A Welcoming Community For All: Special Needs Ministry

This article was written and published by Hammer & NER in the Spring 2025 magazine. Hammer & NER is a nonprofit that provides people with disabilities the opportunity to live life to its fullest. To find out more about this amazing nonprofit, visit their website: Hammer.org. 

For over 40 years, North Heights Church in Arden Hills has provided a welcoming faith community for individuals with disabilities, including many supported by Hammer & NER. North Heights provides an inclusive environment through their Special Needs Ministry where worship, fellowship, and spiritual growth are all thriving. 

Lori Michaud, the Special Needs Director at North Heights, has worked there for over two decades. Under her leadership, the ministry has grown to provide Sunday morning worship, the "I Am His" Club on Tuesday nights, and a very popular Friday Night Lights social event with more than 100 participants every month. These programs provide people with a chance to attend worship in a welcoming environment that embraces their unique needs. "We try to accommodate everyone so they can experience faith in a way that is meaningful to them," Lori says. 

Bob Lockwood, a longtime Hammer & NER board member and dedicated volunteer at North Heights, has witnessed the profound impact of this ministry firsthand. His daughter, Dru, who is supported by Hammer & NER, regularly comes to worship and really looks forward to each Sunday service. His late daughter, Stacy, found a spiritual home at North Heights too. "This ministry has meant everything to our family," Bob says. "It's a place where everyone is included, no matter their abilities."

North Heights' commitment to diversity has not gone unnoticed; they were presented with the Community Partner Award from Hammer & NER. Through all their work, they continue building a faith-filled community where persons of all abilities, pray, connect, and grow together.