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FRI, APR 29

Breakout Block #1

9:15am-10:30am

Weekend Buddy Training: Using a Scenario Case Based Approach – Tiffany Crow and Doc Hunsley || Workshop || This workshop is geared towards any volunteer who might work with an individual with special needs from birth through adulthood in a ministry setting. You will learn general considerations for individuals with special needs that will allow you to be successful in working with them. We will also give you a toolbox filled with crisis prevention techniques and walk you through several real-life scenarios to help you feel confident and prepared to handle any situation that may arise in a special needs setting. You can easily take this back home and train your volunteers as well.

From Spiritual Roadblocks to Embracing Jesus: How to Minister to the Traumatized Heart of a Child with Disabilities – Natalie Flickner || Workshop || Trauma can affect the spiritual heart of any child. But how does trauma relate to a childhood disability and affect the spiritual openness of a child's heart to Jesus? In this session, three questions will be asked: 1) How does trauma relate to a childhood disability? 2) What roadblocks often hinder a child with a disability from receiving and believing in God's love for them? 3) How can Jesus' followers, the church, help prevent and remove these roadblocks from hindering a child's heart? The main passage in this session will be Matthew 19:14, where Jesus says: "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."

Deafness: Why Accessibility and Inclusiveness Matters – Brandon Gaskin || Workshop || Brandon Gaskin will present on why accessibility and inclusiveness matters in reaching Deaf for the Kingdom. Statistics say that 98% of Deaf individuals do not know Christ, and that statistic has been unchanged for over 20 years. Brandon’s challenge to the Church is to see that statistic eradicated in our lifetimes. Brandon will share stories of how church hurt the Deaf community in the past, and how Deaf Millennial Project is leading the way. Brandon will also share tips to equip the church to reach the Deaf. Even if just 1 deaf person is reached for the Kingdom, that Deaf person can go on to impact millions of others. 

Called as Co-Laborers: 5 Ways to Empower Ministry by Persons with Varied Abilities – Victoria White || Workshop || Holding to the standard that each person, like a puzzle piece, belongs as an active participant serving in the body of Christ requires fresh ideas for flourishing. Come and get 'em! In this workshop you'll be empowered to empower others, learning five ideas from concepts of universal design and restorative practices. Informed by Scripture, universal design and restorative practices are best practices from experts in inclusive education and ministry that you can begin to apply right away. 

Making Sense of the Senses: Practical Sensory Tools for Ministry – Matt Barnett || Workshop || This session will share current use of sensory activities, environment additions and budget sensory ideas, including a brief explanation of the sensory systems. Additionally, ideas on infusing sensory needs and movement in the learning process will be included.

How to Influence Leaders and Get Buy-In to Launch Your Special Needs Ministry – Craig Johnson || QuickTake || Key steps that you can take to get your leaders, people, and community to support your special needs ministry.

“Let’s Trade Shoes” (Galatians‬ ‭4:12-13‬ ‭MSG‬‬) – Lamar Hardwick || QuickTake || There are over 61 million people in the United States that have some form of a disability. This number doesn’t include those under 18, those over 65, or those who have yet to receive a diagnosis. Why is it so challenging to make the world and the church more disability inclusive? Because we need to trade shoes. In this talk Lamar Hardwick will share why proximity to the disability community must be the number one priority in creating a sense of belonging for those with disabilities.

A Whole New World: Breaking Down the Misconceptions of Special Needs Ministry – Rachel Ritter || QuickTake || It has been incredible to see the increase in special needs ministries over the last several years; however, often times people limit their understanding of what special needs ministry can be. If churches want to start truly serving the special needs community, we must break down the restrictions that misconceptions often place on special needs ministry. Rachel will explain why special needs ministry starts by opening up all areas of the church to welcome those with disabilities.

Equipping Our Friends to Be Servant Leaders – Brad Mowry || QuickTake || All people need to be equipped to become servant leaders, including people living with disabilities. Brad will share how Young Life Capernaum's Leadership Experience helps high school graduates with disabilities build community and leadership skills and equips them to lead themselves and others in a growing relationship with Jesus.

