Sermon for St Edward’s, 19 July 2026. Reading: Psalm 139
As I think most of you know I have just come back from General Synod in York. It’s kind of like the government for the CofE, with elected representatives in 3 houses, laity, clergy and Bishops. We debate a wide range of things each session.
The first motion to be brought this time was called ‘All Kinds of Minds,’ all about Neurodiversity in the church, led by Fiona Macmillan on behalf of the Neurodiversity Working Group (of the Committee for the Ministry of and among Deaf and Disabled People (CMDDP)).
And their report highlights that so much of the church, from practice to expectations, has been formed around neurotypical assumptions. So just to give us some clarity in case this is all new to you. We’re all part of neurodiversity because every brain is different, but within that diversity some people are neurotypical and some are neurodivergent, where their brains process the world in ways that differ more significantly from what’s typically expected.
That includes things like, being autistic, having ADHD, those who are dyslexic, dyspraxic or having dyscalculia, tourettes, and so on, and might include things like sensory processing, different ways of communicating, may experience differences with emotional regulation, stims or tics, and a lot more. It’s important to say, we are not all ‘a bit Autistic’, or a bit OCD or a bit ADHD, even if we can relate to certain traits.
So what the report suggests is that because the church is set up for neurotypical norms, many neurodivergent people have been unwilling or unable to be open in their work, ministry or community; fearing prejudice, discrimination and judgement. And the motion asked the Church to recognise neurodivergent people as a blessing, and to seek to remove the barriers that prevent their flourishing.
Fiona opened her speech by sharing some of her own experience with Autism, ADHD and Tourette’s and how she felt on her diagnosis: of shame, and grief as well as relief. She said she had to come to know herself as ‘fearfully and wonderfully’ and intentionally made by God – referencing those words from Ps 139 – with her particular combination of needs and gifts.
And as I heard her speak I thought this is perfect for next Sunday’s sermon on Ps 139! it is also hugely relevant for us as a church. We are working toward being as inclusive as we can, and one of those areas is to be more welcoming and to be safe for those who are ND, as well as seeking to be understanding, curious, and wanting to help all people flourish and thrive here. And we should think especially of children here, there’s some evidence that for example, children with ADHD receive far more corrective comments than their peers throughout childhood. Imagine coming to church after years of hearing, “Sit still”, “Stop fidgeting”, “Be quieter”, “Pay attention” and “Try harder”. If church becomes another place where those messages continue, we risk reinforcing shame rather than reflecting God’s unconditional welcome. After all Jesus said ‘let the little children come to me and do not hinder them…’ (Matthew 19)
Psalm 139 begins:
O Lord, you have searched me and known me. You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
you discern my thoughts from far away. You search out my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways.
As a kid I used to wonder if God really knew everything about me, like a supernatural CCTV, would God know if I picked my nose or hit my brother for example! But as an adult I find these words such a comfort. No one knows me like this, not even my husband or my kids. How can God know us so intimately, in such detailed ways, knowing all our thoughts however dark, all our little foibles, and yet STILL loves us…
Even before we say a word vs 4 tells us, the Lord knows it – and I feel sure that includes chicken noises too… God is within us and around us, and loves every detail of us. As we are.
There were many moving stories in the debate last week and I encourage you to listen to it, you can find it here.
but one person reminded us that scripture has remarkably little interest in producing the ideal disciple. Moses can’t speak, Jeremiah thinks he’s too young, Elijah collapses in exhaustion, and Paul boasts of his weakness, and yet again and again God calls people who don’t fit other people’s expectations. Every one of them had a call and gifts to lead. All are ‘intricately woven… seen before we were formed, by God, v 16 tells us.
Years ago I was invited to the installation of Bishop Richard who was the Bishop of Lewes and this was at Westminster Abbey. Along with a few others I was invited to help administer communion. It was a huge privilege, and I was delighted to be able to do it but I also felt so outside of my comfort zone. It was before I was ordained, the service was being taken by the Archbishop of Canterbury, there was so much ceremony and instructions and correct procedure, I felt totally like a fish out of water. It was uncomfortable and I knew I had to be on my best behaviour to try to act in a way that was expected of me.
