Monthly Archives: February 2014

Key Ministry training at Parkside Church

Posted on February 11, 2014 by Dr. G

Carrie will be sharing strategies for effectively including kids with mental illness, trauma and developmental disabilities into Sunday School settings and offering practical tips for managing behavior for children who struggle with impulse control and self-regulation. I’ll be offering an overview of why including kids with hidden disabilities and their families is so important for the local church, and discussing how common conditions including ADHD, anxiety and Asperger’s Disorder may impact spiritual development in children and teens. Continue reading →

Posted in Key Ministry, Training Events | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Celebrating Rebecca’s ministry…

Posted on February 9, 2014 by Dr. G

I’d like to make a request of our readers…if you know Rebecca, or serve at a church where you’ve seen God use her service to be a blessing to others, please leave a comment below!
Continue reading →

Posted in Key Ministry, Leadership, Stories | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

What does “executive functioning” have to do with kids and church?

Posted on February 6, 2014 by Dr. G

Through identifying the other challenges executive functioning weaknesses present to a person’s ability to maintain an ongoing pattern of involvement with a local church, we hope to assist leaders in designing ministry environments and developing supports to welcome kids and families who were “unsuccessful” in previous experiences of church and strengthen their connection to the local church once they become attenders. Continue reading →

Posted in ADHD, Autism, Bipolar Disorder, Depression, Hidden Disabilities, Inclusion, Intellectual Disabilities, Key Ministry | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

“Doing church” when kids struggle with social communication…

Posted on February 4, 2014 by Dr. G

Let’s consider the challenges a kid would experience who has difficulty picking up on body language or the meaning behind the tone and inflection of speech if their parents decided to start attending your church. Continue reading →

Posted in Autism, Families, Hidden Disabilities, Inclusion, Key Ministry, Ministry Environments, Spiritual Development | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Including kids and teens with mental illness at church…Grasping the relationship barrier

Posted on February 2, 2014 by Dr. G

The kids and families we serve in our child and adolescent psychiatry practice are extremely vulnerable to a vicious cycle of escalating social isolation, perpetuated by the nature of the conditions they experience, their propensity to misinterpret the thoughts and reactions of other people and the stigma associated with mental illness. Continue reading →

Posted in Families, Hidden Disabilities, Inclusion, Key Ministry, Mental Health | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments