Tulsa Church Celebrates Opening Of New Adaptive Classroom For Children With Special Needs

South Tulsa Baptist Church opened its new adaptive classroom and upgraded playgrounds. Church members and guests celebrated this milestone at the church's ribbon cutting. 

A Vision of Inclusivity

South Tulsa Baptist Church's Debbie Steen is the Minister to Families with Preschoolers and has led the charge on the church's new facilities.

She says it's been an 8-year dream in the making, and all stemmed from a question asked by her pastor: 'If money was not an object, what would you add to your ministry?' 

"I just knew," Steen said. She says she had always envisioned a classroom for kids with special needs and an indoor playground. Eight years later, that vision is now a reality. 

Meeting the Need

Steen says both the classroom and upgraded playgrounds meet the challenges children with special needs face.

The "Sonshine Room" is equipped to accommodate kids with a range of physical, sensory, and cognitive needs.

“The lights in the room will dim, for sound, we have sound-cancelling headphones, it will be a much smaller group of children," said Steen.

 The children will have a Buddy, or a church volunteer, who will talk, play, and spend time with them during church service. 

Steen says the goal is to meet the child wherever that child's needs are, and this will also allow families that have refrained from going to church the chance to dive right in.

Bridging Differences

Connie Easterwood's daughter, Kelsey, has a rare condition called Trisomy 9 Mosaic. She is nonverbal and has trouble walking, Connie says her daughter needs a special environment to keep her safe. She says she now feels confident in the new additions to do just that.

“Just the more that she’s here, the more fun she has, the more inclusive she feels, playing with other kids in a safe place and being to grow,” she said. 

Created for a Purpose

Steen referenced Psalm 139:14 from the Bible: "You are fearfully and wonderfully made."

She says the classroom will provide kids a space to thrive, but also to learn more about God's love.

“We want them to worship, to hear bible stories, to know that they are created in God’s image and they are created specifically for a purpose,” Steen says.

To learn more about the new facilities, contact South Tulsa Baptist Church, HERE.