Inclusion Fusion Speakers…Connie Hutchinson

Connie Hutchinson has been a national figure in the disability ministry movement for many years. I’ve had the opportunity to see her speak at conferences where I’ve presented, and our team from Key Ministry has had the opportunity to work with her at a large, regional disability ministry event in Iowa in 2010. We’re very pleased that Connie has joined the roster for Inclusion Fusion 2011. She’ll be speaking on the topic “The Road to Independence.”

In her presentation, Connie will share the story about her daughter Julie, a thirty-six year old young woman with Down syndrome. Julie lives alone in her own apartment and is successful due to many support systems in place–her church, regional center, independent living services and a circle of friends. Connie will describe Julie’s experiences of being an individual with Down syndrome who has been included in a faith-based community from childhood to adulthood. Connie will explain the role the church has played in enriching Julie’s life and in giving her the opportunity to use her spiritual gifts for the benefit of all.

Connie has been the Director of Disabilities Ministry at First Evangelical Free Church in Fullerton, CA since 1992. Connie teaches and oversees special education classes, support groups and community outreach programs and facilitates inclusion of students with disabilities in Sunday school classrooms whenever appropriate. She has spoken at conferences, conventions and colleges nationwide on including people with disabilities in the body life of your church. Connie has traveled to Ghana, North Africa, Romania and China as an advocate for people with disabilities. Connie and her husband Mike have been married for 40 years, have three children and three grandchildren.

More than twenty leaders in children’s ministry and disability ministry are coming together on November 3rd-5th to put on a FREE Special Needs Ministry Web Summit to connect church staff, volunteers, family members and caregivers everywhere. That’s Inclusion Fusion, Key Ministry’s First Annual Special Needs Ministry Web Summit, featuring Keynote Speaker Chuck SwindollRegister here for the Summit!

Posted in Inclusion Fusion | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Kids With Aggressive Behavior…What’s it Like For Their Parents?

This is the eighth post in our Fall series Beyond Zero Tolerance: When Kids Become Aggressive at Church. Today, we’ll take a look at what it’s like to walk in the shoes of parents of children at chronic risk of aggressive behavior.

The demands of raising a child who experiences repeated episodes of maladaptive aggression are often overwhelming. It’s important to keep in mind that the level of vigilance such parents need to demonstrate to maintain their homes as safe places frequently limits the time and energy they have available to attend to their own spiritual growth, much less attend to the spiritual needs of their children. Your ministry experiences a win every time the parents or siblings of the child with aggressive behavior are able to attend worship, go to a class or Sunday School or participate in a small group.

Imagine the anxiety parents experience in bringing a child prone to aggressive behavior to church! After all, one of the most troublesome aspects of their child’s disability is behavior that in many instances can be characterized as sin. There’s the discomfort that results from the sense of being judged by others. As a parent from my practice put it, “people in the church believe they can tell when a disability ends and bad parenting begins.”

Having a child with severe aggression is very socially isolating. Parents have to carefully consider where they can take their child in public…daily activities like trips to the grocery store, to a sibling’s athletic event, or attending family events often require careful planning…one parent may have to stay home. Marital strain is common. Parents can’t ask any teenager on their street to babysit. While the data on divorce rates among families of kids with autism spectrum disorders is mixed, divorce rates among families of kids with ADHD under the age of eight (when they are most likely to exhibit aggressive behavior as a component of the clinical presentation) are double the rates seen in similar families. For more information on special needs and divorce, click here.

High-quality treatment for kids with maladaptive aggression may be difficult to find. I received an e-mail in the past week from a pediatrician seeking advice after a mother of a young child on five different medications for aggressive behavior called her looking for help because of concerns about all the medication her child had been prescribed. The parent wasn’t able to get an appointment with a new child psychiatrist for another two months. Another challenge parents face is weighing the risks of antipsychotic medication commonly used to treat severe aggression (marked weight gain, increased lipid and cholesterol levels, elevation of prolactin levels with some medication, long-term risk of movement disorders) against the potential benefits. Medications for impulsive aggression frequently wear off in the late afternoon or early evening, creating difficulties for families who would like their children to participate in evening programming.

Bottom line…families of kids with maladaptive aggression have lots of needs. They need a welcoming church where they can grow spiritually so that they can fulfill their responsibilities as the primary faith trainers to their other children. They have relational needs. They need Christian community, but they also need time to build their relationships with one another. They also need a place where they feel accepted.

Next…Steps parents of kids with aggressive behavior can take to more effectively partner with their church.

***********************************************************************************************************

KM_ForFamilies_Logo_Color_RGBKey Ministry helps connect churches and families of kids with disabilities for the purpose of making disciples of Jesus Christ. In order to provide the free training, consultation, resources and support we offer every day to church leaders and family members, we depend upon the prayers and generous financial support of readers like you. Please pray for the work of our ministry and consider, if able, to support us financially!

Posted in Families, Hidden Disabilities, Key Ministry, Strategies, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

How Inclusion Fusion Will Work

Inclusion Fusion will be different…and hopefully, better than any other ministry conference you’ve ever done, either over the web, or where everyone’s physically present in the same facility.

We’ve partnered with the folks from Pajama Conference to put on Inclusion Fusion. Pajama Conference is a very appropriate name for their organization…if you so choose you can literally attend this entire conference in your pajamas.

Anyone who registers for the Web Summit will be able to access any presentation during Inclusion Fusion at any time during the conference. Each of the presentations has been video-recorded in advance. While many of our presenters will be available at designated times during the conference for live chats, their presentations will be available 24-7 during the three days of the conference. The advantages to such an approach are obvious…

You can get whatever content you want whenever you’re available. If you want to see Amy Dolan’s or Shannon Dingle’s presentations, but have a ministry staff meeting at 10 AM on Thursday, no big deal. Watch them on your lunch hour, after dinner, or after you’ve put your kids to bed. Families of kids with disabilities often have little control over their schedules. Flexible scheduling enables them to be part of Inclusion Fusion too!

You can watch ALL of the presentations offered through the conference if you choose to do so. I often attend medical conferences where I miss out on lectures I’d like to attend when I’m presenting myself, or when two or three breakouts I’d like to see are occurring concurrently. Not a problem with Inclusion Fusion.

Ever go to a conference and wish your teammates or friends could share the experience? You can agree to watch any presentation together at any time of YOUR choosing. You can e-mail the link to the conference to colleagues, families or friends and send them your suggestions for “must see” videos.

We’ll be putting together a conference magazine with detailed descriptions of each presentation and biographies of our speakers, but if you’d like to start planning ahead, you can check out this link to the preliminary speaker lineup.

Because of the volume of traffic we’re anticipating on the website during Inclusion Fusion, we’d strongly encourage you to preregister for the conference at www.inclusionfusion.org. As an inducement to register in advance, a number of our speakers have graciously donated books and resources that we’ll be giving away to participants who preregister. Our Key Ministry team likes giving away free stuff.

Did we mention that the entire conference is free?

More than twenty leaders in children’s ministry and disability ministry are coming together on November 3rd-5th to put on a FREE Special Needs Ministry Web Summit to connect church staff, volunteers, family members and caregivers everywhere. That’s Inclusion Fusion, Key Ministry’s First Annual Special Needs Ministry Web Summit, featuring Keynote Speaker Chuck SwindollRegister here for the Summit!

Posted in Inclusion Fusion | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Inclusion Fusion Speakers: Bob West

We’re pleased to announce the addition of Bob West to the speaker lineup for Inclusion Fusion. Bob will be speaking on the topic “What’s in our Heart?”  In Bob’s presentation, he’ll address the question of why should we care about people with special needs when there are so many things we can do with our time. Why should volunteering for a church program serving people with special needs be at the top?

Bob is the president and founder of the Need Project Inc., a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting families with children and adults with special needs. He and his wife, Sue, have been married 21 years and have three children, the oldest of which has Cerebral Palsy. The West family lives in Black Forest, Colorado.

Here’s an excerpt from the Need Project website:

After Bob joined the staff at the worldwide ministry Focus on the Family, the West’s son, the delightful and talented, Kyle, then seven years-old, met National Radio Hall of Fame host Dr. James Dobson at a ministry picnic. They forged a fast friendship and after Kyle appeared on the Focus on the Family radio program to discuss the life of a child with special needs, the West’s passion for their personal ministry outreach ascended to new heights. Kyle’s program became one of Focus’ most popular broadcasts of all time. Complete strangers began to recognize the voice. Years later, at the age of 13, his “fans” were thrilled to see him reappear in the award-winning Christian worldview course, The Truth Project.

Beginning in 2006, Bob and Sue expanded their support to families nationwide through their Need Project ministry and website. Together, with an enthusiastic team of supporters and families all around the world, they offer a message of hope to parents in a culture that has devalued life. Thanks to the generosity of many friends, Need Project creates encouraging and helpful resources, and educates groups about the needs of these very unique and wonderful families.

Katie Wetherbee and myself had the pleasure of being interviewed for Bob’s monthly podcast this past July. We’re very much looking forward to helping others learn about the resources Bob and his wife have to offer through their ministry.

Bob will be among over 20 of the church’s leading experts in children’s ministry and disability ministry joining with us this November 3rd-5th to put on a FREE Special Needs Ministry Web Summit for church staff, volunteers, family members and caregivers everywhere. That’s Inclusion Fusion, Key Ministry’s First Annual Special Needs Ministry Web Summit, featuring this year’s Keynote Speaker, Chuck SwindollRegister here for the Special Needs Ministry Web Summit, coming this November 3rd-5th.

Posted in Inclusion Fusion | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Church…A Hostile Environment? (Part Two) Harmony Hensley

Our featured blogger today is our Key Ministry teammate and Inclusion Fusion Speaker Harmony Hensley, with part two of her post from Tuesday on ways in which church may represent a “hostile” environment to families of kids with hidden disabilities.

Harmony currently serves as Pastor and Director of Outreach and Inclusion Ministries at Vineyard Cincinnati. The Vineyard has been ranked as one of the 50 most influential churches in America and is known for a strong outward focus and servant culture. Harmony has a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Cincinnati Christian University with a double major in Ministry Leadership and Biblical Studies. She is currently pursuing her Graduate degree majoring in Church Growth and Planting.

There is also a “human” component to your ministry environments.  This can certainly be the trickiest part to assess and impact, but it’s not impossible.  I’ve often said ministry would be easy if we didn’t have people involved.  (If you’ve ever worked with people you can probably identify with that statement).

Steve has done an amazing job spotlighting some issues around aggression as it relates to ministry in his most recent blog series.

I would encourage you to take a two pronged approach to making your church a more welcoming environment for families and kids impacted by disability.

First, do an honest walk through and assessment of your facility.  I certainly understand that ministry dollars are always tight but many of these solutions are free to inexpensive and often invite opportunities for creativity.  Create a checklist of improvements or enhancements that you and your team would like to tackle and complete them one at a time.  Before you know it you will have created a very sensory friendly space for the children you serve!

Second, invest in your volunteers.  Serving children with special needs, particularly hidden disabilities such as Aggressive Behavior Disorders, Bipolar, Autism, ADHD, and other mental health issues is intimidating.  The “people” are just as important as the paint, lights, and textures that children interact with.  (I know – I’m preaching to the choir here!  WE ALL LOVE VOLUNTEERS!!!!)  Most volunteers  feel ill-equipped to serve and reach these families.  But the good news is that there are a number of FREE resources and teachings available to you as a ministry leader to further empower your team.  Be intentional about training your volunteers (all of them in kid min; not just your inclusion volunteers) to better understand aggressive behaviors.

***********************************************************************************************************

KM_ForFamilies_Logo_Color_RGBKey Ministry helps connect churches and families of kids with disabilities for the purpose of making disciples of Jesus Christ. In order to provide the free training, consultation, resources and support we offer every day to church leaders and family members, we depend upon the prayers and generous financial support of readers like you. Please pray for the work of our ministry and consider, if able, to support us financially!

Posted in Hidden Disabilities, Inclusion, Key Ministry, Ministry Environments, Strategies | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Inclusion Fusion Speakers: Rhonda Martin

Noted children’s author and Key Ministry Board member Rhonda Martin has graciously agreed to take a break from her current worldwide book tour to serve as a presenter for Inclusion Fusion. Her lecture will be on the topic: Nurturing Spiritual Growth in Kids with Anxiety.

