printed 9 September 2024
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A person with a ardour for sharing Christ’s love with autistic folks has been ordained as a Church of Scotland minister.
The Rev Steven Owens will divide his time between offering non secular management at Bellshill West Parish Church in North Lanarkshire and growing St Thorlock’s Group, a number one initiative to learn folks with lifelong developmental issues.
Autism impacts how folks talk and work together with the world, and round one in 100 folks within the UK are stated to be autistic.
Saint Thorlak is the patron saint of Iceland, and a US-based Christian group is campaigning to acknowledge him because the patron saint of autism.
Mr Owens, 44, celebrated the sacrament of Holy Communion for the primary time at Bellshill West Church yesterday following his ordination at Hamilton Outdated Parish Church final week.
His proud spouse Mary, daughters Rebecca and Lorraine, mom Betty and different members of the family, pals and colleagues from the Church of Scotland and representatives of ecumenical accomplice church buildings attended the ordination service.
Belief in Allah
Earlier than the ministry, Mr Owens was head of autism coaching on the Nationwide Autistic Society, which says there are round 700,000 autistic adults and youngsters within the UK.
A local of Irvine, North Ayrshire, he hung out as a congregational facilitator with the previous Presbytery of Irvine and Kilmarnock, serving to congregations perceive their place in God’s mission within the communities they serve.
Mr Owens stated, “I began my formation journey six years in the past and have been an impatient individual at instances feeling that this present day would by no means come.
“I’ve come throughout a prayer prior to now few weeks that maybe sums up my journey – ‘God, grant me endurance, however will you please make haste’.
“It isn’t all the time straightforward to comply with the timescale that God has in retailer, however over time, I’ve discovered to belief that God is strictly the place I must be at that second.
“I used to be initially known as to parish ministry and was very clear that pioneer ministry was one thing I’d assist, however not do myself.
“God had different plans, and my name developed alongside parish ministry and pioneering ministry.
“I do know I am in the suitable place with Bellshill West in the interim and belief that God will lead me to the place I need to be subsequent.
“Within the meantime, I’ve a lot to do right here and additional develop the St. Thorlax neighborhood.
“It is going to search to construct a web based neighborhood for autistic Christians and work globally with native church buildings to make church life extra accessible to autistic Christians and their households.
“If I might help the church develop in capability on this means, I really feel that I might be answering part of the decision that I really feel satisfied that God is inserting on my life.”
Household assist
Mr Owens holds a Bachelor of Divinity (Hons) from the College of Glasgow and gained the Downhill Award for Excellence in Sensible Theology linked to his dissertation on making the Church extra accessible to autistic folks.
He revealed that his first reference to the church was by the minister who got here to his college as a chaplain.
“Rev Chrissie Lane was on the college each week and I keep in mind it felt like visiting out of your grandpa,” the minister added.
“By way of family members I had connections with the Church of Scotland and the Roman Catholic Church in Ayrshire and Edinburgh however I didn’t correctly imagine till I used to be an grownup.
“My household knew I used to be within the ministry earlier than.
“Your loved ones is de facto the important thing to it, however the considered going to college put me off.
“My profession was as an autism specialist, initially in a residential college for autistic youngsters, then as a supervisor in an grownup residential service for autistic folks.
“I later led autism coaching for the Nationwide Autistic Society after which grew to become the enterprise lead for all business coaching and consulting providers.
“All of this helped put together me for ministry by way of management, regarding folks at totally different levels of their lives and growing methods to successfully educate and talk with a variety of individuals.
“I assumed this was my life’s profession and that made it tough to resolve to coach as a minister.
“What I’ve discovered, although, from what God has been telling me all through this journey, is that God isn’t completed with this facet of my life.
“Nearly each flip within the ministry has introduced one thing associated to autism to my doorstep.”
Partnership work
Mr Owens had placements with Rev Gene Roddick at Greenbank Church in Glasgow, with Rev David Cameron at New Ly Kirk in Kilmarnock and with Rev Alan McWilliam to develop pioneering work with the St Thorlachs neighborhood.
His ultimate task for the trial was with the Rev Ross Blackman, minister of Hamilton Outdated Parish Church, who supervised him from a distance within the vacant cost of Bellshill West.
An ordained Minister of Wards and Sacraments, Mr Owens’ new function is that of Assistant Minister for the Presbytery of Forth Valley and Clydesdale.
Deputy Clerk Rev Brian Kerr stated: “The Presbytery was delighted to welcome Steven to his appointment on the finish of his formation journey and the start of his journey as Minister of Wards and Sacraments and is delighted that he has chosen to stay in our Presbytery for his first function as Assistant Minister.
“Steven has already made a life-changing contribution to our neighborhood by offering prebytery coaching for congregations to think about how they’ll present an deliberately welcoming house and significant worship for neurodivergent people.
“We all know the folks of Bellshill have warmed to Steven and stay up for him bringing extra new concepts to them to develop their actions, and dealing collaboratively with their fellow congregations within the area to assist all of the folks of Bellshill and Bothwell as a part of the Presbytery’s mission plan.”
