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Category Archives: Stories
How my daughter taught me about friendship…Jonathan Holmes
Reflecting back, I’m so thankful for my daughter’s kind heart and gracious outreach. Hannah’s mom told me that day not many kids reach out to her because she has disabilities. In that moment, I realized how simple, yet profound friendship can be in the life of a child. It can brighten one’s day, put a smile on one’s face and in the best of ways it can soften shame, alleviate stigma and lift spirits. Continue reading →
How one good deed turned into the Heart of Rock and Roll…Shane Geisheimer
We share their team’s story to illustrate that special events like a Prom aren’t limited to megachurches with vast facilities and thousands of potential volunteers…the vision for this event came from five young adults in a small church located in an economically disadvantaged area of the region. Continue reading →
Posted in Advocacy, Intellectual Disabilities, Key Ministry, Stories, Strategies
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Tagged 95.5 The Fish, Chick-fil-A, Chip Freed, Disability Ministry, Garfield United Methodist Church, Hope United Methodist Church, Inclusion, Jane Riley, Jesus Prom, Key Ministry, Northside Christian Church, outwardly-focused ministry, Patricia Parker, REACH Services, Shane Geisheimer, Special Needs Prom, Stu Tracy, Terry McHugh, The Heart of Rock and Roll Prom, Vineyard Community Church
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Kimberlie Zakarian…When an invisible disability meets pediatric bipolar disorder
During those times, not one person from the church we were at came to visit or pray with me. My guess is that they perhaps did not know how to handle mental illness. Walking those early years alone as a parent of a child with bipolarity led to depression and trauma on my part. This is the trauma many parents of children with hidden disabilities endure. Continue reading →
Posted in Advocacy, Bipolar Disorder, Families, Key Ministry, Mental Health, Stories
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Tagged Bipolar Disorder, children, church, Disability Ministry, Hidden Disabilities, Inclusion, Kimberlie Zakarian, mental illness, parenting, Rhett Smith, teens
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Cleveland rocks!
The Heart of Rock and Roll Prom is a wonderful example of how churches without limitless resources can come together to provide a great experience for individuals with disabilities while promoting awareness of their needs in the communities they serve.
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Past experiences of church have left many families hurting and broken…
We hardly ever go to church any more. I write this with tears in my eyes because I want to find a church where my kids and I are accepted, and yes, even given “special” treatment from time to time…I am so close to just giving up on church. Continue reading →
Matt Mooney…Why after all the hard, did you choose hard again?
Matt Mooney served as our guest blogger for Father’s Day 2013. Many people were touched by his family’s story last June…we thought we’d share with our new readers… Matt currently serves as Executive Director of 99 Balloons, a non-profit organization based in … Continue reading →
Posted in Adoption, Families, Key Ministry, Stories
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Tagged 99 Balloons, A Story Unfinished, Adoption, Disability Ministry, Eliot, Matt Mooney, Special Needs Ministry, Trisomy 18
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Putting the pieces together…Guest blogger Kathleen Bolduc
Where do we go for solace? For rest and refreshment? For an infilling of joy? We know where to find those things for our kids, but where do we find them for ourselves? Continue reading →
Who knew? Guest blogger Denise Schamens
I asked him if he wanted to talk about God. He spelled out “yes.” I asked if he understood what it means to be baptized? He spelled out “it means to accept Jesus into your heart.” Continue reading →
Posted in Autism, Families, Inclusion, Key Ministry, Stories
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Tagged Autism, baptism, children's ministry, church, Denise Schamens, Disability Ministry, Family Ministry, Inclusion, Special Needs Ministry
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Ten truths for parents of kids with autism…Colleen Swindoll-Thompson
Yet, in it all, I have more freedom, more joy, more hope because it is birthed and grown by the grace of my sovereign, faithful, good, unlimited God and Heavenly Father. Dear friend or parent, if I may offer you some rays of hope in the dark tunnel of autism, may our Lord be honored and your soul be filled with hope. Continue reading →
The power of stories…Dave Lynden
So here was my little guy, Micah, standing in front of the TV, wrapped in his royal blue fleece blanket jumping up and down, clapping and laughing as he watched his favorite stories over and over again, reminding me of what I do, what we do, how we strive to fill in the puzzle pieces and reach for something that brings all of the stories together into a coherent whole. Continue reading →
Posted in Autism, Key Ministry, Spiritual Development, Stories
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Tagged Autism, C.S. Lewis, Dave Lynden, Disability Ministry, Discipleship, Inclusion, J.R.R. Tolkein, redemption, Special Needs Ministry, Spiritual Autism, Stories
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Church4EveryChild 