Welcome To Superfriends at Portland Community Church: A Ministry For Families with Children with Neurodivergent And Special Needs
Portland Community Church’s Sensory Room is a safe, inclusive, and welcoming space for children with neurodivergent and special needs, and their families.
Our Sensory Room provides a variety of carefully selected elements and multiple interactive experiences to decrease stress and achieve calmness and focus. We created our Sensory Room to be a destination in our community, one that encourages acceptance and awareness of all children’s needs.
The room supports our KidSpace children’s ministry and is available for use to the public for select times at no charge.
Our Mission
To inspire children and youth with neurodivergence and/or special needs and their families to follow Jesus
Dear Special Needs Families, We Invite You To Church
Children with special needs deserve to experience Jesus in ways that meet them where they are. Parents deserve to worship without anxiety. Churches and community groups deserve models and partners to support this mission.
Inclusive classrooms and sensory-friendly environments
A place for your child to make friends and learn about Jesus
Freedom for you to participate in worship and adult ministries
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When you are raising a child with special needs, you want to find a church that not only welcomes your child but understands how to support them. You want a safe space where your child can thrive spiritually and socially, so you can experience worship and connection without worry.
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We have created an environment that gives visual, tactile, auditory, vestibular and proprioceptive stimuli to children, providing them with an environment that offers them the opportunity to calm and regulate stress and anxiety. The room allows children to work through their emotions, explore the senses, and improve balance and focus.
Portland Community Church’s Neurodivergent Kids Ministry
Sunday’s at 10:45am
Portland Community Church
7100 SW Scholls Ferry Road
Register Your Child to Attend on sunday’s
To best serve your family, we ask that you first register your child.
This 5-minute form will help us to get a better understanding of your child’s unique needs. Questions range from interests, family dynamics, adaptive or assistive equipment used by your child to their emotional triggers and more.
Portland Community Church Sensory Room’s Public Availability
Our Sensory Room is available for reservation to public use, for up to 6 children (accompanied by an adult caregiver). There is no charge for use of the room. Check out the times below and email us to reserve a time.
All Children MUST be accompanied by a parent or caregiver in order to reserve the space and remain with the child or children throughout the use of the room
Please read the Sensory Room guidelines (coming soon) in full before visiting and check in at the Superfriends check-in counter when arriving.
Tuesday
10 am to 5 pm
(except 1 pm to 2pm)
Wednesday
10 am to 5 pm
Sunday
1 pm to 3 pm
To reserve the room we will need the following information from you: name of parent who will accompany the child, address of the parent, email address of the parent, phone/text, names and ages of the children attending, and the total number of people attending.
RESERVE THE ROOM
Church for Families with autistic, Sensory-sensitive, Neurodiverse, and differently-abled children
An inviting space children with special needs
The infinity tunnel is a favorite.
At Portland Community Church, our Superfriends Ministry exists to create a welcoming, accessible space where children with neurodivergence and special needs can fully participate in the life of the church. We understand that families are looking for more than just childcare; they're seeking a community where their children can grow spiritually, feel safe, and build meaningful friendships.
Portland Community Church Provides families and children with special needs a place For Their faith to Flourish
Our Superfriends ministry is here for you.
We partner with families of children and youth with diverse neurodivergent, cognitive, physical, sensory, and learning needs to offer a meaningful church experience for the entire family.
Our trained volunteers serve as peer partners, offering compassionate, one-on-one support to help children thrive in our Kidspace classes and worship settings. From preschool through high school, we welcome children and youth with a wide range of needs, social, physical, cognitive, sensory, and learning differences.
We are committed to helping each child experience the love of Jesus in a way that meets them where they are. And just as importantly, we want parents and caregivers to feel confident knowing their child is cared for, so they can attend worship and participate in the broader life of the church with peace of mind.
Your kids feel safe and you can feel peace
Now you can attend church with your whole family!
Attend Church In An environment that welcomes families with special needs
“We just want to go to church without feeling like we’re a burden. I need to know my child is safe, understood, and not being judged”
Find An Inclusive And Accessible Worship Service
“It’s been so long since I could sit through a service and actually focus. I’m always anxious, wondering if my child is okay or if we’re being disruptive.”
Frequently Asked Questions About Portland Community Church’s Sensory Room
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Absolutely! Our volunteers are trained to support a diverse range of needs. We routinely support families with neurodivergent children and our members have embraced and welcomed these families in their groups, ministries and worship.
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Yes. We’ve worked hard to make our Sensory Room a safe space for your child. This includes volunteers and staff who have been trained to support children and teens with autism, special needs and neurodiversity.
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Yes. It is our mission to inspire children with neurodivergence and/or special needs and their families to follow Jesus. We are excited to host your family!
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The space has been thoughtfully designed to welcome all children. Each station offers children an opportunity to regulate stress and anxiety, work through their emotions, explore their senses, and improve balance and focus. Once children have spent time in the Sensory Room, we find that they are now ready to learn alongside other children their age in our Sunday School environment.
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We support a safe and secure check-in routine for our families.
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We have the following guidelines for our Sensory Room. Our children love the structure of these rules!
I will take my shoes off and put them in a cubby outside the room
I will not bring food or drinks into the Sensory Room
I will treat supplies carefully
I will not throw things in the Sensory Room
I will use a quiet voice
I will use safe hands
I will listen to my teacher or parent
I will put away things when I am finished
I will leave all the sensory room equipment in the Sensory Room when I leave
I will be respectful at all times so that I may come to use the Sensory Room
These guidelines are clearly posted for children and families to see.
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There is no cost to use the Sensory Room. We are excited to welcome you to the space!
The Story Behind Our Neurodivergent Kids Ministry
On Easter 2025, we opened our Sensory Room to host families of neurodivergent youth in the Portland area and welcome them to our church.
Leading up to this, our church recognized that there is a lack of special needs churches in Portland. We realized that we were in a unique position to create an inclusive worship and learning space for families and children with autism, neurodivergence and other special needs. We prayed. We planned. We raised funds. And we began meeting with community leaders in Beaverton and Portland. We took the time to listen to our local school district and began the planning process of pursuing the idea of being the best special needs church program in Oregon.
Jesus spent time with people and met their needs.
We want to be like Him.
Since opening the Sensory Room, our church has been blessed to host families who have been seeking a church home. What an answer to our prayers!
We invite you to join us as we follow Jesus together.