FRI, APR 29

Breakout Block #2

10:45am-12:00pm

A Step by Step Roadmap for Implementing a Mental Health Inclusion Strategy in Your Church – Dr. Steve Grcevich || Workshop || Disability ministry leaders are increasingly aware of the struggles and barriers to participation in church life for individuals and families impacted by mental illness. Dr. Grcevich and Catherine Boyle will guide attendees through the steps needed to implement a mental health inclusion strategy across all the ministries of the church. Attendees will receive an updated version of Key Ministry's mental health ministry planning tool, as well as new checklists applicable to specific areas of ministry. Whether you're a senior pastor, lead the church's care team, serve in children's ministry or help manage the facilities, this workshop includes practical ideas for your area of service.

Keeping Ministry Safe for Everyone – Samantha Jones and David Jones || Workshop || Safety doesn't happen by accident. In this workshop, we unpack a risk management process, a proactive approach to safety in an inclusive ministry. The workshop includes 9 practical ways to manage the most common inclusion ministry risks.

Where Do I Find Families?  25 Proven Community Outreach Ideas – Lisa Mattheiss || Workshop || “But our church doesn't have families with special needs. Where and how do we find them?" Families affected by disabilities are all around us. The ways to find them, minister to them, and bring them into the church are extensive and varied. Building a ministry from four families to several hundred, LifeLine Families has employed several different methods and models through the last 20 years to reach into their community. In this session, Lisa will walk through 25 different ideas (and several variations) she has used before, during, and after COVID, both from her nonprofit and church staff experiences. Ideas offered will include one on one, small group, or large group options; ideas for single leader or single church opportunities, as well as community-wide collaborative activities and events. Various budget options and approaches for targeting different age groups, diagnosis groups, or geographic areas will be part of the conversation. While every idea will not work for every church or ministry, workshop attendees will be able to find some ideas that can work for their situation. 

Resourcing the Small Church for Autism Inclusion – Shannon Blossser || Workshop || The small church can be a place of support and encouragement for families and children on the spectrum. Small churches, as well, can be overwhelmed when they receive an autistic individual, and unsure how to welcome or provide adequate accommodations for the person and their family. Using examples from what we have done at Pea Ridge UMC in Huntington, WV, this workshop will look at ways--including low-cost ways--to educate and equip the small church to welcome autistic individuals and their families.

Pandemic Proof Curriculum – Ryan Wolfe || Workshop || Meeting in-person? Great! Meeting online? No worries. We got you! No matter the circumstances, we have a curriculum that will work for you. Come to this session led by Ryan Wolfe, the Ability Ministry President, and see all the new curriculum that is available today. In addition to getting a preview, you will also be given practical tools on how to use the curriculum in any environment you may find yourself in.

Using Storytelling to Build Your Disability Ministry – Clarence Haynes || QuickTake || One of the challenges in finding workers for disability ministry is making people aware of the obstacles and complications faced by families living with disabilities. In this presentation, Clarence will share why storytelling is an important first step in building disability ministry, and will unpack the tools necessary to connect with the emotions of potential volunteers to move them to action.

Myth Busting: How to get Senior Leadership on Board with Disability Ministry – Doc Hunsley || QuickTake || Are you trying to start a Disability Ministry at your church but having difficulty in getting your senior leadership to understand your vision? Or are you part of the senior leadership and have concerns about starting another ministry? We will debunk many of the myths on why one can’t do a Disability Ministry! We will provide you the tools to have effective conversations with church senior leadership to promote the initiation of a Disability Ministry - even in adverse situations.

Called and Qualified: Resourcing Peer Leaders to Launch Mental Health Ministries – Kimberly Britt || QuickTake || Kimberly believes that the most successful mental health ministries are led by peers. In this session, Kimberly will tell of her struggles with mental health and substance use, to break stigma and share hope. Kimberly will offer practical tips to empower and resource individuals impacted by mental health issues to launch and lead powerful ministries.

Changing the Culture of the Capital-C Church – Ryan Faulk || QuickTake || Why do so few churches have intentional disability ministry? And what can disability ministry advocates do about it? Ryan will give practical steps that any church and leader can take to impact his or her spheres of influence, to create church cultures of welcome and accessibility that sustain long-term disability ministry outlasting any single person, program, initiative, or event.