Rhonda’s presentation will focus on meeting the unique spiritual needs of children who have Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Generalized Anxiety Disorder Social Phobia and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. It will cover identification, accommodations and unique spiritual issues for each of these diagnoses from the church nursery to the high school youth group.

Rhonda is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor in Akron, Ohio. She is Board Certified in Clinical Counseling and holds a Diplomat in Pediatric Anxiety Disorders. She specializes in Pediatric Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and is author of the new release, Stuck, A Children’s Book About OCD. Rhonda is married to Rodney and they have three young children, Brandon, Paisley and Paden.

Rhonda has been a great blessing to many of my patients and their families, and her wisdom and support have been invaluable to our entire Key Ministry team. We’re delighted to share Rhonda with churches and families everywhere through Inclusion Fusion.

Rhonda will be among over 20 of the church’s leading experts in children’s ministry and disability ministry joining with us this November 3rd-5th to put on a FREE Special Needs Ministry Web Summit for church staff, volunteers, family members and caregivers everywhere. That’s Inclusion Fusion, Key Ministry’s First Annual Special Needs Ministry Web Summit, featuring this year’s Keynote Speaker, Chuck SwindollRegister here for the Special Needs Ministry Web Summit, coming this November 3rd-5th.


Posted in Inclusion Fusion, Key Ministry | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Church…A Hostile Environment? Harmony Hensley

Our featured blogger today and Thursday is our Key Ministry teammate and Inclusion Fusion Speaker Harmony Hensley.

Harmony currently serves as Pastor and Director of Outreach and Inclusion Ministries at Vineyard Cincinnati. The Vineyard has been ranked as one of the 50 most influential churches in America and is known for a strong outward focus and servant culture. Harmony has a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Cincinnati Christian University with a double major in Ministry Leadership and Biblical Studies. She is currently pursuing her Graduate degree majoring in Church Growth and Planting.

I imagine the title of this blog alone may ruffle some feathers.  How could someone say that church is a “hostile” environment?  The nerve!

Stay with me for a few paragraphs and I’ll explain what I mean.  The dictionary defines hostile as “not friendly, warm or generous; not hospitable.”

For families and children impacted by disability church is all too often viewed as a “hostile” environment in which they feel judged or unwelcome.  Sadly, I’ve met a number of families who would summarize their church experience this way.

Often this is a result of words unspoken, and the very environment we create to reach people for Christ.  The encouraging news is that many of the things that make the church experience difficult for these families are easily remedied.

Think of your ministry environment in terms of the sensory and social experience that visitors (both adults and children) will encounter.

Let’s take a “virtual” walk through your campus.  Close your eyes and imagine your campus (well, first read this blog and THEN close your eyes and do a virtual walk through- you get the idea).

When families pull into your parking lot what do they see?  Is there clear signage or staffing to direct them where to park?  Can they quickly identify your children’s ministry entrance?

When they enter into your children’s ministry entrance what does that experience look like?  Is the environment loud?  Over-stimulating?  How is the lighting?  Who is staffing the entrance?  What is their hospitality approach?  What signage is present in your facility?  What signage is missing?

These may seem like odd questions but I assure you these are the things that the families we serve are thinking about.  As my Key Ministry teammates can tell you many of the kids we serve have a number of questions that are scrolling through their mind as they think about the church experience –

  • Where are we going?
  • Who is going to be there?
  • What will it be like?
  • What if it’s cold?
  • What if they make me sit in an uncomfortable chair?
  • What if they make me sit?  (I don’t like to sit; I like to walk around)
  • Where will Mom and Dad be?
  • What if they make me read aloud?
  • What if they ask me a question and I don’t know the answer?
  • What if it smells funny?
  • What if it’s too dark?  What if it’s too bright?
  • What if it’s too loud?
  • How will I know what is coming next?
  • What if there are too many people?
  • What if…..(insert countless  anxieties here)?

There are a number of easy fixes we can look at to make sure that our ministry environment is inclusive.  In my posts from last year (which you can see here and here) I go over a number of tips that can dramatically impact the way in which children with ADHD will interact with your space.  On Thursday, we’ll continue this discussion by taking a closer look at the human component of your ministry environments.

