"Tutting" to Pioneering: Reclaiming the Sacred Table

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It is time for family. It is time to trade the exhaustion of "making do" for the radical act of self-advocacy.

​For a neurodivergent family carrying the weight of autism and NF1, the traditional pew has often felt more like a sensory gauntlet than a refuge. I’ve realized that seeking Additional Support Needs (ASN) isn't about force-fitting our "square peg" family into a round-hole sanctuary. It is a theological act of pioneering.

​A New Liturgy

​As a father and carer, I am reclaiming a fundamental truth: the table of fellowship is just as sacred in a quiet living room or an adapted setting as it is in a stone church. We aren't looking for a place to just "sit"—we are inviting the church into a "Thin Place" where our neurobiology is recognized as a reflection of the Creator, not a distraction.

​Advocacy in Action

​Building this sanctuary also requires a louder voice. Alongside our church search, I am currently fighting for the school transport my children deserve. This isn't just paperwork; it is the work of protecting their dignity. Within my Gateway Award, this advocacy serves as my Lifestyle and Rights evidence—proving that "Sanctuary" is something we actively build and defend.

​Thanks for being part of my pilgrimage.


Gateway Evidence Log

  • ​Categories: Lifestyle (Transport Advocacy) & Personal Challenge (Inclusive Church Search).
  • ​Goal: Moving from "tolerated" to "respected" within our community.
A Highland Theological College graduate and non-conformist follower of Jesus living at the crossroads of neurodiversity and faith. Writing through the lens of the proverbial Forest Parish on the wild grace of the Gospel.

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