FRI, APR 29

Breakout Block #3

1:30pm-2:45pm

Stop Behavior Before It Starts – Tiffany Crow || Workshop || Unwanted behaviors happen at church. Let's plan for them so you can stop those behaviors before they start! As a participant, you will learn strategies to keep unwanted behavior from occurring, with tools that already exist within your ministry. Don't let your content be missed because your learner couldn't sit!

Biblical Community for Adults with Disabilities – Elizabeth Barnett || Workshop || Adults with disabilities rarely have the opportunity to develop a biblical community. Stephen Blandino describes the four marks of biblical community as devotion, compassion, frequency, and growth, as outlined throughout Acts 2. In this talk, Elizabeth will walk through how churches can help welcome adults with disabilities into their congregations and facilitate opportunities to develop meaningful relationships. This talk will give examples of ministry models, service opportunities, events, and discipleship classes that include individuals with disabilities.

Re-Membering the Body of Christ with Persons with Dementia – Victoria White || Workshop || Dementia can cause isolation for an individual and a family, but the Body of Christ can be innovative in re-membering them. This workshop draws on experts' understanding of dementia and offers a holistic approach to preserving community and engaging in worship and Bible study. Practical information and ideas provide you with clear connection points and ways to sustain ministry with persons experiencing dementia. 

Families Caring for Those with a Disability – Brie Turns || Workshop || Caring for or raising a family member with a physical, intellectual, or developmental disability can be one of the hardest challenges a family may endure. In an effort to support and strengthen these families, this presentation will highlight how the churches can support, encourage, and provide needed resources to families, couples, and individuals with a disability.

Every Believer Belongs – Allie McCarty || Workshop || The most essential part to building an effective disability ministry is the recognition that every believer is welcome to experience and participate in the full body life of the Church. In this program, we will walk through how a disability inclusive local body can center their disability ministry on the personhood of each individual, the significance of a relationally based ministry, and the value in empowering individuals to use their unique God-given gifts and talents to lead and serve in their church community. A thorough perception of these approaches will equip you to implement an effective disability ministry, and radically transform the life of your church.

Calm Spirit for the Special Needs Parent – Mark McClure || QuickTake || In this session, Mark will share how, in spite of the added stressors faced by parents of children with disabilities, disability ministry leaders can help parents can find the peace and abundant life that Jesus promised. Sharing insights from his book, Calm Spirit Meditation, Mark will share thought patterns, behaviors and meditations to strengthen and encourage the spiritual lives of parents of children with disabilities.

Opening our Eyes to Invisible Disabilities – Katie Matthews || QuickTake || People living with invisible disabilities like ADHD, attachment disorders and autism spectrum disorders often don’t receive the same grace and kindness that is extended to people with visible disabilities. Katie will explore approaches to best love people with invisible disabilities, and will explain why churches need more than just one model of disability ministry.

Enlarging Our Borders: The Next Step in Disability Ministry – Peter Gordon || QuickTake || Located on the campus of Grand Rapids Community College, Jabez Ministries is an example of a campus ministry where the disabled are equipped to become leaders for Christ. Rev. Peter Gordon, pastor and director of Jabez Ministries, has lived with disabilities all his life. He will share testimonies of disabled persons in the Bible, as well as stories about successful disability campus ministry.

Deafness: Why Accessibility and Inclusiveness Matters – Brandon Gaskin || QuickTake || Statistics say that 98% of Deaf individuals do not know Christ, and that statistic has been unchanged for over 20 years. Brandon’s challenge to the Church is to see that statistic eradicated in our lifetimes. Brandon will share stories of how church hurt the Deaf community in the past, and how Deaf Millennial Project is leading the way. Brandon will also share tips to equip the church to reach the Deaf.

SAT, APR 30

Breakout Block #4

9:15AM-10:30am

Including Kids on the “High End” of the Spectrum: Adding Mental Health Ministry Strategies to our “Special Needs” Toolbox – Dr. Steve Grcevich || Workshop || Research suggests that nearly 60% of children and teens with autism spectrum disorders are of normal or high intelligence and may not be served well by "special needs" ministry designed for individuals with intellectual disability. Common mental health concerns are often the cause of much of their social limitations. This workshop will help participants develop a strategy for including kids on the high end of the spectrum, by combining mental health ministry ideas with traditional approaches for serving youth with autism. For churches with established disability ministries, this workshop will serve as a first step to expanding support for children and teens with significant mental health conditions and their families.

