Thank you for visiting the Geneva Presbyterian Church Neurodiverse Ministry site! Together we strive to create meaningful opportunities for people with differing abilities. We hope and pray that together we are building an accessible community, where children are welcomed with open arms, caregivers are empowered to worship and find respite, and we are all connected in God’s love.

Current Events:

  • First Saturday of the Month: Neurodiverse Playdates
    • All neurodiverse kiddos and their families are invited to join us from 11am-Noon on the first Saturday of the month for a playdate! In warm months, we’ll meet on the Geneva playground located behind the church. The playground equipment is accessible, and the entire play area is fenced. In colder months, indoor playdates are held at We Rock the Spectrum in Gaithersburg
  • Sunday of the Month: Joyful Noise Worship
    • A sensory service made with the needs of neurodivergent kids in mind, our Joyful Noise worship service is a great opportunity for all kids to explore bible stories in an environment that encourages wiggles and joyful noises. This service is held from 9:30-10:00 on the second Sunday of the month from September-June.

It is always a pleasure to meet new families, and we hope to see new faces at each and every gathering. If you  know anyone who may want to have fun and meet new friends at a future playdate, or you are interested yourself, please extend the invitation and put them in touch with our ministry by emailing nextgen.genevapotomac@gmail.com.

Accommodations:

  • A recently renovated children’s Sanctuary space provides sensory outlets for all children to be involved with worship, while also being kids! This space includes bean bag chairs, headphones, playdough etc.
  • During our 10:30 service, we have a designated childcare space in an inviting classroom. Each Sunday we aim to have at least one individual on staff with clinical special needs training in the childcare space.
  • Our playground is fully fenced in to allow kids to roam freely (and safely) in the space.

Past Initiatives:

  • We are proud of what we have been able to accomplish thus far. We have made the childcare space an inviting environment for kiddos of all abilities and a space that is equipped for sensory needs.

  • In the Spring of 2021 we were able to raise $7,000.00 as a congregation which was donated to the Ivymount School. These funds were used for the express purpose of purchasing 12 AAC devices equipped with software for those students who need them.

  • Our first accessibility walk through of the church building and sanctuary space took place on 3/6/22. This was our first step in a continuing series of efforts to proactively make Geneva Presbyterian Church as accessible as possible.  We are working diligently to make changes on both a small and large scale so that we are inclusive and available to all.