#Disability&theChurch2025, Care and Support, Church Support, Hidden Disabilities, Mental Health, Mental Health Ministry
Elaina Marchenko
Mental Illness and How it Draws Us Closer to ...

Elaina sits down with Pastor Sergei Marchenko to discuss his experience with mental illness both in his home and church. Pastor Sergei shares hope for the hurting and discussed the importance of mental health awareness in the church, and from the pulpit.

Mental Illness and How it Draws Us Closer to God with Sergei Marchenko: Podcast EP 127
Adult Advocates, Care and Support, Disability Ministry, Special Needs Ministry, Stories
Shannon Blosser
What I Am Thankful For As a Pastor with ...

Ah, Thanksgiving. That festive time of year where we gather around the table with family, friends, or those who are like family to us to share in a feast of turkey, stuffing, pumpkin pie and all the foods that can fit on one plate and then some. While Thanksgiving can be about the food and the endless hours of football on television, it also provides us an opportunity to give thanks to God for the blessings we have experienced in life.

What I Am Thankful For As a Pastor with Disabilities
Care and Support, Caregiving, Church Support, Families, Parents, Special Needs Parenting
Elaina Marchenko
How to Care for Caregiving Families with Lisa ...

Elaina sits down and talks with Lisa Jamieson from Walk Right In Ministries about family caregivers, the holidays, and ways the church can better support them.

How to Care for Caregiving Families with Lisa Jamieson: Podcast Ep 126
Key Ministry, Resources, Training Events, Leadership
Stephen Grcevich MD
The Case for Supporting Key Ministry

The training, content, gatherings and experiences that we’ve created for pastors, church staff and ministry volunteers produced with the assistance of like-minded colleagues serving in disability ministry have become our principal service. So much of what we’re able do to help churches welcome and support families, we accomplish by bringing together experts from other ministry organizations.

The Case for Supporting Key Ministry
Caregiving
Jolene Philo
November Is Family Caregiver Awareness Month

November is Caregiver Awareness Month. As someone who became one of my dad’s caregivers before I started school, I grew up thinking everyone in the world was aware of caregivers and caregiving. As a young adult my husband and I cared for a son born with a life-threatening medical condition, and his typical sibling. As members of the sandwich generation, my brother, sister, and I cared for our mother for 15 years after she was diagnosed with dementia. This explains why, when I first heard that November is Caregiver Awareness Month, I was incredulous, and I still am. 

November Is Family Caregiver Awareness Month

Anxiety Disorders

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Supporting Students with Invisible Disabilities Podcast Episode: 086

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Supporting Students with Invisible Disabilities Podcast Episode: 086

In this week’s episode of Key Ministry The Podcast, Sandra Peoples discusses hidden disabilities, and how we, as The Church, can better support these students with invisible disabilities.

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The Mental Health Friendly Church: An Interview with Rachael Newham from Kintsugi Hope: Podcast Episode 047

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The Mental Health Friendly Church: An Interview with Rachael Newham from Kintsugi Hope: Podcast Episode 047

In today’s podcast episode, Catherine interviews Rachael Newham from Kintsugi Hope, a UK-based mental health ministry that has developed a theology of mental health, and is spearheading a mental health friendly church project.

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Adding Social Stories to Your Toolbox: Podcast Episode 046

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Adding Social Stories to Your Toolbox: Podcast Episode 046

Is there a specific situation or environment or activity that is stressful to one particular child in your ministry area, but is not a challenge to others? Social stories are not a new concept for students on the autism spectrum. But, perhaps you’ve never considered using them in the church setting. In this week’s episode, Beth shares examples of a few social stories to add to your toolbox.

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Cheerleaders versus Dinner Guests: Why Belonging Should Be Your Disability Ministry Goal: Podcast Ep 016

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Cheerleaders versus Dinner Guests: Why Belonging Should Be Your Disability Ministry Goal: Podcast Ep 016

In today’s episode, Catherine Boyle lets you in on some of her middle school angst and shares a principle to help your disability ministry focus on belonging.

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How Lament Fosters Hope

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How Lament Fosters Hope

Let's think about lament for a moment. What pops into your mind? Complaining? Weakness? We were taught as children not to complain. And Christians should be thankful in everything, right?

Yes. But when it comes to God, no. I think lament is an essential part of hope.

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Creating Belonging: Rethinking Cultural Contexts and Mental Health

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Creating Belonging: Rethinking Cultural Contexts and Mental Health

In different cultural settings, the value of an individual’s gifts and the stigma of mental health struggles can vary greatly. What if the Church shifted its methods of interpreting mental health challenges at a pastoral, liturgical and theological level, to a focus on creating belonging?

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Tips to Help with Ongoing Stress from the Pandemic

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Tips to Help with Ongoing Stress from the Pandemic

As of March 2021, we are now at the year mark of the disruption from the pandemic. As a Church, community, and individuals, we have a lot we can do to support each other. Here are some tips to help each other, one year into the pandemic.

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A Personal Look at the Mental Health Impacts of Quarantine

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A Personal Look at the Mental Health Impacts of Quarantine

Recently, Joanna French and her family were quarantined after their children were exposed to COVID-19. Here’s an honest look at how quarantine impacted her mental health.

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Delivering the Shalom of Christ with Mental Health Ministry

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Delivering the Shalom of Christ with Mental Health Ministry

Many people seem to believe they are too bad, broken, sad or worthless to be accepted by God. In our outrage culture, people who have been rejected or treated poorly often end up hating those who have hurt them, particularly when the hurt comes from a person who is supposed to represent God. But what might happen if your church explicitly communicated that mental health conditions like anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder and more are not a barrier to finding a shalom-building relationship with Christ?

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Who Wants a Pastor Who Takes Depression Meds?

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Who Wants a Pastor Who Takes Depression Meds?

I had an appointment with my doctor, to adjust to my medication for an ongoing health condition, and to get a prescription for depression. When the doctor asked why a pastor would want to take depression medication, I responded, Who wants a pastor who can’t care for the sheep because I’m just too depressed? An important post about the need for pastors to care for their mental health needs.