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
Care and Support, Disability Ministry, Special Needs Ministry
Larah Roberts
A Conversation with Lauren Hickman from Hope ...

In this episode, Lauren Hickman shares her personal journey and calling to disability ministry, describing how God has guided her every step of the way to serve families impacted by disability.

A Conversation with Lauren Hickman from Hope Allen Center: Podcast EP 125
Autism, Care and Support, Church Support, Disability Ministry, podcast, Special Needs Parenting, Special Needs Ministry, Sandra Peoples
Sandra Peoples
Strategies for Small and Normative Sized ...

 In today’s episode, Sandra talks about the challenges small to normative-sized churches face in disability ministry and shares how the churches she’s been a part of have overcome these challenges.

Strategies for Small and Normative Sized Churches with Sandra Peoples: Podcast EP 124

Autism

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Organic Friendships

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Organic Friendships

After all my years of teaching middle school special education, specifically a significant disabilities/autism class, you’d think I would have learned by now that some of my best-laid plans were the last things my students needed…especially when it came to making friends. I personally believe that many of the social skills activities I’ve done with my students and my own children have been a great benefit. Our kids need the training and support we provide through role-playing, social stories, and other activities, but at what point do we take our hands off and give control of those friendships to our kids?  Letting go of that control can be scary.

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What the Church Can Learn from the Disability Community

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What the Church Can Learn from the Disability Community

As a senior pastor, I often tell my congregation, the church is “the ongoing witness of Jesus Christ in a broken and hurting world.” When we think about the church and the disability community, we often think about what the disability community needs from the church. I wonder, though, what does the church need from the disability community?

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Six Reasons Church Leaders are Struggling (And How You Can Help): Podcast Episode 021

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Six Reasons Church Leaders are Struggling (And How You Can Help): Podcast Episode 021

In this episode, Lamar Hardwick shares six reasons why church leaders, especially those in disability and mental health ministry, may be struggling and how your church family can help them.

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The Reason I Gave Church Another Chance

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The Reason I Gave Church Another Chance

As members of the disability community or the parents/caregivers who love them, we know the Church is not overtly welcoming. The right body of believers is out there, but they may not know it…yet. They may not even be able to understand…yet. But they will be willing to learn. Consider this your formal invitation to be sure of what you cannot see.

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Courage in Pursuit of Our Callings

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Courage in Pursuit of Our Callings

I’d like to say a few things publicly that need to be said by someone in my profession with my background and experience. Somebody needs to go first. My hope is it will be easier for others to speak if they know they’re not alone.

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God’s Plan for My Family and Lifelong Ministry for the Disability Community: Podcast Episode 048

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God’s Plan for My Family and Lifelong Ministry for the Disability Community: Podcast Episode 048

Effective ministry for the disability community is one that is built on the belief that your church can and should be pursuing lifelong family ministry for our friends and families impacted by disability. Through his journey as the father of a child with disabilities, Garett Wall has experienced how God does the equipping for ministry and he loves encouraging churches to be more prepared for lifelong family ministry for families like his. In this week’s episode, Garett shares how God’s plan for him and his family came full circle through one of the families at his church.

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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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The Reason My Family Is Not Always With Me in Worship

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The Reason My Family Is Not Always With Me in Worship

Guest blogger, Shannon Blosser shares his experience as both a pastor and a special needs dad.

While our son loves being in the church and especially enjoys looking at our stained-glass ceiling formation, he cannot always handle the crowds and noise that come with being in worship. We try to meet his needs while living into the realities of being a pastoral family.

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Disability Ministry: A Tale of Two Churches

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Disability Ministry: A Tale of Two Churches

Guest blogger Sandy Hartranft shares her son's experience with the disability ministries at two churches—each with its own approach to inclusion and belonging.