One Body

One Body is Lutheran Church of Hope’s Special Needs Ministry for families and individuals affected by special needs. We believe everyone deserves the opportunity to experience and learn about the love of God. We seek to provide inclusive opportunities for all to learn, worship, volunteer, and connect with their peers. 
 
At Hope West Des Moines, we have staff who collaborate with families to choose appropriate programming for children and students who have special needs in behavior, physical, cognitive or medical areas. Our goal is to ensure children and students can remain independent and included in as much programming as possible. To do this, a team member might “check in” with a child or student and/or provide additional coaching to the group leader. In other instances, a volunteer may be assigned to work specifically with a child or student, either in the small group setting as a buddy, or in a separate classroom with adapted lessons.