Sometimes, God weaves lives together long before we realize it. That’s certainly true for Dana Goodall and Corey Addison, who launched a new rEcess site at Family Church Siloam Springs last April.

The two had known each other for years. Corey and her husband even served as student leaders to Dana’s son at a previous church. So, when Dana’s family joined Family Church in early 2024, it felt like a full-circle moment—old friends reconnecting in a new season. Before long, Dana noticed that Corey spent Sunday mornings in a side room with her youngest daughter, Klementine, who has a disability. Out of kindness, she offered to care for Klementine one-on-one in her classroom during the service.

“That simple act was such a huge blessing,” Corey said. “It allowed me to worship and sit with my family for that one precious hour each Sunday.”

One precious hour for Corey. One relational hour for Dana and Klementine. As their friendship deepened, Dana opened up about her childhood experience as a sibling to someone with a disability. Around that same time, our Programs Director Sarah Coffey reached out to Corey about starting rEcess at Family Church. It was an answer to a prayer and the beginning of a shared vision now touching families beyond their own. Since launching, this rEcess program has grown from two families to five, welcoming 17 kids total (ages 18 months to 16 years) and 25 volunteers, many of whom are students at John Brown University.

“They’ve become such an incredible backbone to our team,” Corey said. “It’s been beautiful to watch what God is building through this community.”

The church has also taken steps to make every child feel welcome, purchasing a special chair with a five-point harness, which has allowed Klementine to safely join her peers in class, and Big Joe bean bag chairs for movie nights. Family Church’s rEcess will gather again on December 5, continuing a story that began with a simple act of kindness and a prayer that’s still being answered.