***********************************************************************************************************

KM_ForFamilies_Logo_Color_RGBKey Ministry helps connect churches and families of kids with disabilities for the purpose of making disciples of Jesus Christ. In order to provide the free training, consultation, resources and support we offer every day to church leaders and family members, we depend upon the prayers and generous financial support of readers like you. Please pray for the work of our ministry and consider, if able, to support us financially!

Posted in Inclusion, Ministry Environments, Strategies | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Inclusion Fusion Speakers: Introducing Laura Lee Wright

Our Key Ministry team has had several opportunities to work with Laura Lee Wright in her capacity as Access Ministry Team Leader at Northland Church in Orlando. Having experienced the passion and dedication she has for ministry, we’re honored to have Laura Lee serving as a faculty member for our first Inclusion Fusion Special Needs Ministry Web Summit. She’ll be speaking on the topic “For Kingdom’s Sake.”

In God’s Kingdom we all have a place to serve. Laura Lee’s presentation discusses what the Bible says about serving others and will address approaches to the development of services opportunities for individuals and families who live with disability.

Laura Lee holds a BA degree in Social Work and a Masters degree in Organizational Leadership from Palm Beach Atlantic University. She has spent her professional career working with individuals with disabilities, including advocating for people with disabilities at United Cerebral Palsy of Southeastern Wisconsin, working in residential settings including Quest Inc. Orlando, and assisting other churches in the U.S. and United Kingdom through International Teams. Born with cerebral palsy, Laura Lee firmly believes that “all individuals, including those with disabilities, are not only called to have a personal relationship with Christ, but called to serve.”

She was hired by Northland: A Church Distributed to develop programming for individuals and their families who live with disabilities, ensuring that individuals with disabilities and their families are included in all aspects of life at Northland.

Laura Lee is the real deal. As anyone who has ever served with Laura Lee can attest, she lives a life that reflects the love of Christ. We’re confident you’ll be inspired by Laura Lee’s presentation on making use of the gifts and talents of persons with disabilities in the life of the church.

Laura Lee will be among over 20 of the church’s leading experts in children’s ministry and disability ministry joining with us this November 3rd-5th to put on a FREE Special Needs Ministry Web Summit for church staff, volunteers, family members and caregivers everywhere. That’s Inclusion Fusion, Key Ministry’s First Annual Special Needs Ministry Web Summit, featuring this year’s Keynote Speaker, Chuck SwindollRegister here for the Special Needs Ministry Web Summit, coming this November 3rd-5th.

Posted in Inclusion Fusion | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Other Factors Contributing to Aggressive Behavior at Church

In Part Six of our Fall series on including kids with aggressive behavior at church, we’ll examine how sensory issues, anxiety and difficulties processing social cues can increase the risk of aggressive behavior and highlight opportunities for church staff and volunteers to take steps to moderate these risks.

Kids with excessive sensitivity to sensory stimulation (light, sound, touch) often experience distress in environments with loud (or many different) noises, bright lights and physical contact. Their capacity for self-control in situations where they experience overwhelming sensory stimulation is frequently diminished.

Some churches have attempted to accommodate families of kids with sensory processing issues by establishing alternative entrances to the building where less noise and fewer people will be present. Pick-up and drop-off times are often periods of heightened risk for loss of self-control. Harmony Hensley (an interior designer by training) will expand upon environmental interventions for reducing risk of aggressive behavior in two guest posts scheduled for this coming week.

Kids are more prone to aggressive behavior as their level of anxiety increases. The initial visit to a new church, transitions to a new group or new activity at church, drop-off times associated with separation from parents, situations in which a child experiences the sense of being singled out or embarrassed in front of their peers, or times when a child with obsessive-compulsive anxiety is asked to shift tasks or transition away from an activity they feel compelled to complete represent situations when the risk of aggressive behavior may be heightened.

