Right now, many are dealing with the problems associated with social distancing due to the Coronavirus. Although I am an introvert, I am missing my social community, especially with my church.

Today I want to use where I worship to illustrate the importance of community. I attend Courageous Church in Huntsville. Instead of meeting a traditional church building, we meet at a school.

I often help set up and tear down the different rooms since we do not have a permanent space. What I like about being a volunteer, or rather a servant as my pastor likes to say, is that the work is behind the scene, and I feel like I am part of the church.

My pastor’s preaching style is very informative. He takes the teachings of the Bible and applies them to everyday life. Because I have issues executive functioning skills and understanding symbolism, it helps to have concrete examples of how to take something written a long time ago and apply it to a particular situation or how to understand what specific symbolism in the book means.

The music is contemporary worship. Interestingly, I have never had a meltdown during the worship service even though it can get loud. One significant aspect is that one does not have to have a good singing voice to be part of the worship experience.

Because I often struggle with feeling and showing empathy due to having Aspergers, I like how the members model compassion and concern for those inside and outside of the walls. For example, one lady was having issues with her eye to the point that she had to have surgery and could not drive. Many in the congregation not only called her to offer words of encouragement but also ran errands for her.

A lot of our tithes go towards helping those who are less fortunate in the community. It helps show me how Jesus would treat people and how I should think about how I should act when I am in a particular situation and around others.

Some have commented on how much I have grown with my social skills since I joined the church several years ago and also learning to think more positively and having more empathy towards others. That’s encouraging when I am feeling down, but God also had a role in this. I especially like their non-judgemental attitude towards me for not being married at my age and my awkward social skills.

Although one does not have to join a church or any other type of religious organization to make friends, I used the church in this example as it is the social organization I am currently most active. However, I suggest those with a disability find a community that is bigger than them to belong.

There is the temptation for special needs people, especially those on the Autism spectrum, to isolate themselves and want to be alone a majority of the time. However, being part of a community, such as a church, robotics club, Eagle Scouts, or an astronomy club, allows those to be around like-minded people who will encourage and help out when times get tough. Just like with getting a job, being in the right group is a confidence booster.

Many with Aspergers are turning to online supports, such as Facebook, gaming sites, or the Wrong Planet message board as their outlet for socializing. While those avenues can be useful in small doses, making online friends is no substitute for having face-to-face communication with actual people. This USA Today article points out that online communities will not be there to give you a hug, flowers, or a meal when times get tough.

Real communities expose people to different backgrounds and how to work through them. Having a community of friends also leads to people having better health. A story in Psychology Today describes how the loss of people being a part of a community in America has created an increase in physical and mental health problems, including depression and anxiety.

Being a caregiver to someone who is disabled can be challenging and lonely at times. Tennessee Valley Unite has a private Facebook support group for those to share their concerns and ideas for someone in their circle of influence who is special needs. Another way to make friends through our organization is to volunteer at one of our first responder events or help put together first responder kits.

Finding the right church did not come easy for me. Just like with many people on the spectrum, it took many years to find the right church to belong. There were stretches where I dropped out of going. Even finding the right secular group to join sometimes takes a while. Once the person enters the proper community, and there is cohesion, those with Aspergers and other disabilities often thrive.

Do you belong to a community? Comment in the section below.