Illumination Award Gold Medal
Help Children Learn that Everyone Has a Place in God's Family
Church is a place where everyone should feel welcome—but not every child experiences it the same way. When I Go to Church, I Belong is a beautifully illustrated story crafted for children with disabilities and for everyone who desires their churches to be places of welcome and belonging.
Through the experiences of six children with special needs, author Elrena Evans invites readers to see through new perspectives and understand the beauty of diversity within God’s family. This heartfelt book is a celebration of inclusion, reminding us that while we all have our differences, we also share so much in common. With tender illustrations by Rebecca Evans and a thoughtful note from the author, this storybook opens conversations about what it means to belong.
Key Features
- Discover a heartwarming story ofsix children finding belonging in God’s family
- Learn about the importance of inclusivity and understanding for children of all abilities
- Enjoy vibrant and thoughtful illustrations by Rebecca Evans
- Explore deeper discussionsaround inclusion and community with a note from the author
This book inspires both children and adults to create a welcoming church environment where everyone feels they are an essential part of God’s family. It reinforces the Christianvalues of love, understanding, and inclusion while helping children recognize that there's a place for everyone in the church.
Help teach children about the beauty of diversity and the joy of shared experiences in their walk with God. Order When I Go to Church, I Belong today and share its message of belonging with the children in your life.
"When I Go to Church, I Belong is a terrific social story for children with disabilities that captures both the joys and anxieties of participating in large groups like faith communities. It is simply and respectfully written, beautifully illustrated, with diversity everywhere. I can imagine children with and without disabilities will enjoy it and come back to it."
Bill Gaventa, founder of Institute on Theology and Disability and author of Disability and Spirituality: Recovering Wholeness
"Belonging is a fundamental need of every person. Belonging at church can meet that need in powerful and eternal ways. In When I Go to Church, I Belong, Elrena Evans assures children with disabilities of their place in their church family. In this picture book, children with special needs will find kids who look like them on its pages and hear their feelings given voice in the text. Caregiving parents will see their kids being welcomed, and the church body will discover new ways to follow Christ's command to bring all children into his loving presence. This book belongs on the shelf of every church library and every Sunday school classroom, so every child who enters the church will know they belong to Jesus."
Jolene Philo, coauthor with Gary Chapman of Sharing Love Abundantly in Special Needs Families
"Belonging is a critical element of faith, hope, and community, and this book provides a wonderful opportunity for young children and their families to learn that the church is a place for all people to belong regardless of abilities. This book is a much-needed resource for advancing the cause of disability inclusion in faith communities."
Lamar Hardwick, lead pastor at Tri-Cities Church and author of Disability and the Church
"It is the lived-out love of Jesus Christ that makes any church a place of belonging—and it's all the richer when that gospel-love is made accessible to families with children who live with disability. In this beautifully illustrated book, the young reader will discover the many wonderful ways God's people can make their church a true place of belonging . . . for everyone!"
Joni Eareckson Tada, founder of Joni and Friends International Disability Center