But I knew that the other people offering communion felt exactly the same, we were all in this together. I also knew that almost everybody else visiting the abbey that day was exactly that, a visitor, they didn’t know the normal practices of Westminster Abbey either and there felt a little bit of camaraderie in that. I felt that I was amongst like minded people. and this for me was a one-off experience and afterwards I got to relax completely.
Those who are neurodivergent commonly do what’s called ‘masking’ – try to hold in behaviours or tics, or try to mimic behaviour they see in neurotypical people, in order to ‘fit in’, to seek to be ‘normal’. It is like pretending to be someone you are not, creating a character almost, playing a part, which is absolutely exhausting, not to mention potentially damaging and traumatic. It is not like a one-off event like my visit to Westminster Abbey, or like one off experiences some of us may have had, it is a constant effort, hugely draining, isolating and lonely, and has consequences later on of course.
But the Psalm tells us that (13-16) God formed us, knit us together in the womb, the Psalmist describes this, as Fiona did, as being fearfully and wonderfully made. It goes on v 15:
‘My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes beheld my unformed substance’.
For those of us who have never had to ‘mask’, imagine for one moment what that must be like, feeling the need to try and be like someone else all the time, to hold in every action and feeling?
And for those who do mask, how do those words from the psalm feel to you? I hope they are a comfort and help you to know, and I want to affirm here and now, you are fearfully and wonderfully made, as you are. God knows every detail of you, and loves you just as you are.
The motion to synod, amongst other things encourages ‘all churches and church members to listen and respond to the experience of neurodivergent people in their specific local contexts, to enable the flourishing of all’. We are already working on this but we have a long way to go.
So for the benefit of any doubt, I want to affirm that every one of us are loved and welcome here no matter what. Please don’t feel you need to mask here or try to be someone else.
I can’t say we will always get things right, we are all individuals trying to learn and to understand, so if you are ND and we get something wrong please don’t feel judged, please correct us. And for those us who are NT let us be gracious and open to hearing that correction, let us learn together. Let’s ask questions, let’s sit with those different to us and actually hear what is being shared.
Church can be a challenging place for all of us and especially for those who are ND. It can be difficult to follow the service, it can be tough to sit still for long periods or know when to sit or stand, we can worry we are getting things wrong or being judged, loud worship or lots of people can be a sensory overload; and those who sit when they want or take a break outside in the cafe or the chapel, or who wear ear defenders or use fidget toys are simply trying to regulate themselves.
The actions of others might be problematic for some of us, we might want quiet or to be able to hear every word of the service. But I would challenge us all to wonder what that person is going through just to get through a service when you are missing hearing a few words. Or instead of being annoyed with someone playing or fidgeting, ask yourself, what their mind is having to deal with just in order to be able to worship?
Let us be kind, curious, compassionate and welcoming, but also recognising sometimes people just need space and quiet. Our quiet space in the chapel is there for all of us NT or ND! As Christians we can sometimes be a little over enthusiastic!
Fiona reminded us at synod, in her presentation to look for the gifts in all people. Are we not all carriers of the presence of Christ? do we not all carry the Spirit at work? Those who are ND are more used to being blamed, than celebrated. And yet Jesus went to the outcasts and challenged those who limited the extent of the Spirit’s work. And if we are all made in the image of God then God’s brain must be both neurotypical AND neurodivergent.
When brains work differently they can offer us all insight, perhaps they show us parts of God in ways we have not yet considered? Fiona shared some of the gifts she has seen in those who are ND – such as autistic obliviousness to hierarchy, and an innate honesty which speaks truth to power. Dyslexic gifts of empathy, humility, and relationality. The speed and ideas of ADHD brains. We seek to grow but we don’t always recognise the diversity and gifts in our midst already. When neurodivergent gifts are recognised things change, people feel they belong, we all grow together. We are aiming to be a church where all kinds of minds can flourish.
The Psalm finishes with these words:
Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts.
See if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
Perhaps not wicked, but those of us who are NT might want to ask God to test our thoughts to help us see where we may be passing judgment or seeing through a lens of normality, let us take up that challenge. Those of us who are ND might want to check where our thoughts are speaking negatively against ourselves, and ask God to help us see we are fearfully and wonderfully made.
Let us seek to be a place where no one has to feel fearful or judged, where all kinds of minds can flourish.
Amen.
You can find a range of resources from the NDWG here.
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