When possible, making available a quiet place in the church for kids who are experiencing acute distress so they can process and de-escalate is helpful. The child’s awareness of other people watching them during periods of distress often exacerbates risk of aggressive behavior. The child needs to have a parent or volunteers immediately available during that time, consistent with your church’s safety policies and procedures. Making available pictures of your facility or videos of the activities kids are likely to experience on your website is helpful to parents of children with anxiety prior to their initial visit. Multiple prompts prior to transitions between activities or visual timers demonstrating the time  remaining for a given activity may help kids who get “stuck” on completing tasks they’re engaged in.

The suggestions described earlier in this post are also applicable to reducing risk of aggressive behavior in kids with difficulty processing social cues or maintaining appropriate social interactions (as would be characteristic of kids identified with autism spectrum disorders). Changes in the routine at church or the presence of unfamiliar church staff or volunteers may heighten the risk of aggression. Some churches address this challenge by assigning two “buddies” to the child to diminish the likelihood of the child being served by an unfamiliar person.

This week: Harmony Hensley will examine the question of whether church represents a “hostile environment” for children and youth with aggressive behavior.

***********************************************************************************************************

KM greenKey Ministry helps connect churches and families of kids with disabilities for the purpose of making disciples of Jesus Christ. In order to provide the free training, consultation, resources and support we offer every day to church leaders and family members, we depend upon the prayers and generous financial support of readers like you. Please pray for the work of our ministry and consider, if able, to support us financially!

Posted in Autism, Inclusion, Strategies | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Introducing Inclusion Fusion Speaker…Ryan Edlind

Ministry was never intended to be a privilege for a closed club of professional Christians diligently engaged in the promotion of one another’s books, lectures, resources and blogs.

When we set up Inclusion Fusion, our intent was for this conference to “be the change” that we’re advocating for in the church. We want to model what it means to be an inclusive church. There are way too many trainings and conferences that feature the same people with the same presentations year-in and year-out. This conference will always be open to contributions from any spiritually mature Christian with ideas or practices that help advance the discussion of ministering effectively with persons who have disabilities and their families, regardless of where they’re serving or whether they’ve ever had the opportunity to speak at major ministry conferences in the past.

To that end, I’m delighted to introduce Ryan Edlind, our first Inclusion Fusion speaker to volunteer a presentation to the conference without having received a formal invitation from our Program Committee. Ryan will be presenting on the topic Church and Mental Health: Bridging the Gap from a Leadership Perspective.

Dealing with leadership in mental health and faith based organizations can be wonderful and terrible at the same time. Ryan’s presentation will address the question of how we can effectively understand the theoretical, theological, and practical tensions the leaders face toward working with them to bridge gaps within our communities. Discussion will include identifying specific obstacles to overcome and doable strategies for people who navigate the worlds of faith & mental health.

Ryan currently serves as Pastor of Care at Cuyahoga Valley Church in Broadview Heights, Ohio. In his role at CVC, Ryan directs the counseling & care departments in a 2,500 person church. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Bible from Baptist Bible College (1995), a Masters degree in Counseling from Philadelphia Biblical University (1997), a Masters of Social Work degree in Clinical Social Work from New York University (2003), and is pursuing graduate studies toward an M.Div. at Baptist Bible Seminary. Ryan is a Licensed Independent Social Work Supervisor in Ohio and was ordained by Calvary Baptist Church in Manhattan. He has also served as a leader in church ministry (teacher, elder, & pastor), and in mental health organizations (clinical supervisor, professor, hospital psychiatry, agency & private practice settings). He and his wife Jennifer were married in 1998 and are parents to Liam (2004) and Tyler (2007).

For a sample of Ryan’s teaching, check out this recording of a sermon he preached on a topic of great relevance to readers of this blog…

Why do bad things happen to good people?

We hope to offer a platform to other leaders like Ryan who share their ideas and strategies through Inclusion Fusion in the years ahead.

Ryan will be among over 20 of the church’s leading experts in children’s ministry and disability ministry joining with us this November 3rd-5th to put on a FREE Special Needs Ministry Web Summit for church staff, volunteers, family members and caregivers everywhere. That’s Inclusion Fusion, Key Ministry’s First Annual Special Needs Ministry Web Summit, featuring this year’s Keynote Speaker, Chuck SwindollRegister here for the Special Needs Ministry Web Summit, coming this November 3rd-5th.

Posted in Inclusion Fusion | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment