Tag Archives: Vineyard Community Church

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

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

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.
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An Early Christmas Present for Key Ministry…And The Churches We Serve

I’m very pleased to announce that our friend and colleague Harmony Hensley will be taking on a greatly expanded role with Key Ministry in 2012 and beyond.

Harmony has felt called to take on a newly created position of Director of Ministry Advancement. She’ll be assuming a role on our core ministry team alongside Rebecca Hamilton and Katie Wetherbee.
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Church…A Hostile Environment? (Part Two) Harmony Hensley

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.
Continue reading

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Guest Post: Harmony Hensley…Prom Thoughts

In this new role as a “Mommy” I find myself praying a lot about the people who will cross paths with Ransom over the course of his life. I pray daily that there will be countless other believers, warriors in the Kingdom of God, who will come alongside him and speak life into him. That they will enter into his story and see God at work in his life. I imagine for every smiling face that is greeted curbside there is a Mom or Dad out there who hopes and prays for the same thing for their child with special needs. And I know that God is looking down on each of them beaming with pride “That’s my kid!” (I can just hear him say it!)
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Inclusion Fusion Speakers: Harmony Hensley on Inclusive Ministry Environments

In Harmony’s workshop, she’ll explore ways to create inclusive ministry environments that engage and empower children with hidden disabilities. Participants will learn practical tips to make your ministry area a magnet for families of kids with special needs. Continue reading

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Harmony Hensley: God’s Grace in the Voice Mail

I listened to the message again and just smiled. I was reminded that sometimes in ministry we get so caught up in the litany of tasks and events that we execute that we lose sight of the real impact they have on those we serve. The Prom isn’t just a party. It’s a night where the playing field is level, the kingdom advances, and a people who have been marginalized and often forgotten are celebrated. So it only makes sense that our friends would begin counting down the days for their next dance the moment the DJ stops the music. They thirst for the same thing you and I do – to belong. Continue reading

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Rules of the Community…Everyone Gets to Play!

Every person or organization with a love for Jesus Christ, a heart for sharing the Good News of His Gospel with kids with disabilities and their families and a demonstrable capacity to do ministry with a standard of excellence that advances God’s reputation in the world gets to “play” with our team. Continue reading

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Thinking “Orange”: Catalysts for Spiritual Growth For Kids With…and Without Disabilities

What if a kid has a significant emotional, behavioral or developmental disorder that makes it more difficult to participate in the program or stick with the program? Here are ten suggestions…some are demonstrably effective, some are still working hypotheses based upon 25 years of experience as a clinician and many years of active involvement in churches. All of these suggestions are applicable to any kid or family being served by your church, and are applicable to kids with and without identified disabilities: Continue reading

Posted in Families, Hidden Disabilities, Inclusion, Key Ministry, Parents, Resources, Spiritual Development, Strategies | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Thinking “Orange”…Communicating the Message

Kids (and not infrequently, parents) with hidden disabilities often have difficulty filtering out extraneous information to the point that they miss out on what’s important. One of the top two or three complaints I get from moms about their kids when they first come to our office is that they need constant reminders to do chores or complete homework because other things around the house (TV, the computer, the dog, their little brother) intrude upon their consciousness. Church leaders and volunteers are faced with the challenge of cutting through the information overload that characterizes modern American society with kids and parents with conditions that make prioritizing more difficult. Continue reading

Posted in Families, Hidden Disabilities, Inclusion, Key Ministry, Ministry Environments, Parents, Spiritual Development, Strategies | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment