Alex's Youth Sunday Sermon
We belong to an amazing church. St. George's Episcopal Church in Arlington is loving and inclusive and open and affirming and everything that church is supposed to be. All are welcome, because all are seen as children of God. No exceptions.
Every year as the Sunday School season comes to an end, we celebrate Youth Sunday. This gives the congregation a chance to recognize and thank all the volunteers who help make all the youth programming possible. One of the highlights of Youth Sunday is the sermon. Each year one graduating senior is asked to write and deliver the sermon; they are asked to share their reflections on God and their experiences at St. George's.
Earlier this spring, our Associate Rector John Shellito asked me if Alex would be interested in having the honor this year. I was thrilled that he asked! John and I have been working with a few other parishioners to ensure that our church and our programming is truly open and welcoming to all people of differing abilities. I knew this would be an excellent opportunity for our congregation to see that every voice can and should be heard. I also knew that it was an excellent opportunity for Alex specifically: everyone at our church has been loving and accepting (as you'll see from his remarks), but few people know the real Alex. They see a young man who speaks in scripted language and doesn't engage socially. Of course I want people to fully know my son.
Thankfully Alex accepted the offer, and he wrote the following remarks. He was SO nervous ahead of time. He told me he wanted to stay in his seat with Mike when I went up to read it. He was worried that his anxiety would get the better of him and he'd act out during the service. But when the moment came, I quietly asked him, "Do you want to stay in your seat or come up with me?", and he decided to come stand beside me while I read his words.
When both services were all said and done, Alex was elated. He told me "that was incredible I could really feel people reacting to what I wrote. I feel like I love that church so much. I mean it really can't get better than that."
We are so, so proud of him. Not just because he wrote beautiful words that were truly poignant and moving, but he was such a good ambassador for his people that day! I know he forever changed how people see people like him. The ripple effect of this cannot be overstated! Autistic people, particularly those who cannot speak reliably, are grossly underestimated in this world. The more that people can see autistics as fully feeling, fully aware, fully human, the better. We are also so grateful that John gave Alex this opportunity. As Alex said in his thank you note, not many people believe in him like that. The whole experience felt like a gift.
The first video below is the sermon. I make a brief introduction to his sermon, then read his words. The second video is a brief clip of Alex working on writing the sermon. We included this clip in the church newsletter so people could see how he gets his thoughts out of his brain and into the world. Enjoy :)
