that is not right and I am making an assumption

May be more conservative and too far in VA than you want, but McLean Bible Church has a great SN ministry.

I did not attend but knew other families who have loved it and I would recommend their annual Accessibility Forum and lectures as a general special needs resource.

Foundry United Methodist on 16th St (they have taken a very practive stance on supporting gay marriage as well even though the general methodist church does now). Its a very progressive and diverse church. Lots of different family types as well. I think you would feel very welcome.

My special needs son (ADHS & Autism) has a therapist that's great who also has a church program for children and families with special needs, but I think it's on certain Saturday's. It's called Haven Universe. The site is http://www.havenuniverse.org/

I live in MD so I won't suggest a church but will suggest that you find a church with a children's ministry. Our church as a wonderful children's ministry and they work with the families. For example one family with a child with Downs syndrome wanted the child in the class were they fit socially not chronologically and it was no problem. Also children can walk around and they have activities to keep them engaged.

Good luck!

St. Columba's in NW

We have 3 kids, 2 have SNs. One of the kids with SN has severe ADHD and hyperactivity. He is 9. We are wanting to join a mainstream Protestant church where we will feel like our chiildren will be accepted, In DC would be best, but we'd be open to close-in VA. We have visited churches where we feel judged and this wouldn't work for us over and over. We definitely have high expectations for the kids but the youngest is wiggly.

Thanks.