This week Elaina, from Key Ministry, sits down with Sergei Marchenko, Lead Pastor of Chatham Bible Church, and Special Needs Parent. They discuss preparing for the holiday season, church inclusion, special needs parenting and more!
In this episode of Key Ministry the Podcast, Catherine Boyle shares 4 steps any church can take when an individual or family has a significant mental health need that may require ongoing church support.
On behalf of our team at Key Ministry, we encourage prospective attendees to “save” April 29th-May 1 on their calendars and invite prospective speakers to apply to be part of the faculty for Disability and the Church, Key Ministry’s annual national disability ministry conference, to be held at McLean Bible Church in McLean, VA.
At Mental Health & the Church Conference 2024, Dr. Steve Grcevich interviewed Kelly & her son Daniel Rosati on their experience with Schizophrenia, their powerful testimony of Jesus' grace, and how the church can support families like theirs.
Sandra Peoples was recently asked what qualifications she has to fulfill her ministry role. Maybe it’s a question you’ve asked yourself! What qualifications and characteristics do you need to advocate for families and help your church be more accessible? If you’re called to do disability ministry but don’t always feel qualified, this episode is for you
This blog post and podcast episode are being published shortly before Christmas, 2023. I love the Christmas music that is sung and shared this time of year. Recently, one song in particular got me thinking about Jesus’ mother Mary. Do you think Mary realized that in addition to being the mother of His Son, that she had her own ministry purpose? Stay tuned to hear what we can glean from Mary’s life that can help you find God’s ministry purpose for you, in a life that includes disabilities.
How much stress do we put on ourselves to have our house perfectly decorated, so we can “enjoy it?” How much tension do we carry trying to navigate the family dinners and getting worried about our own “Cousin Eddie” showing up and making a scene? How often do we fill up our schedules with parties, events, and celebrations because we feel we have to do it? How often do we get to Christmas Day and have nothing left to give when it comes time to truly celebrate the incarnation of Christ and the Lord’s presence in our lives?
Podcast co-host Sandra Peoples grew up with a sister with Down syndrome and now has a teenager with level 3 autism, so she knows how different the holidays can feel for a family like hers. But they don't have to feel different at church! With a few steps of consideration, she shares how families can feel included and valued. Let's make sure special-needs families can hear the message of hope this Christmas!
Jesus entered the world of people He was with, and used communication that they would understand. But we often ask disabled persons to join in our activities and learn to function in our world. When we learn from Him, by entering the world of those who find our ways of communicating difficult, sometimes incredible connection can happen.
‘Tis the season of waiting, expecting, hoping, dreaming, and if we’re going to be totally honest, Christmas is also a time of worrying. You may think that expectation and anxiety don’t belong together, but when you look closely at the Christmas story, the story is full of things that don’t seem to go together.
The bustle of Christmas and the Advent season are felt deeply in the offices of churches and Christian ministries around the world. We are battling to balance productivity with meaningful reflection and the celebration of Jesus’ coming — both within ourselves and among those we serve. In this season that beckons us to find and follow our Savior, people with dementia and intellectual-developmental disabilities have life-transforming things to teach us about discipleship.
