One of my dearest friends' sons interviewed his pastor (Pastor Tom Trouwborst of Calvary Orthodox Church in Shcenectady, NY) for his video blog, here. Kevin is autistic and asks Rev. Trouwborst some pastoral questions relating to his autism (very thoughtful questions he wrote himself for this interview) in the video.

I thought it a wonderful instance of the way a good undershepherd can help to care for those in his charge who are struggling with the limitations of difficult providences, like autism. (Indeed this minister and church have been absolutely wonderful for my friend and her family, who -- out of a very traumatic cultic background -- have been taught here about the freeness and simplicity and sufficiency of the grace of God in Christ, in a way that has transformed their lives.) I thought Kevin did a great job as an interviewer, as well! Caroline says he has remembered and spoken about his pastor's answers since.

I did get special permission to post this here. I thought it might be encouraging to other ministers in relating to those in their congregations with autism.

Thank-you for posting this. I have forwarded this to one of my younger brothers, who is an elder in a congregation that has an autistic individual.

Tim, I'm sure Kevin will be very pleased for his interview to be useful in the church -- that relates to one of the questions he had for his pastor.

This is such a wonderful video. Thank you for taking the time to post it, as it warmed the hearts of our home. My wife and I have the privilege of working with children and adults who have autism on a daily basis. The grace of God is so easily seen through them; you needn't look hard. I thank the Lord that Kevin has a loving, compassionate shepherd like Pastor Tom to care for his soul!

Thank you for posting this. As the parent and pastor of an autistic child it was greatly encouraging. Autism is growing fast in our country and will be more and more an issue for pastors. (as well as parents)

Originally Posted by KSon

The grace of God is so easily seen through them; you needn't look hard. I thank the Lord that Kevin has a loving, compassionate shepherd like Pastor Tom to care for his soul!

Amen :-). I thought the very nature of Kevin's questions (so thoughtfully earnest and unselfish) demonstrated what a gift God can make these limitations into, to all of us.

Rev. Klein, I'm so glad it was an encouragement.

Thank you so much for sharing this video, Heidi. It is great to see Kevin's obvious love for the Lord and for the Church.

Thanks for posting. Kevin loved seeing his video on Puritanboard. I think autistic people often feel rather useless and unheard in church in society, and he loves that maybe he encouraged someone. Kevin says to tell you all, "Thanks!" He never feels that I put enough exclamation points after it. I guess it should be, "Thanks!!!!!!!!"

Caroline, please tell Kevin, Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :-) I think we all loved seeing his video here at least as much as he did.

Also I was thinking that I should post a link to your catechism material for autistic children: http://www.amazon.com/Special-Catech.../dp/145387500X, in case any viewing this thread would find it a help.

The hat goes a long way towards establishing Kevin's journalistic credentials!

After hearing and seeing many proofs of Pastor Trouwborst's devoted love for his congregation, it was nice to see and hear him in action.

Kevin did a great job!!!!!!!! And I really like the hat, too.

Thanks for posting this. I agree with the others, Kevin did a wonderful job with the interview. It is so amazing to see God working in his life. I am proud of Kevin for not letting autism get in the way of his love for the Lord. Thanks Kevin!!!!!!!!

Originally Posted by a mere housewife

Also I was thinking that I should post a link to your catechism material for autistic children: Amazon.com: Special Catechisms for Special Kids: A resource for teaching autistic children about God (9781453875001): Caroline Weerstra: Books, in case any viewing this thread would find it a help.

Thanks for this as well.

Rev. Klein, the information in the front about the impact of being catechised on Kevin's own life is incredibly heartwarming and encouraging (it was to both Ruben and me) as well. And I am so grateful that his mom is such a good teacher and writer -- it's easy to see that God has given them to each other to make them a special blessing. I'm sure His hand is on every other situation where these challenges are faced in a similar way.

Thanks for sharing this.

Originally Posted by py3ak

The hat goes a long way towards establishing Kevin's journalistic credentials!

After hearing and seeing many proofs of Pastor Trouwborst's devoted love for his congregation, it was nice to see and hear him in action.

You should have seen the hat Kevin picked out initially. It was a Davy Crockett-type coonskin hat that he had found in a box in his room. He said it brought back memories of his youth. I convinced him that it was a very hot day and he might regret that decision. Upon reflection, he went with the hat you see in the video.

I have always admired Pastor Trouwborst's kindness toward autistic and other disabled or elderly people. I've been thinking about that today because an elderly woman in our church passed away this morning. She was in a nursing home the last few years of her life, and she always displayed in her room a photo of her and Pastor Trouwborst canoeing on a lake with his little four-year-old daughter Sarah. It was the last outdoor event she had been able to attend before she became too ill. It was a church picnic, so we were all there, and Pastor Trouwborst apparently recalled that he had heard how much Lilian (the elderly lady) had loved to canoe when she was young and thought it might be nice for her to get out on the water again. I was sitting there when he asked her if she wanted to go out canoeing with him, and I remember that she said (she was a tiny, weak and arthritic old lady with dementia by then), "Well, Pastor, only if you can keep up with me. I don't like going out canoeing with people who can't pull their weight on the rowing."

I don't remember whether it was me or someone else that snapped the photo of them out in the canoe, but the sweet elderly lady kept a copy of that picture in a frame in her room at the nursing home until the very end of her life, and she would tell everyone who came to visit about the day she went canoeing with Pastor Trouwborst, who actually did pretty good with the rowing after all.

I'm sure someone (probably several people) are going to tell that story at her funeral on Friday.