Registration is now open for Inclusion Fusion Live - a disability ministry conference hosted by Key Ministry on April 20th-21st, 2018 at Bay Presbyterian Church in Bay Village, Ohio.
The conference theme is Every Church Can Do Something. Our intent is for pastors, church staff members and volunteers to leave the conference fully equipped with the necessary resources to launch new ministries or expand the scope of existing ministries for children, adults and families affected by disability.
To that end, we've designed this conference very differently than the Inclusion Fusion Web Summits we hosted in 2011, 2012 and 2014. The conference will consist of three sessions over two days.
The day session on Friday, April 20th features three all-day ministry intensives. The $49 registration fee for each intensive includes materials and lunch, and attendees will leave equipped to take something new back to their churches. The ministry intensives include...
Buddy Break Basic Leadership Training (BLT) - This full-day Basic Leadership Training (BLT) is led by Marie Kuck of Nathaniel's Hope constitutes the first step in your church launching a Buddy Break ministry. The BLT will equip your team to lead this monthly parents’ day out/respite program for kids with special needs. Join the Buddy Break network within 6 months and your $49 registration fee will be applied to the cost of a Buddy Break Start-Up Kit. It’s turnkey! The Buddy Break team will be with you every step of the way! Workshop materials and lunch are included in your registration. Buddy Break operates the largest church-based respite care network in the U.S., having trained staff from over 120 churches in 26 states and Puerto Rico.
Autism Spectrum Disorder: What it is and PRACTICAL Ideas to Try - Participants in this intensive, led by Victoria White of CLC Network will gain an understanding of six key differences in persons with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and discover practical tools and ideas to welcome and include them in church settings. These ideas are applicable with children, youth and adults and facilitate congregations in receiving the gifts of persons with ASD. The intensive closes by presenting a powerful and unique perspective on behavior management ideas. Ample time will be provided to discuss application of the tools and ideas presented with persons already served by your church's ministries. Leave with practical strategies for serving persons with ASDs considered "best practice" in church settings. Materials, lunch, and give-aways are included in your registration fee. While the intensive is focused on churches, attendees working in schools will also benefit from the training.
Developing a Mental Health Inclusion Strategy in Your Church - The National Institute of Mental of Mental Health reports that one in five U.S. children and adults have a diagnosable mental health condition, and attributes of common mental health conditions often create barriers to church attendance and engagement for persons with mental illness and their families. Participants in this intensive, led by Dr. Steve Grcevich of Key Ministry and Catherine Boyle of Outside In Ministries will be introduced to a model for outreach and inclusion of children and adults with a broad range of mental health conditions into weekend worship services and other ministries and activities that serve as catalysts to spiritual growth and will be provided with the necessary tools for crafting a mental health ministry strategy consistent with the unique mission and calling of their church. Registration includes a copy of Mental Health and the Church by Dr. Grcevich, along with Key’s Mental Health Ministry Planning Tool. Lunch is also included. Additional speakers will be announced.
The sessions on Friday evening and Saturday will be kicked off with times of worship and prayer and will feature 22 breakout sessions, along with fifteen "Quick Takes" - fifteen minute, TED talk-like presentations from the conference main stage, and three main stage panel discussions.
Dr. Grcevich and Marie Kuck are serving as Friday night's featured speakers, with Barb Newman of CLC Network and Sandra Peoples of Key Ministry featured on Saturday.
Saturday's breakout sessions will be organized into two tracks...one for church staff and volunteers, and a second track for family members of children and adults with disabilities.
Our speaker lineup is also scheduled to include...
- Barb Dittrich
- Lamar Hardwick
- Stephen "Doc" Hunsley
- Lisa Jamieson
- Jolene Philo
- Ryan Wolfe
The Friday evening and Saturday sessions are offered free of charge, but advance registration is required because space is limited. Click here to reserve your spot at each session.
Can't make it to the Cleveland area to attend in person? We'll be live streaming the worship services, our featured and "Quick Takes" speakers and our panel discussions on our main Key Ministry Facebook page.
On behalf of our Key Ministry team and our participating speakers and organizations, I look forward to welcoming all of you to Cleveland for a time of fun, fellowship and lots of learning on April 20th and 21st!
One last note for our friends and ministry supporters. Putting on a disability ministry conference of this size and scope is a leap of faith for us. Opening the conference to ministry leaders and families while offering 40 of the 43 scheduled workshops, panel discussions and presentations free of charge is a major leap of faith. Whether or not you can join us for Inclusion Fusion Live, please keep the conference in your prayers and consider making a financial gift to our ministry to help offset our expenses.
