THRIVE: Our Special Needs Ministry
We’re so glad you’re here!
Our goal is to partner with families to create a safe, loving environment where every child can experience the love of Jesus. Use this page to plan your visit, learn more about our ministry, and see how we can best support your family.
Planning a first time visit?
We’d love to help!
What is a Buddy Ministry?
A ministry buddy invites full participation in church and discipleship. It is a ministry of the church that provides support for someone with a behavioral need or a disability.
A buddy helps remove barriers to participation and help give access to church life that otherwise may be missed. Not every person with a disability will need a buddy and not every buddy will support someone in the same way. They can also provide support for a child who is nervous to leave their guardian, overwhelmed by their environment, or who is just having a rough morning.
Each experience is tailored to the individual, but the purpose of a buddy remains the same: provide individualized support that is as unique as the person they are serving.
Service Buddy
A Service Buddy supports all MCC Kids classrooms during a particular service. This leader responds to calls for children who are struggling. These children could be having a hard time adjusting to the classroom, not participating in activities, or just need a little extra attention.
Sidekick
A Sidekick is a specialized Ministry Buddy who provides one-on-one attention to just one specific child during a service. This could be for emotional support, behavioral support, or mobility (so a child can participate in activities). A Sidekick is used for a child when a full-time sensory room experience is not the ideal place for a child, but they still need personalized support. A Sidekick will also help provide full participation in discipleship, avenues for friendships, and safety.
Thrive Room
The Thrive Room is a full sensory room experience at the 9:30 am service that is structured and focused on discipleship, but is more “child-led” in the way we approach lessons and our schedule, while still maintaining a routine and activities facilitated by our leaders. Our Thrive room is open to children in preschool through 5th grade with a variety of needs.
Have a question?
Want to know more about membership, baptism or joining a small group? Interested in learning how to serve in one of the many ministry areas at MCC? Fill out a Connect Card and someone will contact you!