Neurodiverse Welcoming

God loves you for your mind!

St. George’s is committed to being a safe place where all kinds of people with all kinds of minds can come and worship, alone or with their family. Our Sunday services are for neurotypicals and neurodiverse alike. Read more below, about specific accommodations to make the service easier for you.

Neurodiverse?

We got you!

Hard to sit still?

This is a good place to try church. People here get up and move around during the service, so you won’t stand out. There’s open space in the Narthex (area behind the pews by the front door) for large-scale stimming. Or you can take a break in our Parish Lounge or outside, then come back in. No one will melt.

Need personal space?

Church is a touchy-feely place; but if you’re not into that, it’s OK. If you need to step out for space, the Parish Lounge is available to you. We display the live stream there, so you won’t miss any of the service. We also have comfortable seating, a water fountain, bathrooms, and sensory items in the Lounge. so you can still see, hear and participate, but also have your own cocoon of space. When you are ready to join us in the sanctuary, come right on in!

Sensory Sensitive?

Sensory headphones are available in the Narthex for you, as well as other sensory/fidget items. Music is organ, piano and choir — no electric instruments or brass — and if music bothers you, you’ll know when it’s coming from following the bulletin, and can step out. Lighting is warm white/yellow, with spotlights only on the aisle and front area of the sanctuary.

About making noise

Little involuntary noises? Say ‘Amen’ a little louder than other people? No problem.

Continuous humming-type noises?

Also no problem, so long as they’re not so loud that people can’t hear anything else.

Want to ask a question? You may ask it of the person beside you, we simply ask you to use a whisper.

Love music and sounding out with it?

Go for it; everybody here loves music too.

Screaming fit?

That much noise you’ll need to take outside, till it’s back down to more workable noise levels.

Need a little something?

There are a variety of fidget toys and comfort aids available in church, from things to fiddle with, yarn to knit/crochet, and more. Take them to your seat and, if you need to, you can always get up and go get a different one any time.

Get Restless and bored easily?

There’s a Creative Space at the back of the church where you can pick up supplies to write, draw, or color; there are also books available for you to pick up and read. You can stretch and move around if you need to, and you can always take a break outside too, then come back in.

Our Parish Lounge also has similar fidget toys, creative materials, and even kinetic sand.

If you have a complete meltdown, there are many different peaceful benches outside in the Memorial Garden where you can go to calm down; or you can just walk around the campus for a moment.
ONLY IF A PARENT GOES WITH YOU, you can also play on the playground (equipment for little kids only).

What isn't OK to do in church

Loud meltdowns — it’s perfectly fine to have them, but they’re too distracting for others; please step outside for a bit.
Violence — it happens, but we need to make sure this is a safe space for everyone. No hitting, biting, kicking or otherwise hurting people; no destroying church or anyone else’s property.
Deeply offensive, sustained cursing — garden variety cussing is fine; Episcopalians are pretty cool about that. But cursing that’s graphically sexual, violent, sacrilegious, racist or hateful isn’t OK in church, not even for Episcopalians.

That’s about it. Use your best judgment for behavior in public, and you’ll be fine.