Each of our Friends with special needs will be paired up with a Buddy during the 11am service on Sundays, allowing them to participate in Sunday School while taking the weight off of the teacher. It's also a way for parents of those with special needs to be able to participate in the worship service, knowing their children are well cared for.

We've been able to host several social events for adults (18+) that have special needs, offering them community with others and a place to feel belonging.

Being a parent of a child with special needs can be lonely. We hope to offer spiritual and social support for parents of these children, knowing that they need community just as much as their children.

 Robert and Ronda Schlosser, are parents of 4 sons, ages 24, 23, 21 and 12 years of age. Our two oldest sons have varying degrees of special needs, so early on in our parenting journey we became advocates for them, and ultimately others in our community,  at the schools, churches,  anywhere we frequented.  We are excited to be a part of starting Pathways Ministry to help other parents and adults with special needs find space to grow, fellowship and learn at their speed and along the path that God has for them.

Hi, my name is Kim Johnson. I love Jesus and have 4 beautiful adult daughters, the youngest with Down Syndrome.  I believe the Lord has designed all people to live and walk in relationships. He has gifted every person with value and a unique way to reflect His character and love. I’m excited to help facilitate opportunities for people to learn and experience God’s grace and belonging.

Jeff and Eimiko (ehm-ih-co) Murlin have decades of working with individuals with  a wide variety of special needs.  They have 9 children,  most of whom are affected by some degree of autism as well as having fostered multiple children who have Autism or Downs Syndrome through the years.  They come with a great deal of experience navigating new churches with both a large family and special needs children.

Hi, I'm Donna Jordan. My journey of supporting individuals with disabilities began in fifth grade and has been a lifelong commitment. In 2005, my husband David and I followed what we believed to be God's calling and welcomed our two youngest children, Caleb and Hannah, from Liberia, West Africa. Caleb was 5 1/2 years old, and Hannah was almost three at the time. Over the years, we've come to realize the lasting effects of Hannah's malnutrition on her learning abilities, as well as the trauma both children endured from living in a war zone, resulting in PTSD and other mental health challenges. Today, I advocate for special needs and mental health awareness, guided by faith and a desire to make a difference.

I have a BA and MS degrees in Speech/Language Pathology, along with a 40-year career serving hundreds of special needs children throughout the state of Washington. I'm a member of the Pathways ministry team because I believe that ALL children and adults, but especially those with special needs/abilities, should know God's love for them and be in a relationship with Him. When this happens, they not only become known, loved, and accepted, but they are then able to serve the body here at Crossover, and also serve their community of friends and family outside of Crossover.

Pathways was created to support Crossover's mission by assisting individuals with special needs and their families. Our goal is to help our friends with special needs succeed in the classroom and fully participate in church life. Our ministry provides a safe, engaging environment for learning Biblical truths at each individual's pace, while mentoring them to become disciples of Jesus. This also allows parents and caregivers to worship and serve with peace of mind, knowing their loved ones are well cared for.

If you have any questions or need support, please reach out. We are here to support you and your family. Thank you for being a valued member of our Crossover Church community.