Building Better Relationships Through Effective Communication Between Parents and Ministry Leaders – Sarah Broady || Workshop || Our children should all have a place at church; both parents and ministry leaders have a responsibility to ensure the inclusion of any child with disabilities in the body of Christ. In order to accomplish this, parents must prepare their children for church, as well as prepare church leaders for their children. Ministry leaders must prepare other church leaders and help the church community welcome families with disabilities. Parents are used to fighting for services in school and therapy, so how can parents adjust their mindset and responses when in community with brothers and sisters in Christ? How can ministry leaders better understand families they are serving? This session will focus on how to build better relationships between families and ministry leaders for the glory of God. We will address the commonalities between parents and ministry leaders, steps each side can take to better understand each other, and best communication practices that will encourage grace, even while advocating for the child's best interests. We will also talk through different strategies parents and ministry leaders can take to address a variety of problems or potential issues. Parents and ministry leaders will leave encouraged and equipped to enable all children to be included in church ministries.

Too Tired to Care: Preventing Exhaustion & Burnout – Stephanie Hubach and Lisa Mattheiss || Workshop || Special needs ministry is exhausting; caregiving is exhausting. Most special needs ministry personnel are caregiving on personal, professional and/or ministry levels. In disability ministry, the relentlessness of disability, walking alongside those going through traumatic experiences, serving as agents of congregational transformation in the face of opposition, and navigating chronic sorrow with others can create the perfect storm for both burnout and compassion fatigue. Burnout (high expectations and performance over time) can overlap with compassion fatigue (secondary trauma experienced via the intensity of caregiving experiences); in disability ministry, these can easily be inter-related. Come and hear the personal experiences of two ministry leaders who have navigated these challenges and learn how to engage in resilient ministry to and alongside of others.

A Cord of Three Strands - Integration of All God's People in Vibrant Church Life – Tom, Julie and Amy Meekins || Workshop || We are 3 members of a family affected by disabilities - a dad, mom, and now-adult daughter with something called CHARGE Syndrome. For 27 years we have been navigating church life, which includes our own ongoing journey into figuring out where we fit, and also helping others understand the importance of inclusion, as we have stepped into roles as members, paid staff, and volunteers. Our mission in this presentation is to: 1) help individuals and families affected by disability catch the vision that their particular brand of uniqueness is vital to church ministry, 2) share examples of how individuals and families can step into serving purposefully, and 3) share how ministry leaders can take on the challenge of shepherding and facilitating this vision in tandem with the individuals and families.

A Display of God's Glory: Equipping Individuals with Disabilities for Ministry – Ron Sandison || Workshop || During the persecution of the early church, Lawrence, a deacon in Rome, was ordered to bring the treasures of the church before the emperor. He gathered the poor and disabled and took them to the emperor and said, "Here is the treasures of the church!" Clergy and lay practitioners will learn practical insights to empower God's treasures for ministry. Sandison, a theologian and author, will share his own struggles with autism and challenges he experienced in ministry, and provide inspiring stories of clergy with disabilities using their gifts to display God's glory.

Often Overlooked: Why the Church Should Prioritize the Needs of the Siblings of Those with Special Needs – Michael Crawford || QuickTake || Siblings of individuals living with disabilities have experiences and insights that many of their peers do not have. In this presentation, Michael will explore reasons why siblings of individuals with disabilities face unique challenges and what the church can do to address these needs.

Beauty Belongs to Everyone – Ryan Wolfe || QuickTake || History has not been kind to people who live with disabilities. People have been ostracized, segregated, neglected, abused, aborted, and murdered as a result of disability. Why? Because we have been taught that disability is ugly, undesirable, shameful, and should be either hidden away or disposed of. What if there was something that the Church could do collectively to overturn this false and negative narrative? We believe there is something that can be done! In this session, you will see how the tide can turn and how everyone can play a part in celebrating the beauty that belongs to everyone.

