Come As You Are

Establishing a Faithful Welcome for Neurodivergent Families

There are moments in motherhood that quietly change the direction of your life.

For me, it was sitting in the back of church, holding my breath, praying my son would make it through the service without becoming overwhelmed. Like so many mothers of neurodivergent children, I have felt the weight of judgmental stares, the quick exits, and the silent tears afterward in the car.

I have asked myself the same question countless mothers have asked:

Do we truly belong here?

And God spoke to me.

“Let the children come.”

Not the quiet ones.
Not the ones who sit perfectly still.
Not the ones who fit neatly into expectations.

All children.

That truth became the foundation of Come As You Are — a mission rooted in the belief that no mother should have to choose between her child and her faith community. No child should feel like a disruption in the very place meant to offer grace.

From Pitch Night to Action

In 2025, I had the incredible honor of presenting Come As You Are at MomCo Pitch Night.

Standing on that stage, I shared something deeply personal: the story of raising a neurodivergent child and navigating faith spaces that were not always designed with our children in mind.

That night, something extraordinary happened.

MomCo voted Come As You Are as the 2025 Grand Prize Winner.

Their support helped turn a deeply personal mission into a growing initiative serving churches, schools, and families in our community.

MomCo’s belief in this vision made it possible to begin creating the tools, training, and spaces needed to welcome neurodivergent families into faith communities with compassion and understanding.

Why This Mission Exists

This mission began with my son.

Walter experiences the world in a way that is vibrant, curious, and full of energy. But like many neurodivergent children, environments filled with bright lights, loud sounds, and crowded spaces can quickly become overwhelming.

Church, a place meant for peace and connection, sometimes felt like the hardest place for our family to be.

I have walked out of services early.
I have felt the quiet glances.
I have sat in my car afterward wondering if we would ever find a church where my child could simply be himself.

But Walter has also taught me something powerful.

Children like him are not interruptions to faith communities.

They are reminders of what faith actually looks like.

Honest.
Unfiltered.
Joyful.
Curious.

Walter did not need to change in order to belong.

Our communities simply needed tools, understanding, and compassion.

Come As You Are was born from that realization.

What Has Happened So Far

Since receiving the Pitch Night grant, Come As You Are has already begun transforming faith spaces.

Through collaboration with church leaders, educators, and neurodiversity experts, the project has introduced both education and practical tools that were previously missing in many church and school environments.

Sensory-Friendly Worship Spaces

At Trinity Lutheran Church, an existing cry room was transformed into a sensory-friendly worship space designed to support children who may experience sensory overwhelm during services.

The updated space now includes:

Bean bag seating and calming lighting
Visual timers and sensory wall tools
Noise-canceling headphones
Weighted lap pads
Sensory regulation tools and fidget resources
Children’s books focused on inclusion and belonging

Sensory Supports for Mass

At Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church, Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Little Flower Catholic Church, and Trinity Lutheran Church, portable sensory supports were introduced so families could participate in Mass more comfortably.

The project created over 150 sensory fidget bags that include:

Religious missal books
Communication cards
Cross-shaped stress toys
Sensory finger puppets
Quiet sensory tools
Quiet Mazes

These tools are now available during all Masses/Services and support hundreds of children attending services each week.

These simple changes allow children to regulate their sensory needs while families remain engaged in worship rather than leaving services entirely.

Classroom Sensory Toolkits

The mission also expanded into parochial school classrooms.

Through the grant, 11 early childhood classrooms across two schools received sensory toolkits designed to support emotional regulation and focus.

Each classroom received tools such as:

Bouncy chair bands
Wobble seating supports
Therapy dough and tactile tools
Visual timers and schedules
Weighted lap pads
Calm-down corner resources
Sound machines and sensory lighting
Books explaining neurodivergence to children

Educator Training and Resources

Equipment alone cannot create inclusion.

Educators and ministry leaders must also have the knowledge and confidence to support neurodivergent children.

Through partnerships with The Autism Program of Illinois, teachers and aides participated in training sessions covering autism, ADHD, and executive functioning.

Educators also received Come As You Are training handbooks explaining how to use sensory tools and support students in real time.

Many teachers shared that while they had long wanted to support these students, the lack of resources had previously made it difficult.

Now they have the tools to do so.

These tools allow students to regulate sensory input and remain engaged in learning alongside their peers.

Real Impact for Families

One mother recently shared how the new sensory room at Trinity Lutheran allowed her child to move, reset, and regulate during a sermon.

Instead of leaving the service in frustration, she was able to stay and participate in worship.

She described the experience as the first time she did not feel like she had to “white-knuckle” church with her child.

Moments like this are exactly why Come As You Are exists.

The Vision Ahead

This work is only beginning.

The long-term vision for Come As You Are includes:

Expanding sensory spaces to additional churches
Training more educators and ministry leaders
Sharing the completed devotional for mothers of neurodivergent children
Creating a toolkit that can be shared with churches nationwide
Building a network of faith communities committed to inclusion

The mission is simple.

That one day, every mother walking into a church with a neurodivergent child will see a place prepared for them.

A place where they do not have to apologize.

A place where their child is celebrated.

A place where they hear the words that inspired this mission:

Come as you are.

Bring Come As You Are to Your Church or School

Every church community can take steps toward becoming more welcoming for neurodivergent children and their families.

Through this initiative, churches and schools can receive guidance with:

Creating sensory-friendly worship spaces
Developing portable sensory supports for Mass or services
Equipping classrooms with sensory toolkits
Training educators, volunteers, and ministry leaders
Providing resources that support both children and their parents

Sometimes inclusion begins with something small.

A quiet corner.
A sensory tool.

A teacher who understands.

But those small steps can change everything for a family searching for a place to belong.

Interested in creating a sensory-friendly space in your church or school?
I would love to connect with you.

Please reach out to me by filling out a submission below!

Thank You

To MomCo, thank you for honoring Come As You Are as the 2025 Pitch Night Grand Prize Winner and for believing in this mission.

Your support helped turn a personal story into a growing movement of faith, compassion, and belonging.

And to every mother walking this road:

You are not alone.
Your child is not a burden.
They are a gift.

And the church is stronger when every child has a place within it.

Check out the entire project by clicking the link.

Click the "heart" to watch the pitch presentation.

Come as You Are Pitch

Let's Chat

Interested in creating a sensory-friendly space or improving accessibility in your church? I’d love to connect with you.