Step Into a Special Needs Family’s Sunday Episode 164 — Key Ministry Podcast Host: Amy Kendall What does Sunday morning look like before a special needs family ever walks through your church doors? In this episode, Amy Kendall invites church leaders to walk through the hour-by-hour realities—from wake-up to the moment a family reaches your lobby—and offers practical ways your church can meet families where they are. Episode Summary As ministry leaders, we often arrive prepared—curriculum ready, sensory items set out, worship planned. But many families have already run a marathon before they ever reach the check-in desk. Amy shares the unseen challenges and simple, compassionate practices that help families make it to church and be spiritually filled. “Sometimes what we’re doing in the classroom is more about blessing the parent than the child—so they can be fed by the Holy Spirit.” Why Sunday Is Hard—Before the Door Early wakeups & dysregulation: Some kids are up at 3–4am; by service time they’re spent. All morning is ‘sit’: Breakfast → getting dressed → screens while parents get ready → car ride. When they arrive, they don’t want to sit anymore. Sensory barriers: New clothes, tags, or textures can trigger full meltdowns. […]