Reaching Out in the Midst of Needing to Be Reached – Joe & Cindi Ferrini || QuickTake || Disability ministry is often thought of as ministry to or with people living with disabilities, but individuals and families with disabilities have the same calling from Christ to serve with their ministry gifts. Joe & Cindi will explore ideas to encourage families with disabilities to step outside their comfort zones to help meet needs, build community and grow the body of Christ.

SAT, APR 30

Breakout Block #5

10:45AM-12:00PM

Helping People with Social Anxiety Thrive in Any Size Church – Catherine Boyle, Lamar Hardwick, Sandra Peoples || Workshop || Nearly twenty percent of adults and about eight percent of children experience anxiety disorders, and up to 84% of people with Level 1/high-functioning autism experience anxiety. The very nature of church life is to be social with others. Learn tips to help people living with social anxiety, whether on the autism spectrum or not, connect and find community in your church.

Mobilizing Volunteer Leaders – Barbara Stanley || Workshop || Drawing on my experience as a church staff member, whose job it was to shepherd lay leaders who wanted to launch new ministries, as well as my experience launching and leading a successful church disability ministry as a volunteer, this workshop will teach foundational skills for volunteer ministry mobilization. Key Points to be covered: differences between the professional and volunteer leadership experience; questions to ask before determining if a volunteer is a good fit as a leader; understanding the role of collaboration between staff and volunteers; common areas of ministry where volunteer leaders need church support and how to help leaders grow; helping volunteer leaders create sustainable ministries that last.

Managing the Long Term Effects of the Pandemic – Jolene Philo || Workshop || The long-term effects of the COVID pandemic will be felt for years to come. To put the pandemic in perspective, this workshop examines historic events like the Great Depression in the context of community trauma and post-traumatic growth. Caregivers will learn strategies for managing positive and negative long-term effects of the pandemic for themselves and their kids and, if time allows, practice some of these strategies individually and in small groups.

Caregiver Habits for Robust Support – Lisa Jamieson || Workshop || A strong and healthy support system reduces caregiver stress and positively impacts emotional, spiritual, mental, relational, and physical wellness. We'll explore the habits of effective and satisfied caregivers. You will walk away with life-transforming ideas about how to keep from feeling stuck and alone on the arduous road of caring for a loved one with disabilities and/or medically complex conditions.

Cross Training Your Ministries: Fitness and Mental Health – Tony D’Orazio and Jason Morrison || Workshop || In this joint presentation from Ability Ministry and Jacob's Ladder, three experienced fitness trainers will present and discuss the all-important topics of mental health and fitness. We will talk about lessons from fitness that can be applied to the workings of the church and various ministries. The presentation will show examples of people in the special needs community taking leadership roles in ministries. Live exercise demos will be shared by individuals living with disabilities, with some adaptive versions of the exercises. We will also present information on the positive effects of regular exercise as it relates to mental health, positive self-image, and highlight the importance of regular exercise in the current culture. Some audience participation may be requested for the exercise demos.

Resourcing Families & Creative Ways to Build Community – Kim Thorpe || QuickTake || 2020 shook up the Church, but also opened the Church’s eyes to the isolation and cocooning that so many families with disabilities were already doing. Kim will share how Rising Above Ministries has begun resourcing families with disabilities to take charge of their own spiritual health, the spiritual health of their children, and how true community has been created using online community groups.

Doing the Stuff – Amanda Fessehazion || QuickTake || The founding father of the Vineyard movement, John Wimber, had a ministry intent on teaching everyone to participate in the work and power of the Holy Spirit. He called it 'Doing the Stuff' that Jesus did. We believe that this is biblical and we also believe that all means ALL. People with disabilities are very capable of being used by the Holy Spirit to bring encouragement, healing and hope through prayer ministry. In this presentation, Amanda will present how she has taught students (kids, teens and adults) with intellectual developmental disabilities how to pray for others.

A Theology of Inclusion in the Body of Christ – Myra Monroe Carr || QuickTake || What if the church has it backwards?  What if, instead of trying to fit people with disabilities into the life of the church, we structured the life of the church around people with disabilities? In this presentation, Myra will explain how the sins of perfectionism and self-sufficiency contribute to the oppression of people with disabilities, and how current theologies such as "virtuous suffering" fall short in finding disability in the Imago Dei. Myra proposes a theology of friendship as the most biblical theological approach, and will share creative and practical examples of how the Church can do this.