Special Needs Ministry

Welcome to Open Arms Ministry

For over 25 years, APC has welcomed all members of our local community with open arms. We provide quarterly adaptive worship services, weekly Sunday school classes, Open Arms Bowling/Parents’ Night Out events, SNAPS (Special Needs Advocates and Parents) small group, and support activities for our members as well as for families in the Alpharetta area.

Send an email to our Director of Open Arms Ministry, Lara Wagner Moore. For a faster response, text her at 630-461-3321.

Current Programs

Nursery Care (infants to age 3)
Every Sunday, infants are cared for in our nursery during both the 9:30 and 11:00 worship services.

Sunday School for Children (ages 3-12)
Currently our program for young children is an inclusive setting in our Children’s Ministry program.

Open Arms Sunday School for Young Adults (ages 13+) during the 11:00am service
During the school year, we offer a Christian education class for young adults with trained caregivers for special needs. The class is located in Room 203 upstairs and is faith-based with adaptive learning styles and filled with fun activities, while providing respite during worship for families. The class is provided on most Sundays during the 11:00 am worship service. For more information, contact Lara Wagner Moore.

Open Arms Bowling and Parents’ Night Out
Our young adults with special needs meet once a month for a fun-filled night of bowling. Please contact Lara Wagner Moore to sign up by the Tuesday before the bowling event. All are welcome to join us!  While the young adults are enjoying bowling, parents are able to safely enjoy time away. Check the church calendar for upcoming bowling dates.

Order your own APC Bowling Shirt! Use this link to order and pay $30 per shirt through Realm.

Open Arms Worship Services
We offer modified and adaptive worship services throughout our calendar year to provide worship tailored for our Open Arms families. We also observe the PCUSA Disability Inclusion Sunday, the 2nd Sunday of September, in our congregational calendar.
View some of our Open Arms Worship Services on YouTube:
September 10, 2023  Open Arms Sunday
December 2, 2024  Open Arms Advent Celebration
April 19, 2025  Open Arms Easter Worship Service

Open Arms Radio Spot
Our program has a well-received presence throughout the community. A local radio station interviewed some of our Open Arms students as well as  “Ms. Shoes” about our monthly bowling respite events.

SNAPs Special Needs Advocates and Parents Group
We are providing bi-annual events to allow primary caregivers to gather together and share resources for next steps in their students’ life goals and placements. This is an informal way to connect with others within the community and to gain insights and a develop a better understanding of the road ahead. Topics include: needs for caregivers, respite solutions, guardianships, will-writing, placements, and agencies—all to build relationships to further the success of individuals with special needs.  The fall SNAPS meeting will be held in November.

Open Arms Ministry specializes in equipping its students and families with their ongoing faith journey. Our hope is to equip every person with individualized steps to further their relationship with God, including understanding the Bible, participating in baptism, confirmation and new member classes, ushering during worship and other ways to serve with our community.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Who is the Director?
A. APC’s Director of Open Arms Ministry is Lara Wagner Moore (aka “Ms. Shoes”). Lara and her family have been a part of APC for over a decade and she has been involved in several ministries, including APC Dayschool, Choir, Sunday School, Vacation Bible School, and Open Arms Worship. Lara holds a bachelor’s degree in religion from Hope College (Holland, Michigan) and a master’s degree in special education from Lewis University (Romeoville, IL). She is a certified teacher for ages 3-21 and has specialization in Autism. She is also ASL trained. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact Lara.

Q. If my family are not members of the church, can we still attend and sign up for activities?
A.  Absolutely. Open Arms is an outreach ministry which provides activities and respite for families and caregivers. Our Sunday school class has a walk-in policy, but we do like to have information on any new student. So please plan to fill out our Open Arms Ministry Registration Form.

Q. If we want to participate in any Open Arms programming, what forms should I fill out?
A.  To speed up the process of drop-off for a specified service or event, we ask that families fill out our Open Arms Ministry Registration Form to help provide the most comprehensive service. Our program is here to provide fun and fellowship for our Open Arms population. With that said, we hope to have informed caregivers so that everyone is able to enjoy and participate during their time with us.

Q. What are the student-to-staff ratios for the program?
A.  The policy for all of APC’s programs involving children and youth requires at least two approved volunteers. However, for larger events we staff with more volunteers based on attendance numbers. Our program is here to provide chaperoned events where families know their children are safe and well taken care of during their time with our Open Arms team. This process for our volunteers requires a background check and training with our Child and Youth Safety Policies and Procedures

Q. How do I sign up to volunteer with the Open Arms Ministry?
A.  The process to volunteer involves a few short steps in order to be qualified for our team. We ask each volunteer to complete a background check and attend a short training session with our Director. After completion of both items, you are ready to serve. At that point, you may use the Open Arms Volunteer Staff SignUp Genius link to sign up.